NBA insider hints at LeBron James & Bronny potentially debuting together on Lakers' opening night
NBA fans will have plenty to look forward to this upcoming season, including LeBron James' 22nd year in the league. Not only will LeBron tie Vince Carter for the record of most seasons played, but he will potentially be the first active player to share the court with his son.
LeBron has long expressed his desire to play with his son Bronny, which is already special. On The Pat McAfee Show, NBA insider Shams Charania said:
"I would expect them to make their debut together. The opening week of the NBA season, possibly opening night from what I'm told."
Bronny James, the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, is unlikely to be the LA Lakers starting point guard immediately unless he suddenly takes a massive forward leap in his development.
D'Angelo Russell is expected to be the team's starting point guard throughout the season, and Gabe Vincent will serve as his backup.
Bronny is also expected to split his time between the main roster and the Lakers G-League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. However, the G-League regular season isn't starting until Dec. 27.
Having Bronny sit idle until then would be a waste of time, so allowing him to suit up next to LeBron James and the rest of the main roster could be beneficial to his development.
LeBron James talks about what it feels to play with Bronny in the NBA
Fans caught a glimpse of LeBron James and his son Bronny donning their Lakers uniforms during the team's media day. Aside from seeing the father-son duo in their jerseys for the first time, it was also an opportunity for the media to ask the pair some of their questions about playing together.
One media member asked LeBron how excited he was to play this upcoming season.
"It's a lot of excitement," LeBron said. "Just pure joy, to be honest, to be able to come to work everyday and put in the work, hard work with your son everyday and be able to see him continue to grow. We push each other, he pushes me, I push him. We push our teammates and vice versa so it's a very joyous moment not only for myself but also for our family." [0:55-1:20]
Bronny was also asked questions about playing with his dad during his turn to speak with the media. One reporter took this opportunity to clarify what he would call LeBron James after the word "dad" was vetoed.
Bronny said he hasn't thought much about how he'll address his father. He also jokingly said that LeBron will have to accept whatever comes out of his mouth when he addresses him.
LeBron James and Bronny James aren't the first father-son duo in NBA history, but they can potentially be the first to share the court as active players.
Prior to them, some fathers have had the opportunity to coach their sons. One example is Austin Rivers, who had the opportunity to play for his father, Doc Rivers, with the LA Clippers.
Another father-son duo with the coach-player dynamic is Rick Brunson (New York Knicks assistant coach) and star point guard Jalen Brunson.