Kids. They grow up so fast. Just last month, LeBron James Jr., the 13-year-old son of the Cavaliers star, came stunningly close to throwing down a dunk in practice. Now, he’s doing it in-game, and he’s getting even closer.
Here’s how LeBron reacted to the near dunk…
Bronny was able to easily grab rim and got the ball over it, but he wasn’t high enough to get it up and over the rim. He’s making serious progress, though. Here was his attempt from late May.
Check back in a few weeks.
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LeBron James knows a little something about being a teenage prodigy, as he was hailed as the next big thing as early as his freshman year of high school. That experience will come in handy for him now as a father, because his son LeBron James Jr. appears to be following in his footsteps as a 13-year-old.
Because of who his dad is, we’ve been seeing clips of Bronny on the basketball court for years, but recently it’s become apparent that the apple has not fallen far from the tree. Middle school-aged Bronny has shown an advanced array of moves and skills, both as a scorer and as a passer, clearly picking up some of his father’s basketball IQ.
At a recent game, with his dad in the stands, LeBron Jr. went for something we hadn’t ever seen out of him on the basketball court, as he tried to unleash an in-game dunk for the first time. He didn’t quite get up enough to throw it down but it’s pretty incredible to see how close the 13-year-old came to making it and it certainly got the attention of LeBron Sr. in the stands.
Sometimes superstar athletes are just like your dad.
LeBron James looked like the relatable father when he caught a recent game featuring his 13-year-old son, LeBron James Jr., also known as Bronny.
So when his son almost pulled off a dunk, the elder James naturally had a great reaction and lucky for us, we got a glimpse of dad James.
Bronny James had Dad hype after his first in game dunk attempt! 👀👑🏝 pic.twitter.com/hnIHvQWEbn — SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) June 24, 2018
The video even has James doing some dance moves, including a dab.
We can't wait to see the video of LeBron's reaction when Bronny makes the dunk.
It is not often that LeBron James appears absolutely bewildered on a basketball court. During his stellar career, the four-time MVP has pretty much seen it all and there is little, if anything, that can catch him off guard.
His son, LeBron Jr., however, managed to accomplish that feat as he tried to dunk over the weekend during a game valid for the "Balling on the Beach" tournament at Southwest Miami Senior High School.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
While LeBron’s eldest son did not successfully complete the dunk, his attempt clearly left his father very impressed.
SLAM magazine tweeted a video of LeBron standing on the sideline, looking absolutely shocked at what he has just witnessed.
The three-time NBA champion then put in words just how surprised he was to see his son trying to dunk.
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“Man what!?!?!,” LeBron wrote on his Instagram profile.
“First time he ever tried that in a game today! And it was someone kinda trailing him behind too! Surprised not only me but everyone in the gym. Man o Man!”
James Jr., also known as Bronny, is a very promising eighth grader and has already received scholarship offers from a number of major colleges. Earlier this month, the San Jose-based Mercury News reported LeBron Jr. had “committed” to attend a high school in Los Angeles County, prompting speculation LeBron could move to the Lakers next season.
While being LeBron’s son certainly means he enjoys much more coverage than any of his peers, the teenager is obviously very talented.
In March, the 13-year-old dazzled spectators at the prestigious John Lucas All-Star weekend in Houston, scoring at will, freeing up space for his teammates to finish at the hoop and protecting the paint with the kind of determination that would make his father proud.
Last year, LeBron told the media that his son was a better passer and shooter than he was at the same age.
“They [James Jr.’s team] do a great job of teaching him the right way,” he said.
“I didn’t handle the ball as well as he does, he handles the ball exceptionally well and he shoots a lot better than I did at that age.”
If LeBron looked so shocked at Bronny’s attempt to dunk, his reaction once he manages to finish off the move promises to be a sight to behold. And given his son’s talent, that moment doesn’t appear to be too far off either.
