LeBron James has made it clear that he doesn’t want Bronny calling him “dad” during games and practices for the LA Lakers this season. In a preview for an episode of “The Shop” filmed in Paris, LeBron James explained that he and Bronny had agreed not to use familial terms when addressing each other
“No, he can’t. We already laid that down. Cannot call me ‘dad’ in the workplace. Once we leave out of the practice facility and the gates close, I can be ‘dad’ again,” James said. “In the car, if we ride together, at home I can be ‘Dad'”
LeBron said he has given Bronny some options.
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“He got to call me, like, ‘2-3’ or ‘Bron.’ Or, you know, ‘GOAT’ if he wants to. It’s up to him,” he said.
“We cannot be running down the court and he’d be like, ‘Dad, I’m open! Dad, come on!’ No you cannot do that.”
With these boundaries set, here are the top five names Bronny James could use to address his dad on the court.
Top 5 names for Bronny James to call LeBron James by on the court
#1. Senior
Bronny’s jersey will display “James Jr.” on the back, named after his father.
A creative way for Bronny to address LeBron could be by calling him “Senior.”
#2. LBJ
Bronny can keep it simple by addressing LeBron James with his initials, “LBJ.”
In addition to King James, Chosen One, and Bron-Bron, LBJ is also listed as one of LeBron’s official nicknames on Basketball Reference.
#3. 23 or 2-3
Bronny can follow his father’s suggestion and refer to him by his jersey number. After all, jersey numbers help differentiate players with the same last name, like the three Williams players—Jalen, Jaylin, and Kenrich—on the OKC Thunder roster.
Bronny, who wears No. 9, could call his dad 23 or 2-3, though 23 is preferable to avoid confusion during zone defense.
#4. Pops
“Pops” has gained popularity on social media, partly due to a viral incident where a father, despite the serious context of his son discussing a school shooting, appeared to be struggling to suppress his laughter and eventually laughing into his shirt.
The term is also used casually to refer to older men, making “Pops” more informal than “dad.” LeBron might be open to allowing Bronny to use this laid-back nickname.
#5. Champ
An option for Bronny to address LeBron James while also paying tribute is to call him “champ.”
This choice avoids confusion since only LeBron James and Anthony Davis have championships on the LA Lakers’ roster, with Davis being known as “AD.”
