For the first time in NBA history, a father and son will play together, and they will do so for the purple and gold franchise
LeBron James and his son Bronny James are about to make history as the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA, and they will do so this season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
While much of the coaching staff and management of the Lakers, led by Rob Pelinka, are preparing for this milestone, both LeBron and Bronny also have some adjustments to make. The most notable of these adjustments will be how they address each other during practices under the guidance of JJ Redick. In recent months, this has been a subject of speculation, but now it seems that the Lakers legend has given a definitive answer.
LeBron James will not allow Bronny to call him “dad” while they are at the Lakers’ facilities or during games. This is not a rule imposed by Rob Pelinka or JJ Redick; it is a decision they have both made to improve their chemistry within the team. LeBron revealed these details in his latest appearance on “The Shop.”
“No, he can’t call me dad. We’ve agreed on that. He can’t call me dad in the workplace. Once we leave the training center and the doors close, I can go back to being dad in the car if we’re together. No, he has to call me something like ‘2-3’ or ‘Bron’ or ‘GOAT’ if he wants. I mean, it’s his choice,” LeBron stated.
Challenge for LeBron
Surprisingly, the challenge does not fall on LeBron but on Bronny. Although one might think it would be difficult for LeBron to set aside his paternal instincts on the court, it could actually be Bronny who needs time to adapt to calling his father by a different name.
“It’s easy for me because I’ve been calling him Bronny for a long time. It’s easy for me because I’ve been calling him Bronny for a long time. It’s not like I’m saying, ‘Hey, son!’ It’s easy for me, it will be an adjustment for him. We can’t be running on the court and he says, ‘Dad! Pass the ball! Dad, I’m open. Let’s go!’ No, he can’t do that,” LeBron added.