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Is Bronny James living in his father's shadow, or carving his own path in the NBA?

Just by playing a few minutes in the NBA, Bronny James already holds a record. Nothing related to his performance, but being the first father-son duo to play in the NBA. Now that they’ve had their big moment, we have more clarity on Bronny. Before the 20YO heads to the G-League, there is going to be another special moment for the father-son duo. He is with the Los Angeles Lakers until 31st October, till their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The upcoming game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse holds unique significance for the James duo. The city holds deep personal connections for LeBron James, who rose from his Ohio roots to become a Cleveland icon. His son, Bronny, feels a connection to Cleveland as well, though on a different level.

During the 2024 Playoffs, LeBron made an impact in the same arena with a surprise appearance, but this game will be even more meaningful. This time, Bronny will share the court with his father as their teams face off. With that in mind, let’s explore some personal details of Bronny James.

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Bronny James was born on October 6, 2004, in Cleveland, Ohio as his father oozed basketball royalty. After the match against the Sacramento Kings, LeBron spoke to the media when a question made him a bit emotional as they’d play against the Cavs in Ohio. Notably, LeBron and Bronny both were born in Ohio. “It’s gonna be special,” LeBron said.

How was Savannah James still in High School when he was born?

Savannah met her future husband back when she was just 16, a sophomore in high school, while LeBron, a year ahead of her, was at a rival school. Instead of letting him get her number through a friend, she boldly moved in to take his number herself. Their first date was at the Outback Steakhouse and it started a relationship for ages.

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In her senior year of high school, while LeBron was starting his rookie season in the NBA, Savannah found out she was unexpectedly pregnant with their first child. While in conversation with Harper’s Bazaar, she said, “I was thinking, What am I going to tell my parents? What’s going to happen to his career?’ I was very scared. I was bawling. But [LeBron] said, ‘It’s not going to slow me down, and it’s not going to slow you down. We’re going to keep doing what we have to do.’ “

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Is Bronny James living in his father's shadow, or carving his own path in the NBA?

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Safe to say that LeBron’s career was fantastic, and he got a chance to play with his son. Who else can do something like that in the NBA? From the part of James, the player needed to stay fit to play in his late 30s. From Bronny’s perspective, he needed to work hard to play with his dad at a young age. So, Bronny carved out his career by enrolling in a school at Akron.

Which schools and colleges did he go to?

Notably, he attended Old Trail Middle School in Akron and played for the North Coast Blue Chips. During this time, he also represented Old Trail School in Bath Township, Summit County, Ohio, where he led his team to victory in the Independent School League tournament. In 2018, he enrolled in Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California. Bronn James couldn’t join the basketball team immediately because of California state rules.

In 2019, he transferred to Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Los Angeles. In his senior season at Sierra Canyon, he recorded averages of 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. This final high school season also marked the first time he shared the court with his younger brother, Bryce, as teammates.

Bronny’s high school debut came on November 21, 2019, when he contributed 10 points off the bench in a dominant 91–44 victory over Montgomery (San Diego). His high school journey wrapped up in March 2023 with a loss to Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Regional championship, where he finished with 10 points in the game.

He was rated a 4-star prospect and apparently had many offers from colleges such as Duke and Kentucky. But he chose the University of Southern California as his destination. Yet, his career derailed a bit after a shocking cardiac arrest.

Bronny’s Cardiac Arrest shocks the basketball fraternity

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Bronny James’ journey with USC, didn’t begin as smoothly as many had hoped. In a frightening turn of events in June 2023, shortly after committing to USC, he suffered cardiac arrest during a practice. Doctors traced the cause to a “congenital heart defect,” casting doubt on his ability to continue playing. Fortunately, Bronny recovered fully, though this condition sidelined him for USC’s first eight games, which saw the Trojans stumble to a 5-3 start.

USA Today via Reuters

Bronny finally made his highly anticipated return in the ninth game, greeted by enthusiastic fans. Coming off the bench, he logged 16 minutes on the court, adding four points (hitting one of three from beyond the arc), three rebounds, and two assists. However, his freshman season was underwhelming, as he appeared in 25 games with averages of 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. USC finished the 2023/24 season with a 15-18 record.

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And just as the season ended, Bronny declared himself for the draft. The Los Angeles Lakers selected him as the 55th pick in the second round of the draft. We all know what events have happened after that in a historic moment for the father-son duo.

 

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