The on-court debut of LeBron James and Bronny James with the Los Angeles Lakers was one of the most talked-about moments of the 2024-25 season thus far. It was the first time in NBA history that a father and son have played together, and while it was only for a few minutes, it still had historic reach.
People from all walks of life, from other sports to entertainment, got the chance to witness and talk about something that people only dream of: doing the thing they love most with their child right alongside them. And one person that particularly loved the moment was Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Washington is one of the most well-regarded actors of his generation. His career in the film industry arguably rivals that of LeBron’s in basketball, especially when considering the fame of his son — John David Washington — in the same field. And it means perhaps no one has a better view into what LeBron is going through this season than Denzel.
He spoke about what must have been going through LeBron’s head in the moment they shared the floor together and how he likens it to his relationship with his son, via Sports Illustrated:
Denzel Washington spoke with @Brice_Butler about the pressures of LeBron and Bronny teaming up in the NBA pic.twitter.com/BHmiorVVkZ
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 13, 2024
LeBron had been aiming to play on the same court as his son for many years now, but that didn’t take away any of the pressure when that moment finally arrived. The national conversation around Bronny’s entrance into the league was borderline ugly, almost taking away from how incredible it really is what both players accomplished.
“That’s pressure. I could only imagine what it must’ve felt like for LeBron,” Washington said. “In the case of my son with The Piano Lesson, he was shooting and we were on the set and I told my producing partner Todd, I said ‘Man, I’m going home. There’s really nothing for me to do here. He’s got it covered.’ And I went home, I went back to Los Angeles.”
Denzel’s view into that shows just how incredible it is from LeBron to have the longevity he had to make that happen, and Bronny’s perseverance and strength after what he went through both physically and with criticism.
It’s clear Washington will be watching closely as Bronny’s career develops and LeBron sees it up close.
LeBron James won’t play until the wheels fall off
In his 22nd NBA season, LeBron James continues to defy what a player should be capable of. Through the first 10 games for the Lakers, LeBron is averaging 23.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.9 assists while shooting a career-high 44.4% from 3-point range.
James has already recorded three triple-doubles as well and at times has looked just as fast and athletic as he did 10 years ago. It is truly mind-blowing to witness and it feels as if LeBron could keep playing for another five seasons if he wanted to.
And while James says that what he is doing at his age still hasn’t sunk in, he made it clear that he doesn’t want to be one of those players who is a complete shell of himself when he does finally call it a career.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
