LeBron and Bronny James make NBA history with their father-son performance

Los Angeles –

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

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

A huge cheer erupted from the home crowd as the James duo were brought onto the court by coach JJ Redick after the Lakers had opened a double-digit lead.

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

“We made history; now we can see history,” said Griffey Jr., who joined his father to pose for photos with LeBron and Bronny James just before kickoff Tuesday.

Before the season opener on Tuesday, Lakers officials were cautious about where and when LeBron James and Bronny would play their first game together in the regular season.

However, NBA superstar LeBron James, who turns 40 in December, admitted before the game that he could barely contain his excitement at the prospect of realizing his long-held dream of sharing a court with his son.

“Just to run out of the tunnel and know he’s going to be in uniform, run out of the tunnel with him, see him warm up and be out there with the rest of my teammates,” James told reporters during a shooting early Tuesday.

“This is the 22nd time I haven’t played on opening night, so I don’t know how many times I’ll have the opportunity and how many times I’ll have time to not play anymore. I won’t take it for granted.”

The anticipation of James’ one-two punch 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.

“It was a pleasure”

20-year-old Bronny James is expected to spend most of his rookie season in the developing G-League rather than with the Lakers’ senior team.

However, LeBron James said Tuesday that he enjoyed being able to accompany his son as he took his first steps into professional basketball.

“It was a pleasure and especially in the pre-season, the training, just every day,” said James. “The plane rides, the bus rides where you get to be with him and show him how it’s done, along with his teammates and coaches. What this professional life is about and how you prepare for it every day… super-super cool.”

Bronny James’ rise to the NBA is all the more remarkable given that he suffered a cardiac arrest during a practice with his college teammates at the University of Southern California just over a year ago.

James Sr. said his son’s quick recovery from that life-threatening episode convinced him that he would one day play in the NBA.

“Seeing him play in a Division I college game the same year he had heart surgery… I knew in that moment that there really was nothing that would stop him from doing everything he wanted to do.” said James.

Bronny said at the Lakers’ recent media day that he was motivated by the words of critics who said he owed his place on the Lakers’ roster entirely to his superstar father.

“I just take all the stuff, the criticism and the backlash that people have given me and turn it into something that can drive me,” he said.