Lebron Raymone James has been playing professional basketball for more than 21 seasons. Drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2003, he has solidified his legacy in the sport as one of the greatest players to ever touch a basketball.
A whole new generation of basketball players are coming in to witness his legacy and get a chance to showcase their skills on the court with one of the game’s greatest. Amongst the new generation of basketball players, comes along the new addition, Lebron James Jr.
Lebron James and his son, who also goes by Bronny, become an unlikely pair as the first father and son duo in basketball, both having been signed and now playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). But how in the world did this come to be?
It’s not uncommon for former NBA players to have their children carry on their legacy in the professional sport. Players like Scotty Pippen Jr., Domantas Sabonis, Bol Manute Bol and many more, are great examples of generational NBA players.
There have also been times where a father and son would play in other professional sports together. For example, Ken Griffey and his son Ken Griffey Jr. in Major League Baseball, Steve DeOssie and his son Zak DeOssie, in the National Football League, and Gordie Howe with his sons Mark Howe and Marty Howe in the National Hockey League. However, there was not a duo in professional basketball yet.
Going back to when Lebron James first started off his basketball journey, he attended and began playing at Saint-Vincent Saint-Mary High School. From there, his actions on the court would buzz the crowd and, with his unusual stature and extraordinary athleticism, cultivate sports media everywhere at the time.
With his title “The Kid from Akron,” initially projected as “The Chosen One,” it was heavily debated which college Lebron James would choose to play at. Surprisingly, he chose to directly be drafted into the NBA in the 2003 draft class. This class had arguably one of the most talented players of all time selected in this specific draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers won the first overall draft pick, in which they had selected Lebron James as the very first pick of the NBA draft. From there on, the rest is history.
Now how about his son Bronny? Bronny was born about a year after his father’s first tenure to the NBA in 2004. Lebron’s other son, Bryce James, was born three years later, where he would be a rising prospect also expected to play in the NBA.
Bronny and Bryce grew up around the realm of basketball, with their father being the light that shines on them. With arguably the greatest player of all time, coaching and mentoring both throughout their lives, their sons naturally became skilled players.
Graduating from Sierra Canyon High School, Bronny took his basketball talents to the University of Southern California (USC), where he could have the opportunity to show off his skills. When the 2024 NBA Draft started, many of the picks were well celebrated, but the most buzz that was garnered was late in the second round where the Lakers used their fifty fifth draft pick to select Bronny James.
Many people in the basketball community had mixed opinions and feelings about the pick. Some labeled Bronny a promising teammate for Lebron while others have thought it was a nepotistic choice. Others would label Bronny a potential bust who would not be able to live up to expectations.
Publicity stunt or not, the draft of Bronny into the same team as his father marks an unprecedented first-ever father and son pair in the NBA, likely to be one of the only ones ever for a very long time.
