LeBron 'more nervous' than Bronny for homecoming game vs. alma mater
If high school freshman LeBron James Jr. had any nerves entering his nationally televised contest against St. Vincent-St. Mary on Saturday, he didn't seem to show them.
"Bronny," the eldest son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, scored 15 points off the bench - including the go-ahead layup with less than a minute remaining - in Sierra Canyon's 59-56 road victory over his father's alma mater.
On the other hand, LeBron Sr. wasn't as calm, cool, and collected on the sidelines.
LeBron jumping up and down as Bronny gets the go-ahead bucket with less than a minute left 🍿 pic.twitter.com/7OA8dnAZoA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 15, 2019
"I think I was a lot more nervous than my son," he told ESPN's Ben Baby during a halftime interview. "Coming in here and being such a surreal moment for myself, our family, for Bronny himself. It's pretty cool."
James made the trip to Columbus during the Lakers' off day. Prior to Saturday's encounter, he'd yet to attend one of Bronny's games with Sierra Canyon.
The 34-year-old made his own debut on national television just over 17 years ago, recording 31 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in St. Vincent-St. Mary's 65-45 victory over top-ranked Oak Hill Academy.
While Bronny wasn't as dominant on Saturday, he had an impact performance and was given one of the game's MVP honors.
Beyond the accolades, James said he holds himself and his wife accountable for ensuring their children are ready for whatever challenges await them.
"It's our job in the household to prepare them for life," he told ESPN's Rachel Nichols. "And prepare them for when they walk outside our door to know what's coming or try to be prepared for. ... I tell (Bronny) every time before he goes out and play: 'Play hard. Have fun. Be a great teammate. And everything else will take care of itself.'"