"Tryna act all nonchalant" - NBA fans react over LeBron James' controlled emotions while checking in with Bronny James

LeBron James and his son, Bronny James, made history on Tuesday in the LA Lakers' season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They become the first father-and-son duo to play together in the NBA. The Jameses entered the court with 4:00 remaining in the second quarter to warm applause from the pro-Laker crowd.

LeBron was business-like when he came in for Gabe Vincent, while Bronny appeared a bit uncertain as he called Rui Hachimura to the officials’ table.

While the moment was emotional for the father-and-son duo, fans joked that LeBron had to keep his emotions in check:

“Bron trynna act all nonchalant while checking in with Bronny got me crying,” one said.

Another fan added:

“That n***a emotional asf on the inside”

One fan commented:

“They should've hugged or something.”

“Just another day at work,” one fan said.

Another fan commented:

“I know that he was sniffling im in tears.”

"Bron so happy he can’t contain himself. But he’s containing himself. That’s why he’s the goat," another added

When the LA Lakers picked Bronny James No. 55 in the 2024 NBA draft, LeBron James said on X (formerly Twitter) that he “had a moment” and included crying emojis in his post. Many expected him to show similar emotion during his son’s official NBA debut on Tuesday.

However, “King James” maintained his composure and even called plays on the sidelines as he prepared to inbound the ball. He received a pass from Bronny but failed to convert a 3-pointer, prompting a collective groan from the eager Crypto.com Arena crowd.

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The LA Lakers reportedly wanted LeBron James and Bronny James to make history early on

LeBron James and his son, Bronny James, had already appeared together in the preseason, but Tuesday marked a historic first for them in the regular season.

Before the game, NBA insider Shams Charania reported how the LA Lakers had planned for the historic moment:

"I'm told it's very likely, and the Lakers plan that LeBron James, Bronny James make history as the first father-son duo to be on the court at the same time, and likely to come early in the game as long as it's competitive."

"The Lakers want to allow this to happen during the flow of the game in a competitive environment.”

After a tight first quarter, the hosts began to distance themselves from the Timberwolves. When the Jameses came in, following Anthony Edwards’ free throw, the Lakers had a 51-35 lead. The former USC guard’s only shot was a 28-footer that missed. JJ Redick took him out a few plays later.