LeBron James couldn't be more excited about the possibility of taking the court with his son Bronny as his teammate.
The Los Angeles Lakers selected the younger James in the second round of the NBA draft last month, setting the stage for them to become the first-ever father-son duo to play at the same time in the NBA, let alone on the same team.
LeBron James said his son shouldn't expect any preferential treatment.
"It’s going to work just like any one other of my teammates," he told Craig Melvin in an exclusive interview that aired July 11 on TODAY. "I’m going to hold him accountable, and he should hold me accountable when I do things not right. I can separate dad from teammate. And, I think, as he continues to grow, and as he continues to learn, I hope he’s able to separate son from teammate, as well."
LeBron James says he and his son will be focused on playing the game, while the elder James wants Bronny to develop as a player.
"We have one common goal on the floor, and that’s to win that game and get better every day," he said. "So, you know, for me, I probably will hold him at a higher standard because I want him to be great. I want him to be as great as he can be.
"But at the end of the day, it won’t be no shortcuts, that’s for sure. I don’t hold anybody to shortcut standard when it comes to the game of basketball and somebody being around me on a day-to-day basis."
There will be media and fan scrutiny focused on the father and son, but LeBron James is delighted to have reached this point in his already-decorated career.
"It's probably, when it comes to basketball, it's the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever had," he said. "I’ve done it all as an individual, but there’s no greater accomplishment that will be able to overtake me being able to be on the same floor as my son. It’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened.”
On June 27, the Lakers selected 19-year-old Bronny James in the 2024 NBA draft. The former USC Trojans guard was drafted at No. 55 in the second round.
LeBron James, meanwhile, recently signed an extension to remain with the Lakers. He is currently in Las Vegas to train with the United States men's Olympic basketball team as it prepares to defend its gold medal in the upcoming Summer Games in Paris.
Bronny James could soon share the court with his dad, who has spoken for years about his dream of playing with his son.
After the news broke of Bronny James being drafted, LeBron James turned to social media to celebrate the news.
"LEGACY!!!!!! 🤴🏾🤴🏾" the proud dad wrote in his Instagram caption on June 27. He shared the message alongside pics and videos of him and Bronny James, including a throwback photo.
During a press conference on April 29, LeBron James said he hadn’t “given it much thought lately” when asked about potentially playing with Bronny James.
“Obviously, I’ve thought about it in the past. But at the end of the day, the kid has to do what he wants to do,” he said at the time.
Bronny James, the superstar athlete’s eldest son, declared for the draft in April and worked out for multiple NBA teams, including the Phoenix Suns and the Lakers.
At an NBA combine press conference, the guard was asked about the role his father would play in helping him get drafted.
“I think I’ve put in the work and I’ll get drafted because of the person, not only the player, but the person that I am,” he said.
Duane Ranki, a Suns insider for The Arizona Republic, described Bronny James as “an NBA talent” when speaking to TODAY.com ahead of the draft. Ranki predicted that Bronny James would be drafted during the second round.
Although the teenager is making history by playing with his father —who some consider the greatest basketball player of all time — his road to the NBA wasn’t easy. Before he played his first game for USC, he suffered cardiac arrest in July 2023.
He was diagnosed with “anatomically and functionally significant congenital heart defect,” a James family spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News at the time.
Bronny James was later cleared to play and made his debut on the college basketball team in December 2023. He played 25 total games and scored a total of 121 points, according to USC.
When speaking about Bronny James' performance at the recent combine, Rankin told TODAY.com, “When he went through the combine, and it wasn’t any lingering effects from it, then that’s when you’re like, ‘OK, well, he’s ready’ in the mind of a team.”
He also correctly guessed that Bronny James would land in the City of Angels with his father.
Lakers fans will likely see Bronny James suit up in purple and gold for the first time during the NBA summer league. The first game will be held in Las Vegas on July 12.
