JJ Redick teases possibility of LeBron James & Bronny potentially playing side by side in Lakers vs Suns preseason clash: "It's surreal"
NBA fans might witness LeBron James playing alongside his son, Bronny, for the first time during Sunday’s preseason matchup between the LA Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, coach JJ Redick revealed.
Bronny played in the Lakers’ first preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing with two points and three blocks on 1-for-6 shooting, while his father sat out the game.
Before the Lakers-Suns game, Redick told reporters that the father-son pairing could happen but noted it would depend on the game’s flow.
"It's going to happen within the flow of the game,” Redick said (per @gregbeacham). “It's surreal. It'll be exciting when they're on the court together."
Bronny came off the bench against the Timberwolves and was inserted into the game in the second quarter.
The first statistic he tallied was a turnover but he made up for it blocking the shot attempt on the other end.
Bronny, who came off the bench against the Timberwolves, was subbed in during the second quarter. His first stat was a turnover, but he quickly redeemed himself with a block on the other end.
Bronny entered the draft after a challenging year at USC, where he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Despite suffering a cardiac arrest last summer, his draft stock surged following a strong Draft Combine performance, where he showcased his shooting, hitting 78% in the side-mid-side 3-point drill and going 19-for-25 in the 3-point star drill—both second-best marks.
Bronny and LeBron became part of the NBA's father-son duos, joining names like Dell and Steph Curry, Mychal and Klay Thompson, Bill and Luke Walton, and Arvydas and Domantas Sabonis. However, unlike Bronny and LeBron, none of these pairs played during the same era, let alone as teammates, which could be a unique milestone for the James duo.
LeBron James expresses joy in working with Bronny
Entering his 22nd season, LeBron James said he gained motivation largely due to the chance to play alongside his son, who was drafted 55th overall, on the Lakers.
Speaking at Lakers media day, LeBron shared how Bronny’s presence inspires him.
“It's a pure joy to be able to come to work every day, put in the hard work, work with your son every day and be able to see him continue to grow,” LeBron James said.
“We push each other, he push me, I push him. We push our teammates and vice versa. So just a very joyous moment for not only for myself, but for our family.’’