CLEVELAND — Akron native LeBron James posed for pictures, gave hugs and exchanged handshakes with dozens of individuals, a group of household, pals and followers, Wednesday night time on his means out of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
James had simply skilled a twin homecoming and added a brand new chapter to his legacy by showing in the identical NBA recreation as his eldest son, Bronny, of their outdated stomping grounds.
For the Los Angeles Lakers’ father-son duo, the icing on the cake was Bronny James additionally scored for the primary time in an NBA regular-season recreation, albeit late throughout a 134-110 loss to the unbeaten Cavaliers.
“To see him get his first NBA basket on this area the place he grew up not too far-off from right here, it is an unbelievable second, an unbelievable second for him, to begin with, for our household,” LeBron James stated. “It is simply fairly cool to be part of it.”
Bronny James scored his first regular-season factors as an NBA participant when he made a 14-foot bounce shot with 2:03 left within the fourth quarter.
“It was only a dream come true for me,” he stated.
LeBron James scored 26 factors on 9-of-13 capturing from the sphere and added six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes. He’s coping with an sickness, nevertheless it did not sideline him on a memorable night time.
In an surprising twist, the Jameses didn’t play on the similar time towards the Cavs, who gained their solely championship in franchise historical past with LeBron James main the best way in 2016.
LeBron and Bronny James grew to become the league’s first father-son tandem to play collectively on Oct. 22, when the Lakers (3-2) opened the 2024-25 common season at house towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“It is a ravishing story,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson stated. “[With] two children of my very own, I am unable to even think about, proper? I take pleasure in enjoying within the yard with my son — to do it on an NBA courtroom? Lovely story. I like it. I feel we should always have a good time it.”
Cleveland celebrated it by creating what Atkinson described as an electrical ambiance.
With 5:16 left within the fourth quarter and the Lakers trailing 119-98, Bronny James checked into the sport for the primary time, however his dad was executed enjoying for the night time. The son got here off the bench after followers chanted “we would like Bronny” with about eight and a half minutes left to play and the Cavs (5-0) forward by 23 factors. The chants boomed on two different events with 7:06 and 6:29 remaining. He obtained loud cheers when he entered the sport and once more when he made his basket.
“It was insane, way more than I anticipated, for certain, nevertheless it’s all love,” stated Bronny James, who completed with two factors on 1-of-2 capturing from the sphere, two assists and a steal in 5 minutes. “It was insane. It was a pleasant second. The chants actually acquired me. I used to be straight-faced, however I felt it, and it felt actually good, particularly coming from right here. Yeah, it was a particular second for me, for certain.”
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LeBron James is accustomed to receiving a hero’s welcome when he reunites with the Cavs, however the newest one proved to be totally different. The Cavaliers performed a tribute video and shouted out LeBron and Bronny James collectively. With the Cavs forward 20-15, the presentation displayed on the scoreboards with 6:55 left within the first quarter elicited a standing ovation from the Cleveland crowd.
“It was a fairly cool second,” LeBron James stated. “I did not actually get a chance to type of seize the second as a result of we was getting our [butts kicked] at that second. So I used to be a bit of indignant. I used to be a bit of indignant at that time limit throughout that timeout. So I did not get a chance to actually, like, respect it. However I heard it. After which once they stated his title, too, that is after I type of regarded up. And I consider I tapped him on the leg, I consider. That is simply fairly cool, although.”
Including to the hometown taste, Bronny James toted a drink and bag of meals from Swensons after the sport. The well-known drive-in enterprise with Akron roots is one in every of his father’s favorites.
The Cavs drafted LeBron James No. 1 general out of St. Vincent-St. Mary Excessive College in 2003. The subsequent yr, the oldest of LeBron and Savannah James’ three youngsters, Bronny, was born at Cuyahoga Falls Common Hospital.
As a child, Bronny James spent numerous days within the downtown area the place his dad used to compete as a member of the Cavs. Bronny James revealed he even performed pickup basketball on the world’s top-floor follow courtroom with the kids of different gamers throughout Cavs video games.
The recollections got here flooding again.
“[We have] a whole lot of nice recollections on the courtroom, however a whole lot of nice recollections off the ground as properly on this neighborhood,” LeBron James stated. “To have the mutual respect and love for what we was capable of accomplish within the years that we have been right here, it is positively very humbling. And we do not take it with no consideration each time we get to come back again and both play the sport that we love, which we did tonight, or simply be house and simply be locally.”
LeBron James, 39, is in his twenty second NBA season. The league’s all-time main scorer has performed 11 seasons with the Cavs (2003-10 and 2014-18), 4 with the Miami Warmth (2010-14) and is in his seventh with the Lakers (2018-present).
In June, the Lakers drafted Bronny James, 20, within the second spherical (No. 55 general) out of the College of Southern California.
Now LeBron James is witnessing his new teammate and son notice an NBA dream.
“It is the best factor on this planet,” LeBron James stated.
LeBron James, Bronny James in Cleveland:Bronny James displays on a Lakers vs. Cavs homecoming recreation
Nate Ulrich could be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.