History of Bronny James in Timeline
LeBron "Bronny" James Jr. is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. A former four-star recruit and McDonald's All-American, he played college basketball for USC before being drafted by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft. Notably, he is the son of LeBron James Sr. and they are the first active father-son duo to play together in the NBA. His career has attracted attention and allegations of nepotism.
October 6, 2004: Bronny James' Birth
On October 6, 2004, LeBron Raymone "Bronny" James Jr. was born.
2013: Parents' Marriage
In 2013, Bronny James' parents, LeBron James and Savannah Brinson, got married.
2015: College Scholarship Offers
By 2015, Bronny James was receiving scholarship offers from college basketball programs.
July 2018: Youth Game Cancellation
In July 2018, a youth game featuring Bronny James was canceled after a fan heckled his father and was denied entrance.
August 6, 2018: Enrollment at Crossroads School
On August 6, 2018, Bronny James enrolled at Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California.
December 3, 2018: First Game at Crossroads School
On December 3, 2018, Bronny James scored 27 points in his first game for Crossroads School.
April 2019: EYBL Debut
In April 2019, Bronny James made his Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) debut with Strive for Greatness.
May 2019: Instagram Account Launch
In May 2019, Bronny James started an Instagram account and gained one million followers within the first day.
May 29, 2019: Transfer to Sierra Canyon School
On May 29, 2019, Bronny James transferred to Sierra Canyon School for his freshman year of high school.
November 21, 2019: High School Debut
On November 21, 2019, Bronny James made his high school debut, scoring 10 points in a win over Montgomery High School.
January 15, 2020: Season-High Points
On January 15, 2020, Bronny James scored a season-high 17 points in a win over Viewpoint School.
November 12, 2020: Preseason Game
On November 12, 2020, Bronny James played his first preseason game for California Basketball Club (CBC), scoring nine points.
February 2021: Meniscus Tear
In February 2021, Bronny James tore his meniscus at practice and underwent surgery.
June 2021: Sports Illustrated Cover Appearance
In June 2021, Bronny James appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with members of FaZe Clan, including NFL quarterback Kyler Murray.
December 4, 2021: Game-High Points
On December 4, 2021, Bronny James scored a game-high 19 points in a win over St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.
February 2022: Trademark Filings
In February 2022, Bronny James filed for trademarks on variations of his name: Bronny, BJ Jr., and Bronald.
June 2022: Recruiting Ranking Drop
In June 2022, Bronny James dropped 31 spots to number 60 in rankings by Rivals.
August 2022: Exhibition Games in Europe
In August 2022, Bronny James played alongside his Sierra Canyon teammates for CBC in three exhibition games in Europe. In his second game, James led all scorers with 25 points in a loss to U18 French Select in Paris.
January 2023: Knee Injury
In January 2023, Bronny James missed four games with a knee injury, returning on February 1.
March 2023: Projected NBA Draft Pick
In March 2023, Bronny James was projected as a top-ten pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
July 24, 2023: Cardiac Arrest
On July 24, 2023, Bronny James collapsed during a USC practice session and suffered cardiac arrest caused by a congenital heart defect.
2023: McDonald's All-American
In 2023, Bronny James was named a McDonald's All-American as a senior in high school.
2023: McDonald's All-American Game Selection and Nepotism Concerns
In 2023, Bronny James was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game, sparking concerns from recruiting analyst Dinos Trigonis about nepotism due to his father's influence.
2023: Development as Defender
In 2023, ESPN's Givony said James was developing into one of the top perimeter defenders in his class.
January 17, 2024: Season-High Minutes
On January 17, 2024, Bronny James played a season-high 30 minutes and recorded 11 points, five rebounds and six assists in a loss to No. 12 Arizona.
April 5, 2024: NBA Draft Entry
On April 5, 2024, Bronny James announced he would enter the 2024 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility and also enter the transfer portal.
May 2024: Medical Clearance for NBA Draft
In early May 2024, Bronny James was medically cleared to be eligible for the NBA draft.
May 28, 2024: NBA Workout Invites
On May 28, 2024, it was reported that Bronny James had at least 10 workout invites from NBA teams but only visited the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
June 27, 2024: Drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers
On June 27, 2024, Bronny James was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
July 2024: Jersey Number Selection for NBA Debut
In July 2024, Bronny James chose the number 9 jersey for his NBA debut with the Los Angeles Lakers, honoring musician Juice Wrld.
October 22, 2024: NBA Debut with Father
On October 22, 2024, Bronny James and his father, LeBron James, became the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA.
December 12, 2024: Game-High Score in G League
On December 12, 2024, Bronny James scored a game-high 30 points for South Bay in a 106–100 loss to the Valley Suns.
2024: NBA Draft Selection and Nepotism Allegations
In 2024, Bronny James was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA draft, leading to allegations of nepotism and questions about his readiness for the league. ESPN analyst Bob Myers stated that James' agent discouraged other teams from drafting him.
2024: NBA Draft Selection
In 2024, Bronny James was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the NBA draft.
January 24, 2025: Career-High Score in G League
On January 24, 2025, Bronny James scored a career-high 31 points in a 122–110 win over the Rip City Remix.
January 31, 2025: Returns from G League
On January 31, 2025, Bronny James returned from the G league in a win over the Washington Wizards.
