With 5:16 left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers trailing 119-98, Bronny James checked for the first time in the game, but his father was done playing for the night. The son came off the bench after fans chanted “we want Bronny” with about eight and a half minutes to play and the Cavs (5-0) leading by 23 points. On two other occasions, chants rang out with 7:06 and 6:29 remaining. He received loud cheers when he entered the game and again when he made his basket.

“It was crazy, way more than I expected for sure, but it’s all love,” said Bronny James, who finished with two points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field, two assists and a steal in five minutes. “It was crazy. It was a nice moment. The chants really touched me. I had a straight face, but I felt it, and it felt really good, especially coming from here. Yes, it was a special moment for me , because Sure.”

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LeBron James is used to receiving a hero’s welcome when he reunites with the Cavs, but the most recent one proved to be different. The Cavaliers played a tribute video and shouted out LeBron and Bronny James together. With the Cavs leading 20-15, the presentation displayed on the scoreboards with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter drew a standing ovation from the Cleveland crowd.

“It was a pretty cool moment,” LeBron James said. “I didn’t really get a chance to seize the moment because we were getting our butts kicked at that point. So I was a little bit angry. I was a little bit angry at that moment during that timeout. So I didn’t get the chance to really appreciate it. But I heard it. And when they said his name too, I looked up. And I think I tapped him on the leg, I think. But that’s just kind of cool.”

To further enhance the hometown flavour, Bronny James picked up a drink and bag of food from Swensons after the match. The famous drive-in business with Akron roots is one of his father’s favorites.

The Cavs drafted LeBron James No. 1 overall out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003. The following year, the eldest of LeBron and Savannah James’ three children, Bronny, was born at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital.

As a child, Bronny James spent countless days at the downtown arena where his father competed as a member of the Cavs. Bronny James revealed that he even played pickup basketball on the practice court on the top level of the arena with other players’ children during Cavs games.

The memories came back.

“(We have) a lot of great memories on the court, but also a lot of great memories off the court in this community,” LeBron James said. “It’s definitely very humbling to have the mutual respect and love for what we were able to achieve in the years we were here. And we don’t take it for granted every time we come back and play the game that we love, what we did tonight, or just be home and just be in the community.

LeBron James, 39, is in his 22nd NBA season. The league’s all-time leading scorer spent 11 seasons with the Cavs (2003-10 and 2014-18), four with the Miami Heat (2010-14) and is in his seventh with the Lakers (2018-present).

In June, the Lakers drafted Bronny James, 20, in the second round (No. 55 overall) out of the University of Southern California.

Now, LeBron James is witnessing his new teammate and son realize an NBA dream.

“It’s the best thing in the world,” said LeBron James.

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.