For the first time in the history of the sport, a father and son will play together in the highest professional league in the world, writes Matthew Pescod.
LeBron James and his son Bronny will become the first father-son duo to play together in NBA history.
With the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, James Jr. was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers where his father has played since the 2018-19 season.
Critics of the pick have claimed the selection was a classic case of nepotism, with fans nicknaming LeBron ‘LeGM’ – alluding to his influence in the Lakers choosing to draft his son. Bronny averaged 4.8 PTS, 2.8 REB and 2.1 AST during his college season at USC.
Historically, second-round draft picks received little media coverage. However, recent advancements in scouting and data analysis departments have enabled teams to create better profiles of prospects and unearth some serious talent.
In recent years second-round picks have produced elite NBA players, most notably three-time MVP (Most Valuable Player) Nikola Jokic. Jokic was famously drafted during a Taco Bell ad-break.
The latest news suggests Bronny will debut for the Lakers alongside his father before being sent to the NBA’s G-League. In the development league, he’ll play for the South Bay Lakers where he’ll have time to develop his game to an NBA standard.
Bronny will be held to uniquely high standards as the son of an all-time great. But sharing the court with his dad at the highest level means he’s already won.
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Photo of Bronny James: Eleven Warriors, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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