Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9), right, steps onto the court with Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Sunday in Palm Desert, Calif.
William Liang/AP
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William Liang/AP
PALM DESERT, Calif. — LeBron James and his son, Bronny, made NBA history Sunday night when they played together for the first time during the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason game against Phoenix.
LeBron and Bronny are the first father and son to play in any NBA game at the same time, let alone on the same team. The James family’s remarkable moment coincidentally happened on Bronny’s 20th birthday.
Bronny James entered the game as a substitute to begin the second quarter, joining his father on the court out of the timeout. The crowd at Acrisure Arena in the Coachella Valley cheered at the mention of Bronny’s name.
LeBron James is beginning his record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, while LeBron James Jr. — known to all as Bronny — was the Lakers’ second-round draft pick this summer. After recovering from cardiac arrest over a year ago, Bronny played just one season at Southern California before entering the draft and joining the Lakers.
Things weren’t immediately smooth for the James family: Bronny committed two turnovers and LeBron made another in their first two minutes together. Shortly after LeBron hit a 3-pointer moments later, LeBron got the ball to Bronny and set a screen for his son’s 3-point attempt, but Bronny missed.
Bronny came off for a substitute 4:09 into the second quarter, and LeBron came off 25 seconds later at the next dead ball.
Although LeBron will turn 40 in late December, the top scorer in NBA history has shown no sign of slowing down with age. He has spoken for years about his longtime dream of playing in the NBA with one of his sons, and the Lakers made it a reality when they grabbed Bronny with the 55th pick in the draft.
The 6-foot-2 Bronny is expected to spend much of the upcoming season working on his game with the South Bay Lakers of the G League, but he will almost certainly get to play alongside his 6-foot-9 father in a real game early in the regular season.
Head coach JJ Redick said the Lakers already have discussed the logistics of the next historic moment, but he hasn’t predicted when it will happen.
LeBron sat out of the Lakers’ preseason opener against Minnesota last Friday night, resting up after a full week of training camp following a busy summer. Bronny had two points on 1-for-6 shooting and three blocked shots while playing 16 minutes against the Timberwolves.
The Lakers have four more preseason games — all outside Los Angeles while their home arena is being renovated — before they begin the regular season at home against Minnesota on Oct. 22.
LeBron was early in his second NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he and his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, became parents for the first time in 2004. They had two more children — son Bryce and daughter Zhuri.
LeBron and Bronny have been preparing for the chance to play together ever since LeBron returned from a summer vacation after winning a gold medal with the U.S. team at the Paris Olympics. Anthony Davis also made his preseason debut against the Suns after a similarly busy summer.
The father and son have scrimmaged together repeatedly during workouts at the Lakers’ training complex, both as teammates and opponents. Redick said they’ve even run pick-and-rolls together in preparation.
In the regular season, they’ll join a short list of fathers and sons who have shared a playing field in North American professional sports. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. played together with the Seattle Mariners during parts of the 1990 and 1991 MLB seasons, while hockey great Gordie Howe played with his sons Marty and Mark for the WHA’s Houston Aeros and the NHL’s Hartford Whalers.