LeBron James Says Playing with Son Bronny in NBA 'Definitely One of My Goals'

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James said he's hopeful of playing alongside his son, 16-year-old Bronny James, in the NBA before his retirement. 

"That's definitely one of my goals, but that's a long-term goal," James told reporters Sunday following the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. "My son right now is in high school and enjoying what being a teenager is all about. But that would be pretty cool to go on my resume."

Bronny is a 5-star guard prospect in the 2023 college basketball recruiting class who currently plays for the Sierra Canyon School in California.

James is 36, but he's continued to play at an MVP level in recent years and was a driving force behind the Lakers' run to the 2020 NBA championship last season, so there's no reason to believe his career is anywhere near its conclusion.

Last month, the four-time NBA champion explained watching Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady win a title at age 43 was "very inspiring," but he wasn't ready to commit to a similar push into his mid-40s.

"I don't know how long I'm going to play the game," he said. "I don't know how much more I'll be able to give to the game. But the way I feel right now, we'll see what happens. I have no timetable on it. I have no year of 'Do I want to play until 30-this or 40-that?' The game will let me know when it's time. We'll figure it out then."

James signed a two-year, $85.7 million extension with the Lakers that could allow him to become a free agent in 2022, so he could have contract flexibility as his son moves closer to the NBA.

Bronny averaged 4.1 points across 15 appearances for Sierra Canyon's star-studded squad as a freshman last season. He was likely to take on a bigger role this year, but his status for the campaign is uncertain after he underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in February.

The earliest he can enter the NBA draft is 2024, and it'll be interesting to see whether teams rate him more favorably under the assumption taking him would mean at least a few years of LeBron, too. Of course, if he develops into a top-five prospect based on his own development, it's a moot point.

Getting to play a few seasons together to pass the torch, similar to what MLB's Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. did with the Seattle Mariners in the early 1990s, would be a perfect sendoff for King James.