CLEVELAND — Bronny James scored the primary factors of his NBA profession whereas visiting his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, hitting a 14-foot stepback jumper with a bit greater than two minutes remaining within the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 134-110 loss.
“It was only a dream come true for me,” James mentioned of his first basket. “Felt actually good. After the actual fact, I used to be nonetheless in sport mode once I hit the shot. So I didn’t actually acknowledge it whereas I used to be taking part in. However yeah, it felt good after.”
“To see him get his first NBA basket on this area the place he grew up not too far-off from right here, it’s an unbelievable second,” mentioned LeBron James, Bronny’s father and an NBA legend who starred for 11 years with the Cavaliers. “An unbelievable second for him, to begin with. For our household. It’s simply fairly cool to be part of it.”
Bronny James scored his first profession factors in his hometown.
And the Cleveland crowd went wild for him 👏
🎥 @NBApic.twitter.com/ExXjDe9Y1n https://t.co/xYnSyDpTGT
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 31, 2024
Bronny completed with two factors, two assists and a steal on 1-of-2 taking pictures in 5 minutes of motion.
Early within the fourth quarter, because the Lakers emptied their bench, the Cleveland crowd started to chant “We wish Bronny!” He finally entered the sport on the 5:16 mark to a standing ovation.
“It was insane,” Bronny mentioned of the reception. “Far more than I anticipated, for positive. However it’s all love. … It was a pleasant second. The chants actually received me. I used to be straight-faced, however I felt it and it felt actually good, particularly coming from right here.”
In the course of the first timeout, the Cavaliers performed a tribute video for LeBron and Bronny. On the time, Los Angeles was trailing 20-15, so LeBron mentioned he was seething and centered on how the Lakers may make up the deficit.
“I didn’t actually get a chance to kinda seize the second as a result of we was getting our ass drubbed at that second,” LeBron mentioned.
However when LeBron heard Bronny’s identify referred to as and cheered, he lastly seemed up.
“I consider I tapped him on the leg,” LeBron mentioned. “That’s simply fairly cool although.”
Outdoors of Los Angeles’ locker room, the Cavaliers welcomed each Jameses with a photograph of LeBron holding Cleveland’s 2016 championship trophy and a photograph of an 11-year-old Bronny in a gaggle photograph close to the trophy.
The Cavaliers welcomed Bronny James again to Cleveland.
📸 @Lakers pic.twitter.com/VGtFuLdzez
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 30, 2024
“It’s the best factor on the planet,” LeBron mentioned of Bronny reaching his NBA desires. “Youngsters at all times have these desires once they’re tremendous younger. And, as mother and father, you simply, you attempt to put them ready to, at one level, all through their lives, that perhaps that dream can turn into a actuality if that’s what they need to do.
“And to see that he’s within the midst of his actuality and his dream on the identical time is simply tremendous cool for a guardian. And to see what he does when the digicam’s not rolling is much more gratifying. The exhausting work that he places in each single day to proceed to get higher and higher on the occupation that he selected. It’s very gratifying, very cool, very humbling. And simply proud. Tremendous pleased with him.”
This was solely Bronny’s second look throughout his rookie season. He first performed three minutes however went scoreless within the Lakers’ opening-night win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Throughout that sport, Bronny and LeBron made historical past as the primary father-son duo to share the court docket within the NBA’s 79-year existence.
Bronny, who turned 20 on Oct. 6, mentioned he had been getting ready for the strain of the second, with 19,432 followers screaming and chanting his identify, for “20 years and a month now.”
“It’s simply one thing that comes with it, however it’s what it’s,” Bronny mentioned.
His dad pushed again towards Bronny’s nonchalantness, although, highlighting his son’s composure and poise within the second.
“My sense is that he’s higher than I’d have been in that scenario,” LeBron mentioned. “20,000 followers screaming my identify to get within the sport, and wanting me to be within the sport, and if the position’s reversed. I don’t know if I’d have been capable of deal with it.”
Bronny was given the sport ball afterward and stored his No. 9 jersey, which he had in a bag on the postgame podium.
“You at all times keep in mind your first basket,” Lakers huge man Anthony Davis mentioned. “However for him to do it right here, I do know it means the world to him. … It’s one thing that he’ll positively cherish for the remainder of his life.”
Cleveland stays undefeated, enhancing to 5-0, whereas Los Angeles sits at 3-2 with a second consecutive loss.
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(Picture: Jason Miller / Getty Photos)
