Oct 15, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) warms up with guard Bronny James (9) before the preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images

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Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. to attend Lakers opener as LeBron and Bronny James make history

Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. will join LeBron and Bronny James for their first regular season game with the Lakers

If LeBron James Sr. and his son, Bronny, make NBA history this Tuesday by playing in the same game for the Los Angeles Lakers, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. will be there to witness it.

The first father-son duo to ever play together in Major League Baseball plans to attend the Lakers’ season opener. The crowd will undoubtedly be eager to see if the James family can achieve the same remarkable milestone in the NBA.

The Griffeys WILL be in attendance when @KingJames & Bronny make history for the @Lakers ⚾️❤️🏀

Junior with @jonmorosi on "The Road to Cooperstown" | @baseballhall

TODAY on the @SIRIUSXM App 🔗 https://t.co/OATuAmgGJY

TUESDAY on all podcast platforms 🔗 https://t.co/xg4XklbbBf pic.twitter.com/ZVxnQfEDkd
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) October 21, 2024

“First father and son to play baseball, (and) now the first father and son to play basketball,” Griffey Jr. told MLB Network Radio. “It’s a big deal for my dad and I to be there. We made history. Now we get to watch history, so that’s what’s going to be cool about it.”

Bronny James is already buzzing with excitement as he prepares to make his official NBA debut. The added presence of the Griffeys only heightens the anticipation for the Lakers’ second-round pick.

The James family’s shot at history

LeBron and Bronny are set to follow the same historic path, which will become reality the moment Bronny steps on the court alongside his father at Crypto.com Arena, with the Griffeys cheering them on.

Griffey Jr., for the record, has a long-standing friendship with LeBron, dating back to the day after LeBron was drafted by the Cavaliers in 2003. That day, LeBron threw the first pitch and took batting practice before a Cleveland-Cincinnati game, where the two No. 1 overall picks instantly bonded. Later that year, they spent the holidays together.

Ken Griffey Jr and Ken Griffey Sr will attend the Lakers game tomorrow to watch LeBron & Bronny make history 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hZ9NihoYDV
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) October 21, 2024

“When LeBron became a pro, his first Christmas was at our house,” Griffey shared a few years ago. “He was in Orlando, and Melissa and I made him Christmas dinner along with a few of his teammates. It was pretty sweet to have a guy – 18 years old, I remember those days, being a phenom. He came over, we had dinner, watched a game, and I’ve been a big fan of his ever since.”

Who are the Griffeys?

The Griffeys belong to a small group of father-son duos who played in the same professional sports game. They made history on August 31, 1990, when both played for the Seattle Mariners.

When Ken Griffey Jr. shared the field with his father, Ken Griffey Sr., for the Mariners in 1990, they became the first father and son to play on the same team. Just a couple of weeks later, on September 14, they hit back-to-back home runs, making the moment even more unforgettable.

Now, 34 years later, the Griffeys will be in the crowd, hoping to see another legendary father-and-son pair create a memory of their own.

Image Credit: © Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Bronny James

Ken Griffey Sr.

LeBron James

Natasha Bose

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