LeBron James is in no rush to judge Bronny: ‘It will happen’

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — When Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick puts LeBron and Bronny James on the court at the same time for the first time—whether it’s Tuesday’s opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves or later this season—NBA history will be made. .

For LeBron, who is entering his 22nd season while his son begins his first, the timing and location of this first shift together doesn’t matter.

“Whenever it happens, it happens,” he said after the Lakers’ shootaround Tuesday morning. “If it happens tonight or in the future, whenever it happens, it will happen. But it was a pleasure, and just in pre-season, training, just every day… just getting him to feel what professional life is like.” it’s all about preparing every day like a pro.”

The story that 39-year-old LeBron spent reflecting on in the hours before the start of the 2024-25 season was everything 20-year-old Bronny went through to get to this point. About a year before the Lakers drafted Bronny with the 55th pick in the second round, he suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2023 during a summer workout while preparing for his freshman season at the University of Southern California.

“(It was) a panic that happened not too long ago,” LeBron said. “And when he gets to grace an NBA court, whether it’s tonight or whatever the occasion may be, it will be another one of those moments where you can just recognize the hardships he’s been through.”

“I have had several family members who have had heart surgery. Some of them are older, some are younger. And knowing how long it took to get back to himself, to see him being able to play in a Division I college game the same year he had heart surgery was just a “wow” moment and I knew at that moment nothing could really stop him from getting to this—to everything he had done. wants to do, and he wanted to continue playing basketball.”

Continuing to play sports was the younger James’ top priority.

“One of the first things he asked the doctors after his heart surgery was, ‘When can I play again?’ LeBron recalls. “Not like, ‘How long will it take for my heart to heal?’ Or not: “How long was I in surgery?” None of this. He asked, ‘When can I play again?’

LeBron and Bronny played together once in the preseason, on October 6, early in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns. Bronny struggled for much of the standings but finished on a high note with 17 points on 7-of-17 shooting, 4 rebounds and 3 steals against the Golden State Warriors.

Whether the father-son duo takes the court together on Tuesday or not, there will be a standout father-son pairing in the crowd watching the game. Ken Griffey Jr. revealed on SiriusXM’s Road to Cooperstown podcast that he will be attending the Lakers’ season opener with his father, Ken Griffey Sr.

The Griffeys became the first father-son teammates in Major League Baseball history with the Seattle Mariners in 1990.

“I was a huge fan of Ken Griffey Jr. and then became a friend of Ken Griffey Jr. throughout my professional career,” LeBron said. “Just understanding the history of the sport to see what they can do… So to be here today and know that these guys are going to be here tonight while Bronny and I are on the same team is a pretty cool moment in the history of the sport.”

On September 14, 1990, Griffey hit the famous home run for the Mariners. LeBron was asked what basketball version of this moment he and Bronny should achieve.

“Probably two shots,” LeBron said. “I catch the ball and then Bronny catches the ball, which is probably the equivalent of that. Obviously the long ball is a big thing in baseball, so probably two strikes.”