When LeBron James and Bronny James take the court for the first time as members of the Los Angeles Lakers, it will be a moment like no other in NBA history.
That’s why former MLB stars Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Sr. will be on hand Tuesday night as the Lakers open the 2024-25 regular season at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
‘First father and son to play baseball, now first father and son to play basketball, so it’s a big deal for my dad and I to be there,’ Griffey Jr. said on SiriusXM radio earlier this week.
‘We made history, now we get to watch history.’
The Griffeys became the first father and son to play together in Major League Baseball when they were both on the Seattle Mariners during the 1990 and 1991 seasons.
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Their first game on the same field came when Ken Sr. was 40 years old and Junior was just beginning his Hall of Fame career at age 20.
It forms a near-perfect parallel with LeBron James, 39, entering his 21st NBA season and Bronny making his NBA debut at 20.
Lakers coach JJ Redick hasn’t revealed his plans for when the historic father-son moment will occur, though he did say he would discuss things with both players in advance.
When told the Griffeys planned to be in attendance for the historic moment, Bronny James was thrilled.
‘It’s going to be insane,’ he said. ‘Only two families to do it, so it’s going to be a crazy experience, especially with what they’ve done.’