LeBron James maintains that he’s a father first.
The NBA great insists that he would skip a Lakers game on the schedule — whenever it may be — to watch his son Bronny James make his debut for the USC Trojans basketball program.
Bronny suffered cardiac arrest scare during the summer and was just cleared this week to fully practice with the team.
The expectation is that Bronny will soon play his first game following a final checkup from the university.
“It’s exciting. I’m looking forward to his first game,” James said, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I already told my teammates that if they’re playing on the same day we’re playing, then I’m going to catch them the next game. Family over everything.”
Bronny James watches as USC defeats Eastern Washington 106-78 on Nov. 29.AP
The younger James signed with USC this past spring over offers from Kentucky, Michigan, Memphis and Ohio State, among others.
The Trojans are 5-2 to start the 2023-24 college basketball campaign and next face the nation’s No. 11 Gonzaga in Las Vegas on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday.
The 6-foot-3 guard has the potential to be an immediate contributor if healthy.
USC still was not clear how soon “soon” means for Bronny to return.
“What soon means, I don’t know,” coach Andy Enfield said after USC’s win over Eastern Washington on Wednesday night. “It’s not my decision.”
LeBron James has only missed one of the Lakers’ 20 games so far this season.AP
LeBron James says he wouldn’t miss his son Bronny’s USC debut.
As for LeBron and his Lakers, they dropped to 11-9 after a Thursday night loss to the Thunder.
James, who turns 39 on Dec. 30, is averaging 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 55.9 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from 3-point range this season.