Bronny James Joins Lakers, Eyes Historic Duo with LeBron

Bronny James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the NBA draft, potentially setting him up to play alongside his legendary father, LeBron James. The 19-year-old became the 55th pick in the draft held in New York on Thursday, following weeks of speculation about his future team. LeBron, a four-time NBA champion is likely entering the final year of his career at 39 and could choose to become a free agent this summer by declining his $51.4 million (£40.6 million) player option when the window opens at the end of June.

However, this seems unlikely, as LeBron stated after the 2022 All-Star game that he will play his “last year with my son.” No father-son duo has ever played together in the NBA before. Bronny completed his first year of college basketball with the University of Southern California Trojans, where he averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 assists per game. Unlike his father, who stands 6ft 9in and holds the title of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, Bronny is 6ft 1in and focuses more on defensive play.

Being the son of a four-time Most Valuable Player draws considerable attention. Bronny has 7.7 million Instagram followers, and pundits have closely followed his journey for years. Despite this, his path has had challenges. Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest during training last July and only returned to basketball last November after doctors diagnosed him with a congenital heart defect.

Bronny is not expected to play a major role for the Lakers in his rookie season, but the possibility of him playing alongside his father is likely to attract significant attention.