With LeBron on the bench in the final minutes of a blowout loss, Bronny James scored his first points in an NBA game — on a shot that looked just like his old man — on Wednesday night in a 134-110 loss 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.”
It had been expected they would play together. Instead, it was LeBron watching as Bronny made Cleveland rock.
LeBron, who has been battling a cold, checked out in the fourth quarter after scoring 26 points in 29 minutes. From his seat at the end of L.A.'s bench, he got to enjoy seeing his son soak in the love from a Cleveland crowd that cheered his every move for 11 seasons.
Proud hardly described it.
“It's the greatest thing in the world,” LeBron said of seeing his son fulfill a dream.
With the Cavs running away from the Lakers, Cleveland's fans began chanting “We want Bronny!” hoping to see the rookie they watched grow up. The younger James checked in with 5:16 left and was cheered loudly every time he touched the ball.
He picked up two assists and then made his first basket as a pro on a 14-foot shot from the left corner with 2:03 left, a bucket reminiscent of so many that his dad, the league's career scoring leader, made routinely for the Cavs.
As the crowd erupted, Bronny wasn't sure how to react.
“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 little, he ran through the hallways, rode the elevators and took shots on the practice court inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse while his famous dad played in games.
Earlier in the day, Bronny reflected on his Ohio homecoming.
“It’s going to be real special,” he said following the morning shootaround. “It feels good to be out here with my dad — in our home.”
LeBron spent 11 seasons over two stints with the Cavs, leading them to the 2016 title before leaving as a free agent for the Lakers two years later. Last week, the 39-year-old superstar and his 20-year-old son became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game.
However, Bronny didn't score in the win over Minnesota, missing both shots.
There has been some criticism of the Lakers' decision to draft Bronny, who was taken in the second round after playing one year at USC. While some of the reasoning may have been to satisfy LeBron, Cavs first-year coach Kenny Atkinson said seeing them together is moving.
“It's a beautiful story,” Atkinson said. “Two kids of my own, 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.”
Once the Lakers end this five-game road trip on Nov. 6, Bronny is expected to join the club's G League team, the South Bay Lakers. Although he was back in his home state on business this time, the younger James said it's always a treat returning 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 also was welcomed back with open arms.
The four-time league MVP received a huge ovation during pregame introductions and then again when the Cavs played a video tribute to him and Bronny on the scoreboard during a timeout in the first quarter.
LeBron joked that he didn't get to enjoy it.
“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 side by side during the press conference, LeBron and Bronny could reflect on 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.”
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