Picture this: It’s a standard night of preseason NBA action. The Lakers are playing the Bucks, LeBron’s out there, probably doing LeBron things. And just when you think the broadcast is going to coast through the game, NBA TV pulls a move so wild, it could only happen in the James family spotlight. Yes, the broadcast credited a technical foul meant for the King himself… to his son, Bronny. Oops.
Now, let’s rewind a bit. The 2024 preseason was hyped for the obvious reason—LeBron and Bronny on the same team. It’s like every basketball fan’s fever dream. LeBron missed the Lakers’ first game against the Timberwolves, probably sipping some rare wine and enjoying his “load management.” But by the time the October 6th game against the Suns rolled around, LeBron was back on the court, sharing an NBA floor with his son for the very first time. Historic, right? Sure, if you can ignore the awkward rookie moment.
By Thursday, in the matchup against the Bucks, the Lakers—under their fresh new head coach, JJ Redick—were rolling along just fine. Enter LeBron, charging to the hoop in typical freight-train fashion, ready to show Giannis Antetokounmpo he still owns the paint. After absorbing some serious contact, LeBron was feeling a bit, shall we say, sensitive about the no-call. So, he lets the refs know exactly how he feels. Bam—technical foul. But wait, what’s that on the screen? NBA TV, in all its broadcast glory, decides to pin the tech on… Bronny. Yes, Bronny. Because clearly, the 19-year-old rookie sitting quietly on the bench was definitely jawing at the refs, right?
Cue the confusion. Social media exploded. Was Bronny out here catching heat for his dad’s foul? Is this some bizarre rite of passage in the NBA, where you have to absorb your father’s techs like a sponge? Of course, reality soon hit—NBA TV just hit the wrong button. The real refs and the official scorekeepers weren’t about to give Bronny that “honor” so soon. But hey, the moment had already taken on a life of its own.
And poor Bronny? Well, he’s just trying to keep his head down and find his rhythm. The young James is averaging a solid 1.0 point, 1.5 rebounds, and a jaw-dropping 0.5 assists through two games. Yeah, those numbers scream “rookie growing pains,” but this is Bronny James. Expectations are sky-high, and his potential, while simmering under the surface, has Lakers fans hopeful.
But let’s not kid ourselves—everything Bronny does will be scrutinized. If the kid sneezes wrong, it’ll probably trend on Twitter. The NBA TV mix-up may have been minor, but it was a glimpse into the microscope Bronny’s living under. It’s like they’re waiting for him to mess up, just to prove that even he can’t dodge his father’s shadow.
As for LeBron, the Lakers’ preseason performance is secondary to the bigger storyline—how will he, at the twilight of his career, pass the torch? And more importantly, how is he going to navigate the bizarre moments like this, where his techs are quite literally pinned on his son?
With JJ Redick at the helm, the Lakers are trying to claw their way back from a couple of seasons that ended with the same bitter taste—losing to the Denver Nuggets. But no matter how much the team focuses on chemistry, coaching, and strategy, everyone’s eyes are still glued to this father-son saga.
So, as the Lakers try to rebuild their title dreams, the James duo will keep making waves. But one thing’s clear: if Bronny’s going to keep getting called for LeBron’s fouls, the kid might need his own whistle-blowing team.
Stay tuned, because if we’ve learned anything, it’s that in the NBA, the James family will always keep things entertaining—even if that means getting fouled out for someone else’s technical.