Dad forbidden: Ranking names Bronny James to call LeBron playing together

Having a Los Angeles Laker legend dad who's often included in GOAT conversations might come with some rules, but also with some bragging rights.

Jul 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) competes against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Thomas & Mack Center. / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

All’s fair in love and war — and in the basketball arena. In an episode of The Shop, which is set to premiere on YouTube Thursday, August 29, LeBron James answers a burning question — Is Bronny James, who was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft, allowed to call his teammate and father, LeBron James, “dad” on the court?.

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Thankfully, fans won’t have to wait until Thursday to get the answer to this question. In a sneak peek from the episode shared to social media, LeBron immediately shut down the notion.

"No, we already laid that," James said. "Cannot call me 'Dad' in the workplace. Once we leave out of the private facility and the gates close, I can be 'Dad' again. In the car if we ride together, at home, I can be 'Dad.'"

Is @KingJames cool with Bronny calling him “Dad” on the court? 👀🏀#TheShop Live From Paris premieres this Thursday, 8/29 on our YouTube channel!

Presented by @Nike. pic.twitter.com/96Yh3TRYmn

— The Shop (@TheShopUN) August 27, 2024

He continued, and shared some acceptable terms of endearment.

"No, he got to call me, like, '2-3' or 'Bron,'" he said. "Or you know, 'GOAT' if he want to. It's up to him."

So Bronny has some options, and while they may be the most famous NBA father-son duo of all time, we’ve got our rankings for LeBron’s suggestions for name substitutes while on the court.

3. “2-3”

Sure, the invested NBA fan will instantly know that "2-3" refers to LeBron’s jersey number, but this is something that would take the layman a moment to catch onto. Even if LeBron is a household name, the passive viewer may not quickly register “2-3” with LeBron. And we know, that’s sad.

2. “‘Bron”

There are certainly some bragging rights that come with ‘Bron being your dad. But calling your dad the same nickname everyone else calls him might be a bit defeating. Even if you two are both — literally and figuratively — in this game together.

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1. "GOAT"

GOAT conversations will always be divisive, but there’s got to be a sense of pride that comes with being the son of someone who is frequently in these debates. Come on, who else can say that their father is often considered the greatest of all time?

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