LOS ANGELES: LeBron and Bronny James made NBA historical past on Tuesday (Oct 22), turning into the primary father-and-son duo to play alongside one another in a daily season fixture because the Los Angeles Lakers opened their marketing campaign towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The duo, who performed collectively briefly in a pre-season recreation earlier this month, took to the court docket collectively late within the second quarter on the Crypto.com Area with the Lakers main 51-35.
An infinite roar went up from the house crowd because the James duo have been introduced onto the court docket by coach JJ Redick after the Lakers had surged right into a double-digit lead.
In a wonderfully scripted second that was pure Hollywood, the James’ double-act was watched at courtside by Ken Griffey Sr and Ken Griffey Jr, who made baseball historical past taking part in for the Seattle Mariners as father and son in 1990 and 1991.
“We made historical past; now we get to observe historical past,” mentioned Griffey Jr, who joined his father to pose for photographs with LeBron and Bronny James shortly earlier than Tuesday’s tip-off.
Bronny James, who like many first-year gamers shouldn’t be anticipated to see vital flooring time this season, grabbed a rebound in his three minutes of motion whereas LeBron contributed 16 factors within the Lakers’ 110-103 win.
Lakers officers had been coy earlier than Tuesday’s season-opener about the place and when LeBron James and Bronny would play their first common season fixture collectively.
Nonetheless, NBA famous person LeBron James, who turns 40 in December, admitted in pre-game remarks that he may scarcely comprise his pleasure on the prospect of realising his long-cherished dream of sharing a court docket along with his son.
“Simply to expire the tunnel realizing that he’ll be in uniform, run out the tunnel with him, see him heat up, and be on the market with the remainder of my teammates,” James advised reporters throughout a morning shoot-around on Tuesday.
“That is my twenty second time operating out on opening evening so I do not know what number of instances I will have a possibility, what number of instances I’ve received left to expire. I will not take it without any consideration.”
Anticipation in regards to the James double-act has dominated the Lakers’ preparations for the brand new season since Bronny James was chosen by the franchise with the fifty fifth decide within the draft in June.
Bronny James, 20, will possible spend most of his rookie season within the developmental G League moderately than the Lakers’ senior squad.