For Bronny James, playing with LeBron was 'a blessing' — and he wants to run it back

Melissa Rohlin

FOX Sports NBA Writer

As Bronny James left the Los Angeles Lakers’ locker room after his team was eliminated from the playoffs, he flashed a smile when asked what it was like to play with his 40-year-old father, who happens to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

This season, Bronny went from running around the sidelines of Cleveland Cavaliers games in diapers to being introduced alongside his father in the Lakers’ opener. He went from being an elementary school kid playing pickup games against the face of the league to sharing a uniform with him. He went from posting silly videos impersonating his father to becoming a humble 19-year-old rookie deferring to him in the locker room.

When Bronny and LeBron James became the first father-son duo in NBA history, their relationship took on a different dimension.

“It’s a blessing,” Bronny told FOX Sports. “Being able to learn from him, not only as a player, but as a dad. It’s a different type of relationship. I try to take full advantage of it because it’s something that a lot of people can’t have. It was an amazing experience for me. And I’m looking forward to learning more from him, if he’s still here or not, either way. But I’m just looking forward to it.”

As LeBon contemplates his future, with a $52.6 million player option looming, Bronny made it clear he wants his father to return for another season as his teammate.

“Yeah, for sure,” Bronny told FOX Sports. “However long he can come back for, it’s always a pleasure being around him. He’s locked in. The stuff he does for his body and the preparation and stuff like that, I want to take full advantage of it.”

For Bronny and LeBron, making history was a deeply rewarding and turbulent endeavor.

As LeBron sat on the podium Wednesday after the Lakers were jettisoned from the postseason by a 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round series, he didn’t hesitate when asked where playing alongside his son ranks among his many accomplishments.

“Number one, for sure,” said James, a four-time champion and four-time MVP who’s the league’s all-time leading scorer. “That’s easy. It is not even close. To be able to play the game that I love and to be able to be along with my son this whole year has been one of the most gratifying, satisfying journeys I’ve ever been on.”

But it was far from easy.

Less than two years ago, LeBron went from saying his dream was to play alongside his son to praying for his survival after Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest during a basketball practice at USC ahead of his freshman season.

Bronny poured himself into getting back onto the court, and went on to average 4.8 points in 25 games for USC before getting selected by the Lakers as the 55th overall pick in June. But ever since that moment, Bronny has been subjected to an unprecedented amount of scrutiny for a late second-round pick, with accusations of nepotism regularly being floated by his detractors.

Unsurprisingly, it took a hit on his mental health.

“I was under a lot of pressure,” Bronny said. “It was getting to me a little bit.”

That was difficult for LeBron to witness. He came to his son’s defense, lashing out at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who went onto “First Take” on Jan. 29 and said, “I am pleading with LeBron James as a father: Stop this. Stop this. We all know that Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad.”

During a game against the New York Knicks on March 6, LeBron approached Smith as he sat courtside, and told him to leave his son alone.

A few weeks later, with six players out amid a brutal stretch for the Lakers of six games in eight days, Bronny had his best performance of the season against Milwaukee, finishing with 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting (2-for-4 from beyond the arc), three rebounds, five assists and one blocked shot. On one play, he went one-on-one against two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, crossing the ball over twice and blowing past him before losing the ball out of bounds.

After that game, Smith changed his stance on Bronny. “I might have been wrong,” he said.

Bronny’s growth this season has been notable. He made a name for himself in the G League, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists, shooting 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3.

And even though he averaged just 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists for the Lakers, he grew as a scorer, his confidence skyrocketed and he made an impression on everyone around him.

“With his physical tools and just his burst and his handle, we think he’s going to be an above-average to really good NBA shooter,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He’s gonna have a chance to really make an impact.”

As for Bronny, he dealt with the criticism by focusing on improving.

“Keeping my head down and working,” Bronny told FOX Sports. “Working is a distraction from everything. I love just coming into the gym and working and talking to my coaches and watching film. All of the stuff that can help me get better every day. It’s a distraction from all of that stuff. So, just going to continue to do that and see where it takes me. It’s going good so far.”

For James, it has been incredible to witness.

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

LeBron used to watch Bronny’s USC games from the Lakers’ locker room. When he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in Feb. 2023, he brought Bronny and his younger son, Bryce, into the locker room and asked them, “Which one of y’all is gonna try to break my record?” And he spent this season watching Bronny go from struggling in the Summer League in Las Vegas to truly believing he has a future in the NBA.

So, after Year 22, LeBron fielded a lot of questions after the Lakers’ second straight first-round playoff exit. Does he plan on returning? “I don’t have an answer to that.” Does playing alongside Luka Doncic alter his retirement plans? “It has nothing to do about anybody else.” What did he think about the Lakers’ centerless basketball? “My guy AD [Anthony Davis] said what he needed [a center], and he was gone the following week. So, I got no comment.”

But James’ most thoughtful and incisive response was unquestionably about what playing alongside his son meant to him.

Even though LeBron was anointed “The Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated at age 17 and was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft, one could make an argument that his son had even more pressure on him this season simply because of his last name.

And LeBron couldn’t have been prouder of the way his son responded.

“Not only can he play the game of basketball, he’s just a great f—king kid,” James said.” And you can ask anybody, any one of his teammates, any one of the coaches. He’s just a joy to be around. And I have to say that I have a lot to do with that.”

As for Bronny, sharing a locker room with his father was a trip.

LeBron has a larger-than-life aura. When he walks into the locker room, it turns silent. Cameras film him tying his shoes. He has a combined 212 million followers on social media. He’s a billionaire and one of the most influential people on the planet.

But Bronny has seen LeBron in his most vulnerable moments. He watches him reach for his dairy-free vanilla ice cream every night. He teases him for being “extra” after he scores, with him stomping, patting his chest and screaming. He watches him hug his wife after games, shortly before Bronny hugs his mom.

To Bronny, LeBron is simply dad, even though he’s not allowed to call him that on the court.

And all he wants is to show him, along with the rest of the world, one simple thing.

“That I belong,” Bronny told FOX Sports. “That’s all I’ve been trying to prove.”

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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