Bronny James Makes His Starting Debut with the Lakers
LeBron James’s son Bronny James made his first career start for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Before the Lakers faced off against the Portland Trail Blazers, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported via X on Sunday, April 13, that the starting lineup included Bronny, 20, along with Shake Milton, Dalton Knecht, Markieff Morris, and Alex Len.
The playoff-bound Lakers played without LeBron, 40, and Luka Dončić, both of whom were sidelined due to injuries: LeBron with a strained left groin and Luka dealing with soreness in his left quad.
The Trail Blazers went on to defeat the Lakers 109 to 81, marking a change in their previous streak, as the L.A. team had won the last six matchups against Portland.
Prior to joining the Lakers, Bronny played college basketball at the University of Southern California. His athletic career faced a major challenge when he collapsed during a practice in July 2023 due to cardiac arrest. Following this incident, Bronny underwent surgery to address an “anatomically and functionally significant congenital heart defect,” which was identified as the cause of the cardiac event, according to a family statement.
Bronny was selected by the Lakers as the 55th pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. This achievement made LeBron and Bronny the first-ever father-son duo to play simultaneously in the league and for the same team.
Shortly after being drafted, Bronny expressed his feelings during a team press conference, stating he was “just trying to take it all in.”
“I’m extremely grateful for everything that JJ [Redick] and Rob [Pelinka] have provided for me, and I’m just eager to get to work,” Bronny said in July 2024, referring to his coach and general manager, respectively. “It definitely intensifies the pressure. I’ve already noticed it in the media and online discussions about whether I deserve this opportunity. But I’ve been dealing with this kind of scrutiny my whole life. It’s no different, just more amplified, but I can handle it.”
Bronny made his NBA debut in July 2024 when the Lakers played against the Sacramento Kings. In a post-game interview, he shared his emotions leading up to the game.
“Every time I step into my first game at the next level, there are always butterflies in my stomach,” Bronny shared, according to a clip released by Bleacher Report at the time. “But once the ball is tipped and we’ve gone up and down a few times, it all fades away, and I’m just playing basketball. So, you know, those nerves are always there, but I push through them.”
Bronny is the eldest son of LeBron and his wife, Savannah James. The couple, who married in September 2013, also has a son, Bryce, 17, and a daughter, Zhuri, 10.
