LeBron James returned to action on Tuesday night for the Los Angeles Lakers, officially becoming the longest-tenured player in NBA history as he kicked off his 23rd season.
After a slow start across the board, the Lakers found their rhythm in the third quarter, pushed the lead into double digits, and never looked back, cruising to a 140-126 win behind a 37-point effort from Luka Doncic.
The 40-year-old James logged 29 minutes, finishing with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists on 4 of 7 shooting, including 2 of 3 from deep.
The night also marked another chapter in his second season playing alongside his son, Bronny James, who is still working to carve out a defined role but continues to show steady growth and earn more opportunities than he did as a rookie.
Bronny checked in for the final three minutes, drained his lone 3-point attempt, and added two assists. After the game, LeBron was asked what he's seen from his son's development and demeanor as he settles into the league.
“It’s been great to see, to watch. And he’s still young… still learning, still getting better with each and every rep,” James said. “I think he’s enjoying the process - you can obviously ask him more than me. He’s not a resident anymore, so we don’t talk as much. He has his own place now.”
Bronny was selected with the 55th pick after his freshman season at USC, so he didn't come into the NBA with an immediate role. He's had to earn his minutes, and while his rookie season saw limited court time, he showed plenty of promise during his stint in the G League, averaging 21.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
So far this season, Bronny hasn't been sent back to the G League, and the Lakers have climbed into second place in the Western Conference with an 11-4 record following their win over the Jazz.
The team will get a short break before their next game, which comes Sunday evening - once again against the Jazz, this time in Utah, with tipoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
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