Bronny and LeBron James

LeBron And Bronny James Make NBA History; 'Didn't Feel Real'

Home / Sports / LeBron And Bronny James Make NBA History; 'Didn't Feel Real'

By Melanie VanDerveer on October 7, 2024 at 4:45 PM EDT

NBA history has been made!

LeBron and Bronny James officially became the first father-son duo to play in the same NBA game together Sunday during the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers preseason game against the Phoenix Suns.

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NBA History Was Made On Sunday!

Bronny James
MEGA

Sunday was a historic moment in the NBA when LeBron and Bronny played their first NBA game together as teammates. They are the first father-son duo to play in the league at the same time and on the same team.

For LeBron, 39, it was certainly an emotional moment.

"For a father, it means everything," LeBron told ESPN after the game.

"For someone who didn't have that growing up, to be able to have that influence on your kids and have influence on your son, be able to have moments with your son, and ultimately to be able to work with your son, I think that's one of the greatest things that a father can ever hope for or wish for."

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'It Just Didn't Feel Real'

LeBron James
MEGA

LeBron told reporters after the game that JJ Redick, Lakers coach and LeBron's former teammate, planned to put Bronny into the preseason game at some point.

"The moment when we came out of the timeout and he was picking up full court and I went up - because my guy was taking the ball out. We stood next to each other and I kind of looked at him, and it was just like, 'Is this 'The Matrix' or something?'" the proud father said.

"It just didn't feel real."

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Happy Birthday, Bronny!

While Sunday was an emotionally charged historic day for LeBron and Bronny, it was also held another milestone - Bronny's 20th birthday!

For LeBron, the fact that this big moment in the NBA happened to fall on Bronny's birthday, meant it was another emotional realization.

Savannah James, LeBron's wife and Bronny's mom, shared a tribute on social media for her NBA son on his big day.

"Happy Birthday @bronny!!!! Literally can’t with 20. Love you beyond words and so proud of you!! Keep being YOU!!!" she captioned the carousel of two photos on Instagram.

Many followers dropped into the comment section to wish Bronny a happy birthday, with one person sharing, "Soon to be goat."

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LeBron Shared The Exciting NBA Moment On Instagram

LeBron took to Instagram on Monday to share the momentous experience of playing with his son in the league for the first time. The proud father shared a carousel of many photos from the game, with the final photo hitting fans in their heartstrings - a photo that shows a then and now courtside moment from Bronny's childhood.

The top photo is of LeBron and Bronny courtside when Bronny was a young child and below it, a photo from Sunday of the father and son suited up in their Lakers gear sitting side-by-side as teammates.

"Last frame got us like," Nike Basketball wrote in the comments. Many other comments reflected a similar vibe.

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"No caption needed. Enough to make a grown man cry," one fan wrote. Another added, "One of the greatest moments in NBA history." Another wrote, "Last slide tops all slides on the internet."

James And James Jr. Side-By-Side On The Court

The surreal moment for the father and son was shared on social media by many. Comments were mostly supportive and excited about history being made.

"For Lebron to not have a father in his life, he is no doubt one of the greatest fathers on Earth," one fan wrote in the comments of House of Highlights Instagram post that shows the father and son on the court together.

"Lebron & Bronny on the court is forever legendary….No matter how much how y'all hate that man, you gotta respect him," one person wrote. Another added, "The is the greatest achievement in sports history."

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