LeBron and Bronny Make History in Lakers’ Opener

The moment basketball fans have been waiting for finally arrived Tuesday night. LeBron James and his eldest son, Bronny, stepped onto the court together, becoming the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game. It’s a milestone we’ve only seen a handful of times in sports, think Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr., or hockey legend Gordie Howe with his sons. But now, it’s LeBron and Bronny’s time.

The buzz started early at Crypto.com Arena when the Lakers’ new coach, JJ Redick, signaled the historic moment by subbing in both LeBron and Bronny with four minutes left in the second quarter. The crowd went wild as father and son tore off their warmups, ready to share this unforgettable moment.

Redick, who’s been committed to developing Bronny, explained that the plan to debut them together was carefully thought out:

This is only the fourth time in professional sports history that a father and son have suited up together. Beyond the Griffeys and the Howes, Tim Raines and Tim Raines Jr. also shared the field in MLB. Now, the Jameses have added their names to this exclusive club, and it’s only the beginning.

Celtics Spoil Knicks Opener with a 3-Point Barrage

In Boston, the Celtics kicked off their season by showing no mercy to the New York Knicks, cruising to a 132-109 victory. This wasn’t just a game, it was a statement. Fresh off raising their 18th championship banner to the rafters, the Celtics flexed their offensive muscle from the jump.

Jalen Brunson, always honest, said earlier in the day that the matchup would be a good early test for the Knicks. “It’s a fair barometer to see where we stand,” he admitted.

Unfortunately for New York, it wasn’t the kind of assessment they were hoping for. By the final stretch of the game, the real suspense wasn’t about who would win, but whether Boston could break the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a game. Despite firing away until the last buzzer, they fell short tying the record instead with 29 3’s.

Still, the message was clear, The Celtics are locked in, and they’ve got their eyes on another title run.

Rudy Gobert Locks in with Minnesota for Three More Years

Rudy Gobert has locked in his future with Minnesota, agreeing to a three-year, $110 million contract extension before the Timberwolves faced off against the Lakers. His agent, Bouna Ndiaye, made sure the deal was done just in time, giving the franchise some much-needed flexibility with its growing salary cap concerns. Gobert also opted out of his $46.6 million player option for 2025-26, showing his commitment to Minnesota’s future.

This new deal includes a player option in 2027-28. Gobert, now 32, was a crucial part of Minnesota’s 56-26 run last season that saw them make it to the Western Conference Finals for only the second time in franchise history. He averaged 14 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while adding another Defensive Player of the Year award to his collection, his fourth, setting a league record.

As negotiations wrapped up, Gobert said he trusted Minnesota's vision for building a contender and was all-in on giving the team the flexibility to continue adding pieces. With Gobert staying in the fold, it looks like the Timberwolves are building for something serious.

Embiid and George Out for Opener

The Philadelphia 76ers are kicking off their season on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, just without their two biggest stars. Both Joel Embiid and Paul George have been ruled out, leaving fans anxiously waiting for their returns.

Embiid, who skipped the entire preseason for “left knee injury management,” won’t just miss the opener but also upcoming games against Toronto and Indiana. The good news is that the team says he’s progressing well and will ramp up scrimmages this week.

Embiid’s also been working hard in the offseason, dropping 25 to 30 pounds, with plans to lose more. While the brace on his left knee isn’t his favorite thing, it’s all part of the cautious plan to keep him healthy through the season.

Coach Nick Nurse echoed this caution, explaining, “No setbacks. He’s active and getting in great shape.” The goal is to keep Embiid and George fresh and ready for the playoffs, which means both stars will likely avoid back-to-back games.

Meanwhile, George, who signed a four-year, $212 million max contract this summer, remains sidelined after hyperextending his knee in the preseason. He’ll be re-evaluated later this week.

As for rookie Jared McCain, his availability is still up in the air after suffering a scary pulmonary contusion during a preseason game.

Despite the injury concerns, the Sixers are stacking talent, re-signing Tyrese Maxey to a five-year max deal and adding veterans Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry, and Andre Drummond. With these pieces in place, it’s clear Philly has its sights set on contending for a title.

Taurasi’s Big Decision

Diana Taurasi, one of the WNBA’s all-time greats, is contemplating her future. After 20 seasons in the league, Taurasi is taking her time deciding whether to return for another year or retire. Speaking to The Associated Press, she emphasized how significant the decision is: "I don’t take retirement lightly. I know the minute I say it or announce it, I’m going to mean it."

Taurasi’s season with the Phoenix Mercury ended after being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Lynx. Since then, the 41-year-old hasn’t commented publicly on her plans. She’s been in conversation with her wife, Penny Taylor, and the Mercury organization about the next steps.

The future Hall of Famer is widely considered one of the best to ever play the game, and her decision will shape the future of the Mercury and the league. But for now, she’s taking the time to reflect before making any announcements.

The Liberty’s Title Win Draws Historic Viewership

The New York Liberty’s thrilling 67-62 overtime win over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals became the most-watched Finals game since 1999. Sunday’s matchup drew 2.15 million viewers, earning a 1.1 rating on ESPN. The last time WNBA Finals viewership was this high was during the 1999 Finals between the Houston Comets and the Liberty, which had 3.25 million viewers.

This year’s Game 5 was the fourth-largest audience for a WNBA Finals game, with the top three all aired on NBC. Before Sunday, the most-watched Game 5 was in 2017, when 913,000 viewers tuned in to see the Los Angeles Sparks battle the Lynx. The WNBA’s Finals format has been best-of-five since 2005, but it will shift to a best-of-seven starting next season.

Interestingly, the game wasn’t even the biggest WNBA audience this season. That title goes to rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, whose games brought in record-breaking numbers, with 32 broadcasts hitting at least 1 million viewers. Clark alone has been a major draw, dominating viewership stats and helping the WNBA set new milestones for audience engagement.

A’ja Wilson to Have Jersey Retired at South Carolina

South Carolina women’s basketball legend A’ja Wilson is about to add another lifetime honor to her already remarkable career. The school announced Tuesday that Wilson’s No. 22 jersey will be retired at Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 2, just before the Gamecocks face Auburn.

Wilson’s jersey will join her statue outside the arena, which was unveiled in 2021. A three-time SEC Player of the Year, Wilson led South Carolina to their first national championship in 2017. She finished her college career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,389 points.

Wilson has continued to dominate in the WNBA, becoming the first overall draft pick in 2018 and winning two WNBA titles with the Las Vegas Aces. She also has three WNBA MVP titles, including this past season, where she became just the second player to win the award unanimously. Adding to her resume, Wilson won her second Olympic gold medal with Team USA this past summer in Paris.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading.

We’ll see you tomorrow!

— The Players Unlimited Team