The National Times - LeBron, Bronny James make NBA history with father-son appearance

LeBron, Bronny James make NBA history with father-son appearance


LeBron, Bronny James make NBA history with father-son appearance
LeBron, Bronny James make NBA history with father-son appearance / Photo: © AFP

LeBron and Bronny James made NBA history on Tuesday, becoming the first father-and-son duo to play alongside each other in a regular season fixture as the Los Angeles Lakers opened their campaign against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Change text size:

The duo, who played together briefly in a pre-season game earlier this month, took to the court together late in the second quarter at the Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers leading 51-35.

An enormous roar went up from the home crowd as the James duo were brought onto the court by coach J.J. Redick after the Lakers had surged into a double-digit lead.

In a perfectly scripted moment that was pure Hollywood, the James' double-act was watched at courtside by Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr, who made baseball history playing for the Seattle Mariners as father and son in 1990-1991.

"We made history; now we get to watch history," said Griffey Jr., who joined his father to pose for photos with LeBron and Bronny James shortly before Tuesday's tip-off.

Lakers officials had been coy before Tuesday's season-opener about where and when LeBron James and Bronny would play their first regular season fixture together.

However NBA superstar LeBron James, who turns 40 in December, admitted in pre-game remarks that he could scarcely contain his excitement at the prospect of realising his long-cherished dream of sharing a court with his son.

"Just to run out the tunnel knowing that he'll be in uniform, run out the tunnel with him, see him warm up, and be out there with the rest of my teammates," James told reporters during a morning shoot-around on Tuesday.

"This is my 22nd time running out on opening night so I don't know how many times I'll have an opportunity, how many times I've got left to run out. I won't take it for granted."

Anticipation about the James double-act has dominated the Lakers' preparations for the new season since Bronny James was selected by the franchise with the 55th pick in the draft in June.

Bronny James, 20, is expected to spend most of his rookie season in the developmental G-League rather than the Lakers senior squad.

F.Harris--TNT

Featured

Oilers Edge Flyers 3-2 in Overtime Despite Philadelphia's Shot Dominance

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime at Rogers Place on Wednesday night. Evan Bouchard scored the winning goal just 47 seconds into the extra period, capping a comeback that overcame a late tying goal by Travis Sanheim despite Philadelphia outshooting Edmonton.

Maswanganyi Clarifies Pirates Allegiance Amidst Career Transition

Patrick Maswanganyi has addressed speculation surrounding his career by reaffirming that Orlando Pirates remains his dream club, despite growing up as a Kaizer Chiefs supporter. Speaking during an exclusive interview, the Bafana Bafana international also clarified the nature of his relationship with former coach Abdeslam Ouaddou following his recent exit from the Soweto giants.

Kuwait's Yasmeen Waleed Wins High Jump Gold at Dakar Youth Olympics

Kuwaiti athlete Yasmeen Waleed has won the gold medal in the high jump at the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. Her victory established a new Kuwaiti national record of 1.80 meters, marking a significant milestone for the nation's youth sports program.

Matvei Michkov Leads Flyers in Goals but Ranks Sixth in Ice Time

Matvei Michkov leads the Philadelphia Flyers with 10 goals through 20 games, but his total ice time ranks sixth among the team's forwards. Head coach Rick Tocchet has concentrated Michkov’s additional minutes on the power play, where he has scored five of his goals, while his even-strength usage has remained relatively stable compared to last season.

Change text size: