The shot was something Bronny knew well. So was the crowd’s excitement.
LeBron James watched from nearby as his son, Bronny, sparked another celebration in Cleveland. With his dad letting him shine on the court, Bronny knew exactly what to do on a floor where he first learned to dribble.
While LeBron sat on the bench during the last minutes of a tough loss, Bronny scored his first NBA points with a shot that looked just like his father’s during a 134-110 defeat to the Cavaliers.
“To see him get his first NBA basket in this arena, where he grew up not too far away from here, that’s an unbelievable moment,” LeBron said. “Unbelievable moment for him, and for our family it’s just pretty cool to be a part of it.”
They had expected to play together, but instead, LeBron watched as Bronny lit up Cleveland.
LeBron, who had been feeling under the weather, left the game in the fourth quarter after scoring 26 points in 29 minutes. From his spot at the end of the Lakers’ bench, he enjoyed seeing his son receive cheers from a Cleveland crowd that supported him for 11 seasons.
Proud hardly described it. “It’s the greatest thing in the world,” LeBron said about watching his son achieve his dream.
As the Cavaliers took a strong lead against the Lakers, Cleveland fans began chanting “We want Bronny!” eager to see the rookie they had watched grow up. Bronny came in with 5:16 left, and the crowd cheered loudly every time he got the ball.
He recorded two assists before making his first professional basket with a 14-foot shot from the left corner with 2:03 remaining, a shot similar to many his dad, the league’s all-time leading scorer, had made for the Cavaliers.
When the crowd cheered, Bronny was unsure how to respond.
“It was insane,” he said. “Much more than I anticipated for sure. It’s all love. It was a nice moment. The chants really got me. I was straight faced, but I felt it and it felt pretty good, especially coming from here.”
When Bronny was young, he ran through the hallways, rode the elevators, and practiced shooting on the court inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse while his famous dad played games.
Earlier that day, Bronny thought about returning to Ohio. “It’s going to be real special,” he said after the morning shootaround. “It feels good to be out here with my dad — in our home.”
LeBron played for the Cavaliers for 11 seasons in two parts, leading them to the 2016 championship before leaving for the Lakers two years later. Last week, the 39-year-old star and his 20-year-old son made history as the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game.
However, Bronny didn’t score in the win against Minnesota, missing both his shots.
Some people have criticized the Lakers for drafting Bronny, who was picked in the second round after one year at USC. While some believe the decision was partly to please LeBron, Cavs first-year coach Kenny Atkinson said seeing them play together is touching.
“It’s a beautiful story,” Atkinson said. “I have two kids of my own, and I can’t even imagine. I enjoy playing in the backyard with my son. To do it on an NBA court? Beautiful story. I love it. I think we should celebrate it.”
After the Lakers finish their five-game road trip on Nov. 6, Bronny is expected to join the team’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. Even though he was back in his home state for work this time, the younger James said it’s always a joy to return to his roots.
“It feels good being here,” he said before the game. “It’s nice, slow living here in Ohio — way different from LA.”
LeBron was also welcomed back warmly.
The four-time league MVP received a big cheer during pregame introductions and again when the Cavs showed a video tribute to him and Bronny on the scoreboard during a timeout in the first quarter.
LeBron joked that he didn’t fully enjoy the moment.
“It was a pretty cool moment,” he said. “I didn’t really get an opportunity to seize the moment because we were getting our ass drugged. I was a little angry at that point in time during that timeout. I didn’t get an opportunity to really appreciate it. But I heard it.”
Sitting next to each other during the press conference, LeBron and Bronny could think about another memorable night in a place they know well.
This time, they left as teammates after making history. The first father and son to score in an NBA game. And they did it in Cleveland.
“It’s definitely very humbling,” LeBron said. “We don’t take it for granted, every time we get to come back and either play the game that we love or just be home and just be in the community. It’s pretty cool.”
