Sports
LeBron and Bronny James made history as the first father-son duo in the NBA to play together
LOS ANGELES (AP) – LeBron James gave his 20-year-old son a pep talk before the Lakers got here off the bench. Amid growing cheers, they approached the scorer’s table together and immediately made basketball history.
LeBron and Bronny became the first father and son to play together in the NBA on Tuesday night Los Angeles Lakersopening of the season, fulfilling the dream established a couple of years ago by LeBron, the top scorer in the history of the league.
“That moment when we sat at the scorer’s table together and checked in together is a moment I will never forget,” LeBron said. “No matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade with age or whatever, I will never forget this moment.”
Father and son showed up at the same time for the match against Minnesota 4 minutes before the end of the second quarter, which caused an amazing ovation from the fans, aware of the enormity of this vital event. LeBron, 39, had already began the game and played 13 minutes before joining his 20-year-old son for about 2 1/2 minutes of motion.
LeBron James is certainly one of the best players in NBA history, a four-time champion and a 20-time All-Star, while LeBron James Jr. was chosen by the Lakers in the second round of the draft last summer. Are first father and son playing in the highest basketball league in the world at the same time, let alone being on the same team.
“Are you ready? You see the intensity, right? But just play carefree,” the father said to his son on the bench before they checked in, and the exchange was captured by TNT cameras and microphones. “Don’t worry about mistakes. Just go out and play hard.”
Their time on the court together was fast and furious, just as LeBron promised.
LeBron, who finished the night with 16 points, missed two long-range shots before dunking. Bronny had an early offensive rebound and missed a pass, and his first NBA jump shot moments later was a three-pointer that went just wide. Then, with 1:19 left in the second quarter, he called for one possession, which was met with one other ovation.
Bronny didn’t play again Lakers victory 110:103 over the Timberwolves.
“I tried not to focus on everything that was going on around me, but I tried to focus on coming into the game as a rookie and not trying to screw up,” Bronny said. “But yeah, I totally felt the energy and I appreciate Laker Nation for showing support for me and my dad.”
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After the final whistle commemorated the Lakers’ first win in the first game of LeBron’s seven seasons with the team, father and son also headed to the locker room together, but stopped in the tunnel to hug Savannah James, LeBron’s wife and Bronny’s mother. The entire family was in attendance to watch the story unfold – at least to have a good time younger sister Zhuri’s tenth birthday.
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. were also on the field at the Lakers’ downtown stadium to witness the same history they made in Major League Baseball. The two sluggers played together in 51 games for the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991 as baseball’s first father-son duo.
The Jameses and Griffeys met during the preliminary match warming up before some photos and a warm chat between two amazing families.
LeBron first talked about his dream of playing alongside Bronny a couple of years ago, when his oldest son was still in highschool. The dream became a reality when Bronny entered the draft as a young person after one college season and the Lakers grabbed him with the fifty fifth overall pick.
“I talked about it years ago and it’s pretty cool at this point,” LeBron said. “I do not know if it’s really going to hit us each for a minute, but after we actually sit down and cool down, it’s going to be really crazy. … But immediately, we still had work to do after we checked in. We didn’t want to turn it right into a circus. We didn’t want this to occur to us. We wanted to make it about the band.
LeBron and Bronny joined a small club of skilled athletes who played together on a father-son team. The Griffeys made history 34 years ago, and on September 14, 1990, they even scored a goal in the same match.
Hall-of-famer Tim Raines and his namesake’s son also achieved the feat with the Baltimore Orioles in 2001.
In hockey, Gordie Howe played alongside his two sons, Mark and Marty, for the Houston Eros and Team Canada of the WHA before sharing an NHL season with the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80, when Gordie was 51 years old.
While other family pairings on this list occurred late in their fathers’ careers, LeBron shows no signs of slowing down or regressing as he enters his record-setting twenty second NBA season.
