Austin Reaves embraces rare feat — throwing lobs to both LeBron and Bronny James

Joseph Kallan

•
Austin Reaves embraces rare feat — throwing lobs to both LeBron and Bronny James image

Austin Reaves had yet another strong performance against the Miami Heat on Sunday night.

The Lakers guard recorded 26 points and 11 assists in the team’s 130–120 win. His highlight reel started early when he threw an alley-oop lob pass to Bronny James in transition, getting the Crypto.com Arena crowd on its feet in the first quarter.

After the game, Reaves could only laugh when asked about the moment, joking that he might’ve made NBA history.

“I've gotta be the first person in NBA history to throw a father a lob and a son a lob. It's gotta be, right?”

Reaves was referring to the multiple alley-oop connections he’s shared with Bronny’s father, LeBron James, throughout his four full seasons in a Lakers uniform.

Naturally, the viral clip sent NBA social media into a frenzy, with fans marveling at how closely the play resembled one of LeBron’s classic fast-break slams.

MORE: LeBron James' daughter Zhuri is a football superstar in amazing highlight

What made the moment even more impressive was the sheer athleticism of Bronny, who rose high above the rim despite standing just 6-2. For comparison, LeBron has been listed at 6-9 throughout his career, making the play a remarkable display of vertical explosion and timing.

As for Bronny, that dunk would stand as his only basket of the night, though he added two assists across 18 minutes of action. One of those assists — a late-game feed to Marcus Smart — drew high praise from head coach JJ Redick.

“He was really just a force in terms of containment and physicality,” Redick said. “And then he arguably made the play of the game, when Luka was double-teamed and he was the next guy… just a really good building block for him tonight to play in a very meaningful game in the fourth quarter and have a lot of good plays.”

As the Lakers continue to fight through injuries, their rotation pieces are finding rhythm at the right time. Reaves has solidified his role as a stabilizing playmaker, while Bronny continues to earn the staff’s trust.

If things continue trending upward, fans might see plenty more Reaves and James connections in both generations.

More Lakers news:

Senior Editor