Bronny James makes history as Lakers beat Timberwolves in season opener: Live reaction and updates
LOS ANGELES — The James family made history Tuesday night when patriarch LeBron James and eldest son Bronny played in the same regular-season game, marking the first time in the NBA's 79 years that the father-son duo shared the court. The existence of years.
In the 2024-25 season opener, when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-103, a big moment occurred when LeBron and Bronny came off the bench together to check into the game with four minutes left in the second quarter. .
At this point, the Lakers were leading 51-35, and LeBron had already recorded six points and three rebounds. Father and son took off their warm-up jerseys after approaching the scorer's table for a stint that lasted 2 hours and 31 minutes.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said, “During the dead ball, I was wondering why everyone was cheering so loudly, and then I realized what was going on.” “We were getting a feel for the game. It was going to be towards the end of the first half and the game gave (Bronny) a chance to buy some time.”
Bronny allowed a quick basket to Julius Randle, but his first shot was blocked by Rudy Gobert, the current Defensive Player of the Year, and he took a pass from another LeBron with 1:40 left in the half. I tried but missed. Bronny guarded All-Star Anthony Edwards and forced a missed shot on the Lakers' next defensive possession.
During their brief time together, LeBron, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, performed a baseline dunk in front of Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr., who knew a thing or two about the famous father-son duo.
“Are you ready? Take it easy…go out and play to your heart's content.”
Advice for Year 22 and Year 1 students. https://t.co/SKNTEA4gkQ pic.twitter.com/g5Trgujjzt
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2024
After Bronny was ejected 1 minute 29 seconds before halftime, Los Angeles public address announcer Lawrence Tanter called attention to what had happened and told the packed crowd, “We just witnessed history.”
“That moment, us being at the scorer's table together, checking in together, that's something I'll never forget,” LeBron said. “No matter how old I get, no matter how old my memory fades, I will never forget that moment.”
The rest of the James family – wife and mother Savannah, son and brother Bryce, daughter and sister Zuri, who turned 10 on Tuesday – sat on the baseline near the Lakers' bench. LeBron got emotional talking about them as part of the milestone he and Bronny reached.
“Everything was great today,” LeBron said. “It all started from the moment I woke up. I saw my daughter before she went to school. I went to work and saw my son working. Just stay in the game, dude.
As for Bronny, who was scoreless in those three minutes and did not return, he said, “I tried not to focus on everything that was going on around me.” I'm focused on coming in as a rookie and making sure I don't make mistakes.
“I was a little nervous going into the game,” said Bronny, who was drafted 55th overall by the Lakers in June. “I'm a little nervous to step on the court for my first game. But once I got on the court, I went up and down a few times, but all that went away and I felt really good.”
“Family above all else”🤞👑@KingJames And Brony caught up with me. @TaylorRooks Following the win against Minnesota! pic.twitter.com/8mnV7Y9kA9
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 23, 2024
Anthony Davis took the lead in the game, scoring an astonishing 36 points and 16 rebounds in 37 minutes. Edwards had 27 points and five threes against the Timberwolves. Davis has now played in 100 games with at least 25 points and 15 rebounds.
LeBron had 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Rui Hachimura added 18 points for the Lakers. The game, and the win, was Redick's first significant game on the Lakers' bench, and he received the customary water bottle shower from the players for his first win. The team hired him in the summer after a one-season stint as ESPN's NBA anchor, prior to which he had a 15-year playing career.
Edwards had 27 points and five threes against the Timberwolves. Randle, a former Laker who was traded from the New York Knicks to Minnesota in the blockbuster trade for Karl-Anthony Towns in September, had 16 points and nine rebounds in his debut with the Timberwolves.
Davis specifically mentioned the Lakers' loss on a night when LeBron passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league's most prolific scorer, saying, “There was some big moment for LeBron and we won. This is my first time,” he exclaimed.
LeBron and Bronny's simultaneous check-in marks the first time in NBA history that a father and son have appeared together in an actual game, and the fourth time in modern major American professional sports. LeBron and Bronny, who briefly appeared together in a preseason game on Oct. 6, played for the NHL's Hartford Whalers in the 1979-80 season, along with Howes, father Gordy, and sons Mark and Marty, and Tim Raines Sr. and Tim Raines Jr. (Baltimore Orioles, 2001) and Griffeys (Seattle Mariners, 1990).
The Griffeys, who had a pregame meal with Nike executives at L.A. Live's Smashburger, sat under the basket on the opposite side of the court from the Lakers' bench. Ken Sr. and Ken Jr. hugged LeBron and Bronny (remember, Bronny's real name is LeBron) and posed for photos before the game.
“At this point, we still had work to do,” LeBron said. “We weren't trying to make it a circus or make it about us. We wanted it to be about the team.”
This year will be LeBron's 22nd season, tying him with Vince Carter for the most seasons in NBA history. LeBron, 39, has won four NBA championships, been named league MVP four times, made a record 20 All-Star Game starts, won his third Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Paris, and more. , remains the highlight of his career.
Bronny, 20, was entering eighth grade when his father joined the Lakers and the family moved from Cleveland to Los Angeles full time. He watched LeBron lead the Cavaliers to the NBA title in 2016 and co-managed Team USA's upset of Serbia in the Olympic semifinals last summer while his father watched on the court. These are the two most moving events.
“Both games made me think, 'This is a crazy sport, I really want to be a part of it,'” Bronny said.
Bronny survived heart surgery in the summer of 2023 and played last season for the USC Trojans. Although he struggled primarily as a role player, the Lakers not only drafted Bronny, but signed him to a four-year, $7.9 million contract. This is unusual for a player who was drafted so low.
“When he was drafted, we all had the opportunity to be together as a family in New York,” LeBron said. “We were there for a little while thinking about the horror that happened just a while ago. … And when he could grace an NBA floor, even if it was tonight. , you will always know the adversity he went through.
“There are several people in my family who have had heart surgery, some older, some younger. Seeing him qualify for a Division I college game the same year he received it was like a “wow” moment. And I knew at that moment that nothing would stop him from getting to this – achieving what he wanted to do. And he wanted to continue playing basketball. ”
After suffering cardiac arrest while training with the Trojans two summers ago, LeBron recalled Bronny's first words after heart surgery to explain his son's desire to remain on the court.
“One of the first things he asked his doctors after his heart surgery was, 'When can I play again?'” LeBron said. “It's not like, 'How long will it take for my heart to heal?' Or, 'How long did I have surgery?' None of that.” He said, “When can I play again? ” he asked. ”
Bronny's debut match wasn't as explosive as his father's first professional match. On October 29, 2003, LeBron scored 25 points with six boards and nine assists in Sacramento, a few months after being drafted No. 1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
When the G League season begins next month, the Lakers are expected to shuttle Bronny between the NBA and their South Bay affiliate. If Bronny is not in the G League, he is not expected to play a significant role with the Lakers, at least initially.
“I talked about it years ago, and this moment coming up, this is pretty cool,” LeBron said. “I just don't know if it's going to really affect the both of us.”
At halftime, the Lakers honored the late Jerry West with a video tribute. West, who passed away on June 12 at the age of 86, was one of the greatest players in Lakers history and led the Lakers to six championships as general manager.
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(Photo: Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
