On Thursday evening, Bronny James was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers (out of USC) with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The selection was momentous as it means Bronny will now join his father, LeBron James, on the same team.
Bronny played one year of college basketball for the USC Trojans, finishing his freshman season with averages of 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 36.6% from the field and 26.7% from the three-point range.
Following the news of the draft pick, Lakers legend Magic Johnson shared his excitement on social media platform X. His post garnered over 30,000 likes and 1.3 million impressions in less than three hours. Johnson wrote:
“Congratulations to Bronny James on being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers! This is a historic moment because LeBron and Bronny are the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same time and on the same team. Watching Bronny suit up for the @Lakers during Summer League in Vegas will be must-see TV!”
Magic Johnson, who served as the President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers from 2016 to 2019, played a pivotal role in bringing LeBron James to the Lakers in the summer of 2018. Since then, LeBron has been a cornerstone of the franchise, leading the team to an NBA Championship in 2020.
The Lakers had a challenging season this past year, finishing as the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 47-35 record. Unfortunately, their playoff run was cut short as they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Congratulations to Bronny James on being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers! This is a historic moment because LeBron and Bronny are the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same time and on the same team. Watching Bronny suit up for the @Lakers during Summer League in… pic.twitter.com/jGRbGiD0n6
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 27, 2024
With the addition of Bronny, the Lakers are looking to bolster their lineup and create more dynamic gameplay, hoping to make a deeper run in the upcoming season’s playoffs. The father-son duo is expected to bring a unique synergy to the team, sparking excitement among fans and analysts alike.