Austin Reaves Calls Alley-Oop to Bronny James a Unique Father-Son Moment
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves believes he entered uncharted NBA territory on Sunday night after connecting with rookie Bronny James for a transition alley-oop during a win over the Miami Heat.
“I’ve got to be the first person in NBA history to throw a father a lob and a son a lob,” Reaves said postgame at Ball Arena in Denver. “It was pretty special.” Reaves has previously assisted LeBron James on similar plays.
Head coach JJ Redick, dealing with a lengthy injury list, turned to Bronny for significant minutes. The 19-year-old guard logged 18 minutes—second-most among Lakers reserves—finishing with two points, two assists and three steals. Reaves praised the rookie’s poise, particularly on the defensive end.
“He was good defensively, did the right things offensively,” Reaves noted. “The more he continues to get those minutes, the better he’ll be. We needed the minutes he gave us tonight.”
Bronny’s lone basket came on the highlight lob from Reaves, underscoring the rare circumstance of a teammate assisting both a father and son in NBA play. LeBron, sidelined with an injury, is expected to reunite with the lineup soon, potentially giving other teammates a chance to match Reaves’ feat.
Redick has identified veteran guards Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent as day-to-day examples for Bronny as the rookie carves out his role. While few expect Bronny to replicate his father’s Hall of Fame trajectory, the Lakers see a defensive-minded contributor who can grow through sustained opportunities.
The victory over Miami kept Los Angeles steady amid early-season injuries, with Reaves and Luka Dončić shouldering much of the scoring load to date. For Reaves, however, the milestone assist to Bronny provided a personal highlight in a still-young campaign.
Source: Lakers Nation
