Bronny James made just his second career NBA start on Saturday in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 119-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, finishing scoreless with one assist, one rebound, and one steal in 10 minutes.
At the same time, his father, LeBron James, continues his rehab from a sciatica injury with the G League’s South Bay Lakers.
In the win over Milwaukee, Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 41 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, while Austin Reaves contributed 25 points, eight assists, and six boards.
Following the win, Reaves reflected on the unusual moment, saying to reporters: “How about Bronny James starting in the NBA while LeBron’s assigned to the G League… that’s awesome.”
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Drafted 55th overall in 2024, Bronny has had a gradual introduction to the league, appearing in just 27 regular-season games for the Lakers as a rookie and seven in the G League.
His 2025-26 averages after Saturday sit at 2.0 points, 1.8 assists, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.9 steals in 11.9 minutes per game, shooting 26.9% from the field.
He scored his first career points earlier this season on a highlight alley-oop dunk assisted by Reaves against Miami, a play that drew a strong reaction from LeBron.
LeBron, now 40 and approaching his 41st birthday in December, has missed the start of the season with sciatica nerve pain affecting his lower back and right leg.
He has been cleared for contact and has practiced multiple times with the South Bay Lakers, the team’s G League affiliate, including full 5-on-5 sessions.
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The Lakers, now 10-4, continue to rely on Doncic and Reaves as offensive anchors while awaiting LeBron’s return.
What Saturday highlighted is that the door remains open for LeBron and Bronny to both become regular starters once LeBron returns.
While Bronny’s production is still limited, his presence in the starting lineup shows that coach JJ Redick is willing to experiment.
If LeBron’s health holds, the Lakers could field a father-son duo in meaningful NBA minutes, something unprecedented in league history.