Last 12 months, LeBron averaged over 25 points per game for his twentieth consecutive season and stays the most vital player for the Lakers, together with Anthony Davis, as they struggle to regain the form that won them the championship in 2020 and sent them to the Western Conference Finals in 2023
Bronny survived a cardiac arrest and open heart surgery in the summer of 2023, then played an abbreviated freshman season at the University of Southern California. He entered the draft anyway, and the Lakers were blissful to accomplish that he took advantage of the penultimate selection in a guard draft of 6 feet 2 inches.
LeBron spent the summer in Europe with Team USA, which won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, while Bronny played for the Lakers in the Summer League. They began practicing with the Lakers before training camp.
First the duo we played together in pre-seasonlogging 4 minutes during a game against Phoenix just outside Palm Springs earlier this month.
“It was a real pleasure,” LeBron said during Tuesday morning’s shootaround. “During the pre-season, training every day… introduces him to what professional life is all about and how to prepare every day as a professional.”
The Lakers were fully aware of the history they’d make with this mixture, and coach JJ Redick recently talked to the Jameses a couple of plan to make it occur early in the regular season.
The Griffeys’ presence likely made opening night inevitable, although Redick said the Lakers still wanted it to “happen organically, as the game went on.”
The Lakers are not looking for to speculate on how long Bronny will remain on their NBA roster. Los Angeles already has three other small guards on its roster, and Bronny likely needs regular playing time to elevate his game to consistent NBA levels.
These aspects collectively indicate that Bronny will likely soon join the G League’s South Bay Lakers affiliate. Both LeBron and Redick spoke positively about the South Bay team, saying that player development is a key a part of the Lakers organization.
Miami forward Kevin Love, who knew all of James’ children – Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri – from their days as LeBron’s teammate in Cleveland, said it was an “unbelievable moment” to see father and son playing together.
“I grew up a Mariners fan, so I got to see Griffey and then Griffey Sr. But this is a different situation because LeBron is still a top-five player in the league,” Love said. “This game, man. That’s why we have this TV deal ($76 billion). The plot and the things that happen like that is an unbelievable story. It’s really cool to see that.”
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AP basketball author Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed.
NFL Hall of Fame receiver and podcast host Terrell Owens has signed with a talent agency to further strengthen his claims within the entertainment game.
According to , Owens was signed by SMAC Entertainment, headed by host and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and his business partner Constance Schwartz-Morini.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz has also joined SMAC Entertainment.
“We are excited to add TO and Jordan to the SMAC family. They are both at the top of their game and set the standard in their industry,” Schwartz-Morini said in a written statement. “TO and Jordan have already brought an infectious energy to our team, and we are excited to help them realize their vision for careers in media, business and branding.”
A five-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Owens played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. In 2018, he was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A member of the 2000 NFL All-Decade Team, Owens finished his profession with 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards, 14.8 yards per catch and 153 touchdowns, rating third all-time in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Since retiring from skilled soccer in 2012, Owens has already made several moves. He has appeared in several movies and tv shows, including “,” and in addition had his own reality show, “, on VH1.
He currently co-hosts the podcast with former NFL player and sports analyst Shannon Sharpe.
SMAC Entertainment is home to stars similar to rapper and actor Common, Wiz Khalifa, Strahan, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders and current NFL players similar to Stefon Diggs and DK Metcalf.
Sports
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker brings an NBA championship desire with his Olympic experience
The gold medal went to the USA Basketball team. Mission completed on the 2024 Paris Games. U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr just answered his final query during his final news conference on Aug. 10 after his team defeated France within the gold medal game.
However, before leaving the stage of the press conference in Paris, Kerr stopped to deliver an unsolicited message to media around the globe.
“Devin Booker is an amazing basketball player. Nobody asked about him. He was our unsung MVP. I just desired to say that,” Kerr said.
The “underrated MVP” compliment meant so much to the Phoenix Suns guard.
“It meant everything. No one really asked him,” Booker recently told Andscape. “That was probably something that was weighing on his mind throughout the entire process. A 12 months ago I said what I desired to do for this team and what we desired to do for the country.
“It was a lot larger than all of us. Survival was something we’d discuss for the remainder of our lives.
