Bronny James was drafted Thursday by the Los Angeles Lakers, joining the team his father, LeBron James, has played with for the last six years.
If he and his father hit the court together next season, it would be the first time a father-son duo will have played on the same team at the same time.
The first round of the NBA draft came and went Wednesday night without Bronny James being called out at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Lakers selected at No. 55 in round two Thursday.
Bronny James wrote in an Instagram story that he is “beyond blessed” to have been drafted by the Lakers.
James’ limited basketball résumé includes one season at the University of Southern California, where he scored 4.8 points per game in 25 contests, mostly coming off the bench.
His brief college career got off to a late start after he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed during a workout at USC on July 24. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect that could be treated, his family said, and he was cleared to play again.
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The heart scare set James back, though, and he didn’t play until Southern Cal’s ninth game of the season.
LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has until Saturday to decide whether he wants to stay with the Lakers, for whom he has played since 2018-19.
He has long spoken openly about playing alongside his son, though recently he has downplayed that generational goal.
Hours after his son was drafted, James posted a slideshow on Instagram featuring photos of him and Bronny James on the court with the caption “LEGACY!!!!!!”
While NBA fans have seen several father-son duos over the years, most notably the sharpshooters Dell and Steph Curry, none have been on the floor simultaneously.
At the ancient basketball age of 39, LeBron James remains one of the game’s most dynamic players.
In recent years, he has even developed into a legitimate 3-point shooting threat, converting 41% of his shots this past season. That topped the league average of 36.6% and even edged Curry’s 40.8% efficiency from downtown.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
