One of the biggest storylines of the season for the Los Angeles Lakers was the team’s 2024 second round draft pick. It’s rare that a No. 55 overall selection in the draft garners headlines, but with that pick, L.A. selected USC guard Bronny James, the son of superstar LeBron James.
This season, they became the first father-son duo to not only be in the league at the same time, but to share the same court together as members of the same team. Bronny received high levels of criticism throughout the year for not “deserving” his place, but his performance in the G League during the season showed that the Lakers were justified in their selection at the end of the second round.
And for LeBron, it is another feather in the cap of perhaps the greatest resume in the history of basketball. To sustain greatness long enough to still be one of the best players in the league while his son is on his roster is something very few athletes ever can say.
For that reason, and the obvious sentimental, LeBron ranks playing with his son at the top of anything he’s done in his career.
“No. 1. For sure. That’s easy. It’s not even close,” James said. “To be able to play the game that I love and to be able to be along my son this whole year has been one of the most gratifying, satisfying journeys I’ve ever been on, just to see his growth from the moment he was drafted when we were all in New York at the draft party to seeing him in summer league, struggle early on in summer league and pick it up towards the end. To get on the floor with him in preseason for the first time, I believe it was in Palm Springs, I believe. To getting on the court versus this Minnesota team, game one. And just to see what he was able to do every single day by just channeling his mind and his work, just putting in the work and just seeing how much he grew from, like I said, the moment from when he was drafted to doing what he was doing in the G, getting opportunities with us.
“Super proud of the shortcomings that he had when we played in Philly. I thought that built so much character. And it showed when we sat out a lot of guys at that home game when we played Milwaukee. I just thought that he has a bright future because not only can he play the game of basketball, he’s just a great fucking kid. You can ask anybody, any one of his teammates, any one of the coaches. He’s just a joy to be around. And I have to say that I have a lot to do with that.”
Bronny has been through a career’s worth of health scares, scrutiny and battles over the last two years. From suffering a cardiac arrest in the summer of 2023, to working back and being drafted in 2024, to a year’s worth of criticisms from all types of media personalities and fans.
But he has fought through it all to be where he is now. And perhaps no one is prouder than his father, who got to see it up close and experience something that no one in NBA history ever has.
LeBron James not in attendance at Met Gala due to knee injury
After the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs, it was announced that in the fourth quarter of the final game, LeBron James suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Because of that, he announced on Monday that he would not be in attendance at the Met Gala, where he was expected to be a co-chair.
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