The USA Basketball team was centered around NBA star icons LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. There has also been some discussion amongst media and fans in regards to the lack of playing time for Jayson Tatum and, to a lesser extent, Tyrese Haliburton. Lost within the shuffle was the all-around, unselfish play of sharpshooter Booker wearing the armband.
Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
Booker was fourth in scoring for the U.S., averaging 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and a couple of.2 three-pointers made early in all six Olympics, and likewise had the perfect plus/minus (plus-130) for an American. Kerr was impressed with Booker’s deal with a difficult defense, regardless that he is thought for his offense, ball movement and the way he has adjusted to not being one in every of the highest options on offense.
“I just understood what was at stake,” Booker said. “I’m proud to be from this country. I’m happy with playing basketball. Even though it wasn’t invented in America, we dominated for a very long time. Obviously the world is incredibly talented and the sport is growing, however it was just one other message to allow them to know who we’re.
Booker said he also learned in regards to the preparations from his all-star team, watching the preparations on and off the court. The 28-year-old added that he gained lifelong friendships.
“It’s cool to see that everyone has their own issues,” Booker said. “In my 10 years in the NBA, I’ve learned that you have to choose what you can use for yourself. But the level of detail, the attention to detail, the intensity – it’s all consistent across the board.”
As for Durant, Booker said the bond between the 2 Sun stars “is close and grows stronger every day.” They live about five minutes from one another within the Phoenix area and commonly spend time at home and on the road. Most recently, Booker had to steer the Suns without Durant, who was sidelined with an injury.
The amazing Durant averaged 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and three.4 assists, which were tops for the Suns. However, the 14-time NBA All-Star has been sidelined since November 8 with a left calf strain. Suns players Bradley Beal (calf) and Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) were also sidelined. The Suns are 1-5 without Durant, which incorporates 4 straight losses.
Booker and Suns sans Durant’s next rivals shall be the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET). Over the last six games, Booker is averaging 24.1 points, shooting 43.2% from the sphere and making 16 of 43 three-pointers. Suns guard Tyus Jones said there was numerous pressure on Booker offensively due to the injury.
“We’re asking a lot of Book,” Jones said after Monday’s 109-99 loss to the visiting Orlando Magic. “It’s numerous pressure for him. We are very focused on it. They are physical with him, holding him and grabbing him, throwing two or three bodies at him all night long. So he’s got so much on his plate and we just need to proceed to seek out ways to get him open within the moments we will and proceed to assist him when other players are taking shots and making plays.
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Booker currently has two Olympic gold medals, 4 NBA All-Star appearances and one NBA Finals appearance. The only thing missing from the Suns’ second-leading all-time scorer is an NBA championship. Since the Suns joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1968, they’ve yet to win a title.
After experiencing the joys of winning a gold medal, Booker as an NBA champion wants the gold Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy much more.
“Most of the guys that were there did it,” Booker said of his Olympic teammates who were NBA champions. “They were champions. This is standard for them. Anything lower than that, they need nothing to do with it. It’s contagious…
“That’s all I want. That’s all I want.”
After months of introducing the players and coaches who will participate in its inaugural season, the brand new Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league announced its team rosters and coaching assignments on Wednesday.
Founded by WNBA players Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled consists of six teams of six players each. The league was created to offer WNBA players with a substitute for playing overseas in the course of the offseason.
Although initially announced as having 30 players, the league has since expanded to 36, which Collier attributed “above financial forecasts”. The league has announced 34 players publicly up to now.
The inaugural season of Unrivaled will begin on January 17, 2025, with all games going down in Miami. Here are the official teams for the inaugural season, as well season schedule.
Vinyl Basketball Club:
– Coach: Teresa Weatherspoon
Rose Basketball Club:
– Coach: Nola Henry
Mgła basketball club:
– Coach: Phil Handy
Lunar Owls Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: DJ Sackmann
Phantom Basketball Club:
– TBD: wild card
– Coach: Adam Harrington
Laces Basketball Club:
– Coach: Andrew Wade
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