The Lakers’ dominant 125-109 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night had plenty of highlights. Seven players scored in double figures, Austin Reaves went off for 30 points, and Luka Doncic flirted with yet another triple-double. But by the final minutes, the game was already decided, and attention turned to a much smaller-but no less intriguing-moment.
With just over a minute left, Lakers rookie Bronny James found himself open beyond the arc. Off a smooth assist from Jordan Goodwin, he let it fly-and drained the three. Crypto.com Arena erupted. His teammates cheered. The moment should’ve been all about Bronny, but in typical social media fashion, the internet found something else to focus on: his dad’s reaction.
NBA rookie duties! LeBron James embarrass his son Bronny James in front of a packed arena
A Viral Moment for the Wrong Reasons?
LeBron James, sidelined with a groin injury, was in his usual courtside spot. The camera quickly panned to him, expecting some classic over-the-top dad energy. Maybe a fist pump, a smile, a nod of approval. Instead, nothing. No movement. No expression. Just LeBron, stone-faced, watching the moment unfold like it was just another possession.
NBA Twitter didn’t take long to react
Fans on social media had a field day with LeBron’s stoic reaction. Some joked that he looked completely unfazed, as if Bronny’s three-pointer was just business as usual. Others teased that he should have shown a little more excitement for his son’s big moment. A few even suggested that LeBron’s lack of reaction meant he had so much confidence in Bronny’s shot that he didn’t find it surprising at all.
Within minutes, the clip of LeBron’s non-reaction was everywhere. Was he unimpressed? Locked in? Just too cool to celebrate?
LeBron’s silence says… what, exactly?
For all the jokes, it’s possible LeBron’s reaction (or lack of one) was intentional. Maybe he didn’t want to single out one shot in a game that was already decided. Maybe, after decades of witnessing greatness-including his own-he wasn’t going to jump up for a routine three-pointer, even if it was his son’s.
Whatever the reason, it added another layer to an already fascinating season for Bronny James. The 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Bronny has played in 20 games for the Lakers, averaging 1.7 points per game. His numbers aren’t flashy, but moments like this-where the spotlight finds him anyway-keep him in the conversation.
The Lakers’ focus remains on the playoff push, but for fans, moments like these provide an extra bit of drama.
