LOS ANGELES – Leading up the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024-25 NBA season opener, head coach JJ Redick often spoke about getting LeBron James and Bronny James on the court together without making it seem forced. During the team’s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, that moment came late in the second quarter with the Lakers ahead, 51-35.
In total, Bronny and LeBron played three minutes together before Bronny subbed out and didn’t make a return. But the pair made history as the only father and son duo to play together in the NBA.
Following the game, LeBron James reflected on what that moment meant for him as a dad, while keeping it all in context in terms of the Lakers getting a win.
“I don’t know that it’s actually going to hit the both of us for a little minute, where we really get to sit back and go, oh that’s crazy. But in the moment, we still had a job to do when we checked in,” LeBron said. “We wasn’t trying to make it a circus. We wasn’t trying to make it about us. We wanted to make it about the team, for us to go out there and continue to play the basketball the coaching staff and our teammates want us to play. We kept that the main thing.”
While the Wolves closed the gap in the fourth quarter after trailing by double digits, it never really felt like the Lakers were in any kind of danger as they grabbed the 110-103 win.
LeBron James’ 1st Lakers season opening win
Since LeBron James signed with the Lakers in the 2018 offseason, he has never won a season opening game. That changed on Tuesday as the Lakers shot past the Wolves to start the 2024-25 season, 1-0.
Although getting the win was the primary goal, LeBron couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional when thinking about the historic feat that was accomplished alongside Bronny James.
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“That moment, us being at the scorer’s table together, and checking in together, that’s something I’ll never forget. No matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade as I get old or whatever, I will never forget that moment,” LeBron said. “And then also, my daughter, his [Bronny] little sister, her turning ten. . .everything was just great today. Everything was great from the moment I woke up.”
As far as LeBron’s contributions on the court, he finished with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots in 35 minutes of play. He shot 7-of-16 from the field and was content to let his teammates shine while he got his points within the flow of the game.
The Lakers continue the 2024-25 season on Friday at home against the Phoenix Suns.
