Bronny James’s Debut Looms Over Lakers Opener

LOS ANGELES — There was an anticipatory mood at Crypto.com Arena hours before tip-off of the Lakers opener. For a franchise chasing its 18th championship, the biggest story was the debut of a second-round pick.

Bronny James Jr. was expected to make his NBA debut alongside his father and one of the greatest players in NBA history, LeBron James during Los Angeles’s season opener Tuesday against the Timberwolves.

Fans all over the arena could be heard yapping about Bronny, and phones were focused on him and his father during warmups. The star-studded courtside scene in Los Angeles—highlighted by the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lil Wayne—included several fans seated directly beside the visitor’s bench in No. 9 “James Jr.” jerseys.

JJ Redick—whose debut as a head coach with zero professional coaching experience would have been the top story in nearly any other season—was swamped with questions about the James family during his pregame press conference.

“We had a couple of conversations around it,” Redick said about the potential historic moment. “I think everybody is on the same page. You know, we want it to sort of make sense, and we want it to happen naturally and in the flow of a game.”

With four minutes left in the second quarter and the Lakers ahead, 51–35, Redick executed the plan. Father and son approached the scorer’s table together during a dead ball.

There was a delayed reaction from the crowd as fans realized only the two were checking in as they were removing their warmups. Most of the arena eventually got on their feet to acknowledge history: LeBron James and Bronny James Jr. became the first father-son duo to play in the same NBA game.

But the pair’s entrance was perhaps the only notable moment between the two during the game—James Jr. played just two minutes, 41 seconds—other than a pregame picture with Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr., the father-son duo who played together in MLB in 1990.

There was nearly an iconic on-court moment as the older James drove to the basket and kicked it out to his son for a right wing three, but the shot fell short. James Jr. would not play another second, finishing with one rebound on 0-for-2 from the field. The Lakers held on for the win, 110–103.

A Jerry West Ode

Amid the James family buzz, the Lakers also spent its home opener celebrating Jerry West, the legendary player, coach, and executive who died in June.

West’s iconic No. 44 jersey was given to every fan in attendance. The team also honored West—the silhouette on the NBA’s logo—with a halftime tribute video.

However, West and the Lakers’ relationship had a contentious end in the late 1990s. 

“I almost wish that I had never played or worked for them,” West told ESPN in 2019. Following his time with the Lakers, West ended up as a successful executive and consultant for the Grizzlies, Warriors, and Clippers—the last of which is expected to also honor West during its season opener Wednesday.