Lakers' Bronny James: 'Special' to Get Standing Ovation from Cavs Fans in Cleveland
Los Angeles Lakers reserve guard Bronny James scored the first bucket of his NBA career on Wednesday night in garbage time of his team's 134-110 blowout loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also received a standing ovation as he entered the game.
After the contest, he spoke about the reception he received in Cleveland, as fans chanted "We want Bronny!" before he checked into the contest in the fourth quarter.
"It was insane," James said. "Much more than I anticipated. It's all love. It was a nice moment. The chants really got me, I was straight-faced but I felt it. And it felt really good, especially coming from here. It was a special moment for me for sure."
His father, LeBron James, was proud of how he handled the situation.
"My sense is that he was better than I would have been in that situation," he said. "Twenty thousand fans screaming my name to get in the game, wanting me to be in the game, if the roles were reversed, I don't know if I would have been able to handle it. I just commend him on his composure, his approach not only on the game but to life in general. And to see him get his first NBA basket in this arena, where he grew up not too far away from here—just an unbelievable moment. An unbelievable moment for him, first of all. For our family, just pretty cool to be a part of it."
The younger James spent plenty of time in Cleveland, where his father played between the 2003-04 to 2009-10 seasons and later the 2014-15 to 2017-18 campaigns. Bronny was born in Cuyahoga Falls, about 40 minutes away from Cleveland, so it was a return he eagerly anticipated.
"It's going to be real special," he told reporters during's Wednesday's shootaround. "It feels good to be out here with my dad in our home. It feels good being here. It's nice, slow living here in Ohio—way different from LA."
The night didn't result in a win for the Lakers. It was, however, a game that LeBron and Bronny James won't ever forget.
