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Bronny got the better of father, LeBron, at recent Lakers practice
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bronny James got the better of father, LeBron, at recent Lakers practice

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James has plenty of naysayers, but he's already begun to win over his teammates at training camp after getting the best of father LeBron James. 

The 19-year-old went toe-to-toe with James on Wednesday, forcing the future Hall of Famer to up his game, as Anthony Davis hilariously recounted to ESPN's Dave McMenamin

"Bronny hit a three over him today. Everybody was talking smack in Bronny's favor," Davis said. "Then Bron came down and just bullied somebody. Just took it out on — I forgot who it was — and got a layup."

Not to be outdone by senior, Bronny hit another three later in practice while the father-son pair were playing on the same side, denying James the ball to do so. 

"Bronny came down and hit another three, I think over Austin [Reaves]. And Bron wanted the ball," Davis said. "So you could see, even though they weren't matched up, the competition is there. And that's what we love to see."

From the outside, debates over nepotism remain loud. However, the vibe around the Lakers couldn't be more different, with Davis viewing it almost as an honor to be a part of, telling McMenamin it was "fantastic" to witness the pair go at it during practice. 

When it comes to Bronny's readiness for the NBA, James told Reuters on media day that his son was "ready to go." However, first-year head coach JJ Redick said the team had yet to develop a plan that involves the duo playing together. 

"We obviously have talked about it as a staff, and we've gotten into some specifics of what that might look like," Redick said. "But we haven't committed to anything." 

When Bronny and James step on the floor for the Lakers, they'll be the first father/son pair to do so in NBA history. However, when is the key word. 

Considering Bronny saw action in only 25 games (six starts) as a freshman at USC last season, he's not the most experienced player. Furthermore, his production wasn't overwhelming in college, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists. 

In need of reps at a professional level, it seems in Bronny's best interest to play most of the 2024-25 season with the G League South Bay Lakers, which would delay the historic moment family moment.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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