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Dave McMenamin, ESPN Employees Author
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — When Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick first places LeBron and Bronny James on the courtroom in a sport on the similar time — whether or not it is opening evening towards the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday or later this season — NBA historical past will probably be made.
For LeBron, who’s embarking on his twenty second season whereas his son begins his first, the time and place of that first shift collectively is inconsequential.
“Each time it occurs, it’ll occur,” he stated after Lakers shootaround Tuesday morning. “If it is tonight or if it is down the road, every time it occurs, it’ll occur. However it’s been a deal with, and simply in preseason, the practices, simply day-after-day … simply bringing him in control of what this skilled life is all about and how you can put together day-after-day as an expert.”
The historical past the 39-year-old LeBron hung out reflecting on hours earlier than the 2024-25 season tipped off was every little thing Bronny, 20, went by means of to get thus far. A few 12 months earlier than the Lakers chosen Bronny with the No. 55 decide within the second spherical, he suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2023 throughout a summer season exercise whereas getting ready for his freshman season at USC.
“[It was] not too way back that the scare occurred,” LeBron stated. “And when he is capable of grace an NBA flooring, if that is tonight or every time the case could also be, it’s going to be one other a kind of moments simply to know the adversity that he went by means of.
“I’ve had a few relations which have had coronary heart surgical procedures. A few of them older, a few of them youthful. And to understand how lengthy it sort of takes to get again to your self, to see him be capable to play in a university Division I sport the identical 12 months that he had coronary heart surgical procedure was, like, a ‘wow’ second. And I knew that at that second that there actually was going to be nothing to cease him from attending to this — to something that he desires to do. And he wished to proceed to play basketball.”
Persevering with within the sport was the youthful James’ high precedence.
“One of many first issues that he requested, he requested the medical doctors after his coronary heart surgical procedure, like, ‘When can I play once more?'” LeBron recalled. “Not like, ‘How lengthy is it going to take for my coronary heart to heal?’ Or not, ‘How lengthy was I in surgical procedure?’ None of these. He requested, ‘When can I play once more?'”
LeBron and Bronny performed collectively as soon as through the preseason, on Oct. 6 at first of the second quarter towards the Phoenix Suns. Bronny struggled for many of the exhibition slate however completed on a excessive be aware, scoring 17 factors on 7-for-17 taking pictures with 4 rebounds and three steals towards the Golden State Warriors.
Whether or not the father-son duo will get on the courtroom collectively Tuesday or not, there will probably be a distinguished father-son pair within the crowd to look at the sport. Ken Griffey Jr. stated on “The Highway to Cooperstown” podcast on SiriusXM that he will probably be attending the Lakers’ season opener along with his dad, Ken Griffey Sr.
The Griffeys turned the primary father-son teammates in Main League Baseball historical past with the Seattle Mariners in 1990.
“I have been a big-time fan of Ken Griffey Jr. after which turned a pal of Ken Griffey Jr. all through my skilled profession,” LeBron stated. “Simply understanding the historical past of sports activities to have the ability to see what they have been capable of do. … So to be right here right this moment and to know that these guys will probably be in attendance tonight whereas me and Bronny are on the identical crew is a fairly cool second in historical past of sports activities.”
The Griffeys famously hit back-to-back residence runs for the Mariners on Sept. 14, 1990. LeBron was requested what the basketball model of that second for him and Bronny to realize.
“Most likely two lobs,” LeBron stated. “I catch a lob after which Bronny catches a lob, that in all probability be the equal of that. Clearly the lengthy ball is one thing that is large time in baseball, so in all probability two lobs.”