EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – If LeBron James Sr. and his son, Bronny, make NBA history Tuesday night by playing in the same game for the Los Angeles Lakers, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. will be there to witness it.
The first father-son duo to play together in Major League Baseball plans to be in attendance at the Lakers' season opener in their downtown arena, where the entire crowd will be hoping the James family accomplishes the same rare sporting feat for the NBA.
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“First father and son to play baseball, (and) now the first father and son to play basketball,” the younger Griffey told MLB Network Radio. “It’s a big deal for my dad and I to be there. We made history. Now we get to watch history, so that’s what’s going to be cool about it.”
Bronny James is already excited to make his official NBA debut, but the Griffeys' presence adds an extra layer of anticipation for the Lakers' second-round pick.
“Yeah, it's gonna be insane,” the 20-year-old Bronny said after practice Monday at the Lakers' training complex. “I mean, only two families to do it, so it's going to be a crazy experience, especially (with) what they've done.”
Bronny made it clear that he doesn't know if he'll actually get to play against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Lakers coach JJ Redick said “nothing has been finalized or anything” about Los Angeles' playing rotation.
Yet it seems unlikely the Lakers will wait to make the moment of history they've been planning ever since the franchise chose Bronny with the 55th overall pick this summer to play with LeBron, the 39-year-old top scorer in NBA history. The father and son already played together in the preseason, first taking the court together outside Palm Springs earlier this month.
A father and son play together roughly once in a generation in North American professional sports. The Griffeys accomplished the feat in 1990 and 1991, playing in 51 games for the Seattle Mariners — and even homering in the same game on Sept. 14, 1990.
Tim Raines and his namesake son also played four games together for the Baltimore Orioles at the end of the 2001 season. Before that, Gordie Howe suited up with his sons Mark and Marty in the WHA and the NHL and for Team Canada in the 1970s.
Bronny grew up in his father's locker rooms and arenas in Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles, so he's more than ready to get beyond the historic moment and into the day-to-day grind of becoming a contributing NBA player. The Lakers begin the season with three home games in five days.
“I think it will be different," Bronny said of the opener. "No different than me getting ready for any other game, but just a feeling of being in our home arena for the first time and playing a game will be a special experience. ... I'm just trying to come in and get better every day, learn from the guys that have been here before me. Just take it all in and enjoy the experience.”
Bronny played in all six of the Lakers' preseason games, but his 4.2 points per game average was boosted greatly by his 17-point performance in last week's preseason finale in which the Lakers and Warriors both rested most of their key players.
Bronny hit 29.7% of his shots in the preseason while averaging 1.7 rebounds and 0.3 assists, playing 16.2 minutes per game. His defensive work was praised by Redick, who sees the 6-foot-2 guard becoming a solid perimeter player in the future.
“Had some bad games, some rough starts, so (I've been) just continuing to play my game and play hard,” Bronny said.
Bronny isn't expected to be an immediate rotation player for the Lakers, who already have D'Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent and 2023 first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino ahead of him at point guard. There's a good chance Bronny will begin the season with the Lakers before heading to the G League to get the consistent playing time he probably needs to improve.
But he's still thrilled to reach this milestone moment — and he's even pretty sure what he'll call his father on the court after LeBron prohibited him from using “Dad.”
“Probably Bron," Bronny said with a smile. "That will probably be the easiest one.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA