Bronny James was picked in the second round of the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers where he could play alongside his legendary father LeBron.
The 19-year-old was the 55th choice of the draft in New York on Thursday after weeks of speculation about which team he would end up on.
Four-time NBA champion LeBron, 39, is probably entering the final year of his career and could become a free agent this summer by declining his $51.4m (£40.6m) player option when the window opens at the end of June.
However, that prospect seems remote given the the four-time NBA champion said after the All-Star game in 2022 that his “last year will be played with my son”.
No father-son pairing has ever played together in the NBA before.
“In the history of the NBA, there’s never been a father and a son that have shared an NBA basketball court and that feels like something that could be magical,” said Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka.
“We know, and have to respect of course, that LeBron has a decision on his opt-out… but if it worked out that he was on our team next season, NBA history could be made. And NBA history should be made in a Lakers uniform.”
On Instagram, Bronny wrote “Beyond Blessed”, while his father posted a series of pictures of the pair and the caption “Legacy”.
Bronny has 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 at 6ft 9in and is the NBA’s leading all-time scorer, teenager Bronny is 6ft 1in and is more of a defensive player.
Being the son of a four-time Most Valuable Player brings extra attention along with it. Bronny has 7.7 million Instagram followers and pundits have followed his journey for years.
Despite that, his path has not been entirely smooth.
On July 25, James collapsed after suffering cardiac arrest during a USC basketball practice. He was hospitalized and was in stable condition before being discharged three days later. The health scare set back what was supposed to be a ramp-up to his college season. He wasn’t able to practice until late November before suiting up in December to play his first collegiate game.
James showed flashes of potential during the year. One of his best performances was early in the season against Oregon State when he scored 15 points.
The freshman scored in double-digits only three times. For every electrifying fast-break dunk that reminded fans and scouts of his basketball lineage came a head-scratching shot or decision on the court that warranted questions of James’ legitimacy as an NBA prospect.
Peoplesmind