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Bronny James is feeling the love from Cleveland as he scores his first NBA points in the arena where he grew up
CLEVELAND (AP) – The shot was familiar. It was the same with the roar.
As LeBron James watched from a couple of feet away, his son Bronny sparked one other cheer on the court in Cleveland. Bronny’s dad gave him the stage and knew what to do on the court where he first learned to dribble.
While LeBron sat on the bench in the final minutes of the loss, Bronny James scored his first points in an NBA game – on a shot that looked similar to his old one – on Wednesday night in a game Lost 134-110 to Cavaliers.
“To see him score his first NBA basket in the arena where he grew up not far from here is an unbelievable moment,” LeBron said. “It’s an unbelievable moment for him, and for our family, it’s just great to be a part of it.”
They were expected to play together. Instead, it was LeBron who watched Bronny get Cleveland going.
LeBron, who was battling a chilly, left the game in the fourth quarter after scoring 26 points in 29 minutes. Sitting at the end of the bench in Los Angeles, he could enjoy watching his son soak up the love of the Cleveland fans who had cheered him on every move for 11 seasons.
Proud barely described it.
“It’s the greatest thing in the world,” LeBron said after seeing his son’s dream come true.
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As the Cavs ran away from the Lakers, Cleveland fans began chanting “We want Bronny!” hoping to see the newbie they’d been watching growing up. The younger James checked in with 5:16 left and was loudly cheered each time he touched the ball.
He made two assists, after which, as an expert, he scored a basket with a shot from the left corner from 4 meters with 2:03 left. Cavs.
When the crowd erupted, Bronny wasn’t sure find out how to react.
“It was crazy,” he said. “Definitely quite a bit greater than I expected. It’s all love. It was a pleasant moment. These songs really captivated me. I had a serious look on my face, but I felt it and it felt pretty good, especially being from here.
When Bronny was little, he ran through the halls, rode the elevators, and shot on the practice court at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse while his famous dad played games.
Earlier in the day, Bronny recalled his return home to Ohio.
“It’s going to be really special,” he said after the morning shootaround. “It’s good to be here with dad – in our house.”
LeBron spent 11 seasons over two seasons with the Cavs, leading them to a championship in 2016, before leaving as a free agent for the Lakers two years later. Last week, the 39-year-old superstar and his 20-year-old son became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game.
However, Bronny did not rating in the victory over Minnesota, missing each shots.
There was criticism of the Lakers’ decision to draft Bronny, who was chosen in the second round after a 12 months at USC. While a few of the reasons could have pleased LeBron, first-year Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said it was touching to see them together.
“It’s a beautiful story,” Atkinson said. “I can’t even imagine having two children of my own. I like playing in the yard with my son. Doing it on an NBA court? Beautiful story. Love it. I think we should celebrate that.”
Once the Lakers complete their five-game road trip on November 6, Bronny is expected to affix the club’s G League team, the South Bay Lakers. Although he returned to his home state for business this time, the younger James said it is often an awesome pleasure to return to his roots.
“It’s good to be here,” he said before the match. “It’s nice to live slowly here in Ohio – very different than in Los Angeles.”
LeBron was also welcomed with open arms.
The four-time league MVP received an enormous ovation during the pregame introductions, and on the other hand when the Cavs played a video tribute to him and Bronny on the scoreboard during a first-quarter timeout.
LeBron joked that he didn’t prefer it.
“It was a pretty cool moment,” he said. “I didn’t really have a probability to make the most of the moment because we were drugged. I used to be a bit indignant at that time. I did not have a probability to essentially appreciate it. But I heard it.
Sitting next to one another during the press conference, LeBron and Bronny were in a position to reflect on one other unforgettable night in a spot they know well.
This time they left the team after making history.
First father and son to attain in an NBA game. And they did it in Cleveland.
“It’s definitely very humbling,” LeBron said. “We don’t take it for granted every time we come back and either play a game that we love or just be home and just be in the community. That’s pretty cool.”