LeBron James and his son Bronny helped the Lakers defeat the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, setting up a surreal conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
LeBron had long wanted to play with one of his sons in the NBA before retiring. And he achieved that dream when Bronny was drafted by the Lakers in 2024.
LeBron James Cherishing Special Playoffs Run With Son Bronny
Bronny stepped up for the Lakers in the absence of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves in Games 3 and 4 of the first-round series against the Houston Rockets. And for LeBron, sharing the playoff stage with his son is a special feeling.
LeBron and Bronny linked up for the first father-son assist in the NBA Playoffs in Game 3 as the latter made a reverse alley-oop layup on the former’s lob. That was part of a sublime run in the second quarter, during which they put together 10 straight points.
The 41-year-old described shifting his mindset to fully savor a landmark moment with his son on the court.
“I’ve learned at my elder stage, being 41, to appreciate small wins in the moment. And that was one of the moments where I just accepted and relished in that moment. That’s pretty cool for me as a dad, us as colleagues, and our whole family,” LeBron said on the latest episode of “Mind the Game” with Steve Nash.
LeBron noted that having his entire family in attendance made sharing the playoff stage with Bronny even more meaningful.
“I think I mentioned it at one point, my mom being at the game, and her being able to watch her son and her grandson in a postseason game at the same time,” he added. “My wife was there, his sister was there. I think Bryce was back home from college.”
“He was at the playoffs. You can’t even write that script in Hollywood better than what’s going on. So just being super appreciative of it.”
LeBron and Bronny will now have their sights set on making a deep run in the NBA Playoffs. The Lakers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals, with the series getting underway tonight (tip-off at 8:30 p.m. ET).
Winning a fifth NBA championship with Bronny will serve as the ultimate Hollywood ending to LeBron’s remarkable career.
