PALM DESERT, Calif. (AP) – LeBron James grew up without a father, and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has often said he savors every moment and milestone he gets to experience with his own three children.

When he stepped onto the court to play alongside his son Bronny for the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night, the moment was greater than just basketball history for him.

It was the achievement of a family dream.

LeBron and Bronny became the first father and son to play together in the first half of any NBA game Lakers preseason contest against Phoenix, playing side-by-side for just over 4 minutes in the second quarter.

“It’s pretty cool for both of us, especially our family,” LeBron said. “It’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget.”

The special moment in the James family’s life coincidentally occurred on Bronny’s twentieth birthday, and it gave the look of a celebration for LeBron, 39, who had talked about his desire to benefit from this chance since Bronny was in highschool.

Even though LeBron knows the Lakers will get more possibilities to play together in the upcoming season, the four-time NBA champion and 20-time All-Star seemed “not real” wearing the uniforms on the court for the first time.

“It means everything to a dad,” LeBron said. “For someone who didn’t have that growing up, to be able to have that influence on his children and to have that influence on his son, to be able to spend time with his son – and most importantly, to be able to work with his child” son – that is one in every of the biggest things, that a father can dream of or wish for.”

Bronny James entered the preseason game as a substitute to start out the second quarter, joining his father on the court at Acrisure Arena in the Coachella Valley. Bronny was informed by coach J.J. Redick before the game that he can be playing alongside LeBron, but the rookie maintained his usual cool demeanor each before and after the moment.

“I was really excited about it,” Bronny said.

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Although Bronny has been much less vocal about the situation than LeBron, he remains to be learning easy methods to cope with his father, who has repeatedly insisted that his son cannot call him “daddy” on the court.

“I always think, ‘That’s my dad!’ because he’s literally my dad,” Bronny said. “But after I play, he’s just my teammate. That’s all.”

Their minutes together weren’t as smooth as they were later in the season: Bronny committed two turnovers and LeBron committed one other in the first two minutes. Shortly after LeBron hit the three-pointer, LeBron passed the ball to Bronny and created a screen for his son, who was in a position to make the three-point shot, but Bronny missed.

“I was really hoping Wing 3 would come in,” Redick said with a smile. “That would be a cool moment. But I’m sure they will spend many moments together.”

Bronny got here on as a substitute 4:09 into the second quarter, and LeBron got here on 25 seconds later after one other dead ball. LeBron scored 19 points, five rebounds and 4 assists in 16 minutes of the first half, and he watched the Lakers’ second half from the bench alongside Anthony Davis.

Bronny played about nine minutes in the second half but didn’t rating in the Lakers’ 118-114 loss to the Suns.

“I just told him, ‘Get better,'” LeBron said. “He’s young. He desires to proceed to enhance and that is the most vital thing. So at any time when you get a moment, just keep making winning plays. Continue to learn from his mistakes and make winning plays.

LeBron James is entering his record-breaking twenty second NBA season, and LeBron James Jr. – known to everyone as Bronny – was chosen by the Lakers in the second round of the draft this summer. After recovering from cardiac arrest over a 12 months agoBronny only played one season in Southern California before entering the draft.

Redick promised that the connection would only happen “in-game” and wouldn’t be “gimmicky.”

“I’m excited to be a part of it, I really am,” Redick said. “It’s great that I’m a basketball fan. I believe it’s a testament to LeBron’s longevity, but additionally to his competitive stamina, that he’s still in a position to do that in 12 months 22. This is a testament to the work Bronny has put in to get up to now, and really the fatherly care and definitely the motherly care of Savannah as well. Bronny, he’s a great kid and a pleasure to be around.

The 6-foot-2 Bronny is anticipated to spend most of the upcoming season working on his game with the G League’s South Bay Lakers, but he’ll almost definitely have the ability to play alongside his 6-foot-8 father in an actual game early in the regular season.

The games that matter will begin on October 22 at home against Minnesota.

Even though LeBron will turn 40 in late December, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer shows no signs of slowing down with age. Last Friday, LeBron missed the Lakers’ first preseason game against Minnesota, resting from a full week of coaching camp following a busy summer. Bronny had two points he shot 1-for-6 and blocked three shots in 16 minutes of motion against the Timberwolves.

LeBron was early in his second NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he and his highschool sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, became parents for the first time in 2004. They had two more children – a son, Bryce, and a daughter, Zhuri.

LeBron and Bronny have been preparing to play together since LeBron returned from vacation after winning a gold medal with the U.S. team at the Paris Olympics.

Father and son have competed together multiple times during practices at the Lakers’ training complex, each as teammates and opponents.

During the regular season, they’ll join a short list of fathers and sons who’ve shared the playing field in skilled sports in North America. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. they played together with the Seattle Mariners for parts of the 1990 and 1991 baseball seasons, while hockey great Gordie Howe played with sons Marty and Mark for the Houston Eros in the WHA and the New England/Hartford Whalers in the WHA and NHL.