The Big Lead

LeBron James says it's 'pure joy' to have Bronny James on the Lakers

By Joe Lago

Mar 28, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; West guard Bronny James (6) with father LeBron James following the McDonald's All American Boy's high school basketball game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mar 28, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; West guard Bronny James (6) with father LeBron James following the McDonald's All American Boy's high school basketball game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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LeBron James is excited to get back on the court with his teammates when the Los Angeles Lakers hold their first training camp workout on Tuesday.

What he's most thrilled about, not surprisingly, is getting to play with his son Bronny James.

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"It's a lot of excitement," the elder James said during the Lakers' media day on Monday. "It's just pure joy, to be honest. To be able to come to work every day, put in the work, put in hard work with your son every day and to be able to see him grow.

"We push each other — he pushes me and I push him. We push our teammates and vice versa. So it's just a very joyous moment, not only for myself but for our family."

LeBron mentioned how surreal it is for him to be doing media-day interviews with Bronny. The 39-year-old feels energized to have his 19-year-old son around him at work.

"It's pretty awesome," LeBron said. "It gives you a lot of life, gives you a lot of life. Especially when you're around young guys.

"I had a lot of fun this summer with (Anthony Edwards) and Tyrese Haliburton and some of the young guys on the (U.S. Olympic) team, and they give you a lot of energy and a lot of life. So to be able to be alongside (Bronny) — he's 19 years old and will be 20 soon (on October 6) — It just gives you some more life like with the rest of the young guys on the team. So it's awesome."

LeBron said there isn't a whole of lot of basketball talk away from the court with Bronny, who's your typical teenager at home.

"At my age and his age, there's not really much interaction going on on a day-to-day basis," LeBron said with a shrug. "He comes out. He eats. He plays a video game."

"I'm super happy for him," LeBron said. "Our family is super proud of him."

Bronny, who was drafted by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, will spend most of his rookie season with the Lakers' G League team, the South Bay Lakers, to further his development after playing only one year in college at USC.

However, Bronny is expected to join the Lakers at some point during the season. When he makes his much-anticipated NBA debut, he and LeBron will make history as the league's first-ever father/son on-court duo.

"If we get a couple of opportunities out on the floor throughout the course of the season, obviously that's going to be amazing. It'd be awesome," LeBron said. "We'll wait for that moment when it happens and go on from there."

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