Bronny James feels the love of Cleveland as he scores his first NBA points in the arena where he grew up

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James let his son Bronny take the Cleveland stage to himself.

As the Los Angeles Lakers superstar watched from the bench, Bronny James scored his first points in an NBA game on Wednesday night with a shot that looked just like his old man 134-110 loss to the Cavaliers.

In the second game featuring a father-son duo, LeBron exited in the fourth quarter and sat back to watch his son soak in the love of a Cleveland crowd that cheered his every move for 11 seasons.

As the Cavs were on their way to a stunning victory, Cleveland's fans began chanting, “We want Bronny!”, hoping to see the rookie they were watching grow up. The younger James checked in with 5:16 left and was cheered every time he touched the ball.

He received two assists and then made his first basket as a pro with 2:03 left on the clock with a 14-foot shot from the left corner, drawing a huge ovation.

“It was crazy,” Bronny said. “Much more than I expected. The chants really got me. I was going straight, but I felt it and it felt pretty good.”

LeBron said it was overwhelming to see his son's result.

“Seeing him get his first NBA basket in this arena where he grew up not far from here is an incredible moment,” said LeBron. “Incredible moment for him and for our family it’s just pretty cool to be a part of it.”

When Bronny was little, he would run through the halls, ride elevators and throw punches or play pickup on the practice field at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse while his famous father played games for the Cavs.

Earlier in the day, Bronny thought about his return home to Ohio.

“It’s going to be really special,” he said after the morning shootout. “It feels good to be out here with my dad – in our home.”

LeBron spent 11 seasons in two stints with the Cavs, leading them to the title in 2016 before leaving as a free agent two years later. The 39-year-old superstar and his 20-year-old son met last week was the first father-son duo to attend an NBA game.

There was some criticism of the Lakers' decision to sign Bronny, who was a second-round pick after playing a year at USC. While some of the arguments may have been aimed at keeping LeBron happy or engaged, first-year Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said it was moving to see James on the floor with his teammates there.

“It’s a beautiful story,” Atkinson said. “I can’t imagine having two children of my own. I like playing with my son in the backyard. To do it on an NBA court? Nice story. I love it. I think we should celebrate it.”

Bronny didn't score in his debut last week, missing both shots and grabbing a rebound in three minutes on the floor. He hadn't played since and the rookie guard is expected to join the club's G League team, the South Bay Lakers, after this five-game road trip ends Nov. 6 in Memphis.

BetMGM Sportsbook even had pregame odds on whether Bronny would score his first NBA points in Cleveland. If he scored more than 1.5 points, winning bettors would win $100 on a $150 bet.

Although he was in his home state on business this time, the younger James said it was always a pleasure to return to his roots.

“It feels good to be here,” he said. “It’s nice to slowly live here in Ohio – completely different than LA.”

Bronny said he often went to the arena practice facility during Cavs games to shoot alone or play pickup games against other players' children.

LeBron was in his second season with the Cavs when he and his wife Savannah welcomed the first of their three children. Bronny made his first appearance in Cleveland the day after the 21st anniversary of his father's professional debut.

On October 29, 2002, LeBron scored 25 points with nine assists and six rebounds against Sacramento.

Lakers center Anthony Davis said he is looking forward to seeing the James family back on their “home court.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s going to be phenomenal,” Davis said. “Bron, two stops here. Bronny essentially grew up playing the game here, was in this arena. You'll see pictures and videos of him shooting from his seat. I’m pretty sure it will be a special moment, similar to the one they experienced in the first game against Minnesota.”

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