A new season means new beginnings, and that especially applies to the Los Angeles Lakers. Although the Lakers roster didn’t undergo massive changes, some changes within the margins changed the landscape within Lakers land.
The Lakers had a slow offseason but were productive in June’s draft. They selected Dalton Knecht, a rookie guard/forward from Tennessee in the first round. If things pan out, Knecht could play a vital role in this championship hopeful.
Although Knecht was the first-round pick and should have received all the shine, that wasn’t the case this year. The Lakers selected Bronny James, the son of superstar LeBron James.
Bronny is now a Laker and is a teammate of his father, LeBron. After a year of speculation, it became a reality in June; however, it didn’t feel real until this week, when they stepped on the court for an official practice for the first time.
It’s a dream come true for both sides and a bit surreal to witness. Ask no one other than superstar center Anthony Davis. Davis reflected on the ‘surreal’ experience of being teammates with Bronny.
“It’s awesome. It’s historic. It’s powerful,” Davis said. “Bronny’s locker is across from mine, so every time I walk in and see it, it’s still surreal for me that he’s on the same team as his dad. I can’t wait until they step on the floor and officially make history, but it’s been super-dope to watch so far.”
Davis and the other team members expressed positive feelings about the arrival of their superstar teammates’ son.
The 31-year-old superstar wasn’t the only one to share this sentiment. Head coach JJ Redick said last week that he’s looking forward to the moment when they share the court together as teammates and will make a plan to make that happen.
While LeBron’s teammates and the Lakers fan base are excited to see that moment, no one is more excited than LeBron himself. During media day on Monday, he expressed what that moment would feel like, to share the court with his oldest son.
“If we get a couple of opportunities on the floor throughout the course of the season, obviously that’s going to be amazing,” LeBron said. “It will be awesome. We’ll wait for that moment when it happens, and then go from there.”
“Seeing him continue to grow as a basketball player, no matter if it’s here with us or if it’s down with the G League team, and him continuing to get better and better,” LeBron said. “We want to hold him accountable. He’s going to hold us accountable, and if we all do that, we’ll all get better, because we’re all one team. We are a reflection of the South Bay. The South Bay is a reflection of us. … We’ll continue to grow, stacking days. I know he’s going to do that, because that’s just what he’s about.”
We will likely see the moment of the two James men on the court this Friday for their first preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.