Sunday, December 22, 2024

LeBron James re-signs with Lakers to make him and Bronny first father-son duo on same NBA team. But they aren’t the only family members to play together.

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LeBron James agrees to two-year, $104 million deal with Lakers

LeBron James and his son, Bronny, are making history as the first father-son duo to not only play in the NBA simultaneously but also on the same team. The elder James re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, CBS Sports reports. This comes after the younger James was drafted to the team as the 2nd round, 55th overall pick.

LeBron, who made his NBA debut in 2003 at age 19, has played on the Lakers since 2018 after two long stints with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers and a stint on the Miami Heat in between. The four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA MVP reportedly re-signed with the Lakers for about $101.35 million, ESPN’s Bobby Marks first reported. This is a pay cut considering his max salary is around $104 million.

Bronny, 19, was drafted by the Lakers last month after playing one season at the University of Southern California. 

LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts with Bronny James after scoring to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

/ Getty Images


Ahead of the draft, LeBron, 39, said he was hoping to play alongside his son.

“I need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” he said.

The pair may be the first of their kind, but several other family members have played in the NBA together, even on the same team. Here are some of the other famous duos of the league. 

NBA father-son duos

Dell Curry, father of Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry and Charlotte Hornets member Seth Curry, played in the NBA from 1986 to 2002. His oldest son, Steph entered the league in 2009, just seven years after his father’s retirement.

Athletics runs deep in that family. Seth married Callie Rivers, the daughter of his former head coach, Doc Rivers. Callie is a professional volleyball player. 

Doc’s son, Austin Rivers, also played in the NBA, making them another father-son duo of the league. Austin became the first person in the NBA to be coached by his father, who was coaching the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Several other NBA players have seen their sons enter the league: Mychal Thompson’s sons, Klay and Mychal, played, as did Rick Barry’s three sons Jon, Brent and Drew. 

Some other duos include Arvydas and Domantas Sabonis, Bill and Luke Walton, Tim Hardaway and Tim  Jr., Larry Nance and Larry Jr. and Gary Payton and Gary II.

Late Lakers great Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, also played in the NBA for several years.

Joe Bryant hugs his son Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Stephen Dunn / Getty Images


NBA brothers

In 2024, there are fourteen sets of brothers playing in the NBA, including the Currys and Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who play on the Milwaukee Bucks together.

The Bucks roster includes another set of brothers, twins Brook and Robin Lopez. Evan and Isaiah Mobley play together on the Cavaliers and Franz and Moritz Wagner play on the Orlando Magic.

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo #43 of the Milwaukee Bucks pose for portraits during media day on October 02, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

/ Getty Images


Justin, Jrue and Aaron Holiday all play in the league – Justin and Aaron played together on the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers during their careers.

There are also several sets of twins in the NBA: Caleb and Cody Martin, who both played on the Charlotte Hornets at the same time; Amen and Ausar Thompson, who were both drafted in 2023; and Keegan and Kris Murray and Marcus Morris Sr. and Markieff Morris, who were both drafted in 2011. 

Other brothers currently in the league include Tre and Tyus Jones, Jalen and Jaden McDaniels, LaMelo and Lonzo Ball and Jaden and Cody Williams. 

There have been more than 70 sets of brothers who have played in the NBA over the years, according to FanSided. 

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