Bronny James scores the first NBA points of his career in a loss to the Cavaliers

CLEVELAND – Akron native LeBron James posed for photos on his way out of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Wednesday evening, hugging and exchanging handshakes with dozens of people, a gathering of family, friends and fans.

James had just experienced a double homecoming, adding a new chapter to his legacy by appearing in the same NBA game as his eldest son Bronny at their old venue.

The icing on the cake for the Los Angeles Lakers father-son duo was Bronny James also scoring for the first time in a regular-season NBA game, albeit late in a 134-110 loss to the undefeated Cavaliers.

“To see him get his first NBA basket in this arena that he grew up in not far from here is an incredible moment, an incredible moment for him, especially for our family,” said LeBron James. “It’s just pretty cool to be a part of it.”

Bronny James scored his first regular-season points as an NBA player when he hit a 14-foot jump shot with 2:03 left in the fourth quarter.

“It’s just a dream come true for me,” he said.

LeBron James scored 26 points on 9 of 13 shooting from the field and added six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes. He's been battling illness, but that didn't keep him out of action on a memorable night.

In an unexpected twist, the Jameses did not simultaneously play against the Cavs, who won their only championship in franchise history in 2016 with LeBron James at the helm.

LeBron and Bronny James became the league's first father-son tandem to play together on Oct. 22 when the Lakers (3-2) opened the 2024-25 regular season at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“It’s a beautiful story,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “(With) two children of my own, I can’t even imagine that, can I? I enjoy playing with my son in the backyard – on an NBA court? Nice story. I love it. I think we should celebrate it.”

Bronny James talks about what he felt when he came on

Bronny James heard the chants from the Cavs fans, he felt the love and support throughout the arena

Cleveland celebrated by creating an electric atmosphere, as Atkinson described it.

With 5:16 left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers trailing 119-98, Bronny James entered the game for the first time, but his father was done playing for the night. The son came off the bench after fans chanted, “We want Bronny,” with about eight and a half minutes left in the game, and the Cavs (5-0) were ahead by 23 points. The chants blared on two other occasions, with 7:06 and 6:29 remaining. He received loud cheers when he entered the game and again when he made his basket.

“It was crazy, a lot more than I expected, but it's all love,” said Bronny James, who scored two points on 1-2 shooting from the field, two assists and a steal in five minutes. “It was crazy. It was a beautiful moment. The songs really touched me. I was serious, but I felt it, and it felt really good, especially from here. Yes, it was a special moment for me for sure.”

LeBron James is used to a hero's welcome when he reunites with the Cavs, but last time was different. The Cavaliers played a tribute video and shouted out together to LeBron and Bronny James. With the Cavs leading 20-15, the performance shown on the scoreboards with 6:55 left in the first quarter drew a standing ovation from the Cleveland crowd.

“It was a pretty cool moment,” LeBron James said. “I didn’t really have the opportunity to take advantage of the moment in any way because we got our (butts) kicked in that moment. So I was a little angry. At this point during this time off, I was a little angry. So I haven't had a chance to really appreciate it, but I've heard it. And then when they said his name, I kind of looked up and tapped him on the leg. That’s just pretty cool.”

To add to the hometown feel, Bronny James brought a drink and bag of food from Swensons after the game. The famous drive-in theater with Akron roots is one of his father's favorites.

The Cavs selected LeBron James No. 1 overall out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003. The next year, the oldest of LeBron and Savannah James' three children, Bronny, was born at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital.

As a child, Bronny James spent countless days at the downtown arena where his father competed as a member of the Cavs. Bronny James revealed that he even played pickup basketball with other players' children on the practice court on the top floor of the arena during Cavs games.

The memories came back.

“(We have) a lot of great memories on the court, but also a lot of great memories off the floor in this community,” LeBron James said. “It's definitely very humbling to feel the mutual respect and love for what we've been able to accomplish in the years we've been here. And we don't take it for granted every time we come back and play the game. “We love what we did tonight or just being home and in the community.”

LeBron James, 39, is in his 22nd NBA season. The league's all-time leading scorer has played 11 seasons with the Cavs (2003-10 and 2014-18), four with the Miami Heat (2010-14) and is in his seventh season with the Lakers (2018-present).

In June, the Lakers selected 20-year-old Bronny James (No. 55 overall) out of the University of Southern California in the second round.

Now, LeBron James is watching his new teammate and his son realize an NBA dream.

“It’s the greatest thing in the world,” said LeBron James.

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.

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