Tim Raines and Tim Raines Jr. (MLB), Gordie Howe, Mark Howe, and Marty Howe (NHL), Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr (MLB). Those, until Tuesday night, were the only father and son(s) to play on the same team. LeBron James, the NBA’s all time leading scorer, who is entering his 22nd season has been saying for the past few seasons that he would like to play with Bronny (and possibly his younger son, Bryce). “I need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” James said in a 2023 interview with ESPN. 

With four minutes left in the second quarter in the second game of the NBA season, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bronny and LeBron both checked into the game. Bronny would play a total of three minutes, and finished with one rebound, but had a few good defensive plays. A moment that LeBron had talked about, and hoped for over the last three to four years came true. 

“That moment, us being at the scorer’s table together and checking in together, something I will never forget,” said Lebron in a postgame news conference with Bronny. “I tried not to focus on everything that was going on around me,” Bronny said. “I totally did feel the energy, and I appreciate the Laker Nation for showing the support for me and my dad,” he added.

In terms of the game itself, it was an impressive showing for the Lakers under first year head coach J.J. Reddick. Led by Anthony Davis, who finished with 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks led the way for the Lakers on both sides of the floor. The Timberwolves, who just recently before the season traded center Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, struggled on the glass early on. This ended up leading to a lot of second chance looks for the Lakers offensively. 

The new look Timberwolves struggled to get much of a rhythm offensively, which led to a lot of transition points for the Lakers early on. The Lakers went on a 14-3 run in the second quarter off of a lively, fast tempo, and never looked back. While the Lakers only shot 5-30 from three, the new look offense under Reddick looked much more fluid, and generated fairly good looks. 

Overall, it was both an impressive night for the Lakers, and another chapter in the now long running story of LeBron James.