Bronny James Joins Father At LA Lakers

By: Gyang Dakwo

LeBron James moved a step closer to fulfilling his dream of playing alongside one of his sons after the LA Lakers selected 19-year-old Bronny in the NBA Draft on Thursday.

After going undrafted in the first round on Wednesday, the oldest son of the four-time NBA MVP was selected 55th overall by the Lakers towards the end of the second round of the 2024 draft.

The Lakers’ selection creates the first father-son duo in NBA history.

Bronny, a guard, played 25 games in college at Southern California after suffering cardiac arrest during a summer workout last July.

He was seen as a fringe second-round pick and was expected to join his future Hall of Fame father in Los Angeles, having had private workouts with only the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns before the draft.

In a statement, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said: “In the history of the NBA, there’s never been a father and a son that have shared an NBA basketball court and that feels like something that could be magical.”

The Lakers are waiting for LeBron to decide his plans for next season. The deadline to exercise his player option with the Lakers is Saturday, with James expected to opt out of the deal and enter free agency before signing a short-term deal for his 22nd season in the NBA.

Pelinka added: “We know, and have to respect of course, that LeBron has a decision on his opt-out … but if it worked out that he was on our team next season, NBA history could be made. And NBA history should be made in a Lakers uniform.”