LOS ANGELES — The franchise with one of the most storied histories in the NBA added another chapter Tuesday night.
And Lakers fans didn't have to wait long to witness it.
With about four minutes left in the second quarter of Los Angeles' 110-103 victory over Minnesota, LeBron James took the court with his 20-year-old son, Bronny, making the pair the first father-son combo to play together in NBA history.
As the two walked to the scorer's table together to check in, the crowd at Crypto.com Arena roared with a loud ovation.
Whether Bronny will materialize as a professional player or not, the moment will be long remembered in a city of fans who care the most about saying they were there.
And L.A.'s season opener had an unusual aura in the arena as fans wondered if — and when — the Lakers would find a spot to smoothly insert the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft against a Minnesota squad that went to the Western Conference finals last season.
With the Lakers surprisingly up by 16 points shortly before halftime, coach JJ Redick felt the time was appropriate.
Bronny nearly provided an early highlight when he passed the ball to his 39-year-old father, but LeBron missed the shot, preventing the first father-son assist in league history.
A few possessions later, it was Bronny's turn, as he got the dish from his dad, but his 26-foot jumper rimmed out.
Bronny played just three minutes, missed both of his shots and grabbed his first career rebound.
Still, it was the most anticipated debut for a father-son tandem since Aug. 31, 1990, when Ken Griffey Sr. played with his son, Ken Griffey Jr., not only on the same Seattle Mariners team, but playing next to each other in the outfield.
For the occasion, the Griffeys flew in for the moment, sitting courtside next to Lynn Merritt, the man who wooed LeBron to Nike his rookie year.
But this wasn't the Griffeys. This wasn't the 1999 Coca Cola 600, when Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Jr. raced on the track for the first time. Time will tell if this was the equivalent of Mark or Marty Howe joining their father, Gordie, on the ice for the Houston Aeros in 1973.
Unlike Griffey Jr., who seemed destined to be better than his father, the jury is very much out of Bronny, who many think was picked in the second round to appease his father.
LeBron finished with a forgettable stat line (16 point on 7-for-16 shooting, with a plus-minus of negative-6) on a night he will never forget.
The Lakers themselves seemed to have shied away from the historic moment.
The storylines in the team's media notes didn't mention the possible history of the game's first father-son moment.
The promotional item on each of the seats was a Jerry West jersey, honoring the Hall of Fame franchise legend who died during the offseason.
There was only one item featuring Bronny in the Lakers massive team store in Crypto.com Arena: a jersey for $139.99.
For every 25 or so LeBron jerseys that were taken off the rack to bring to the register, one Bronny jersey was bought.
Jackson Stopnitzki, 9, of Mission Viejo, Calif., said he wanted one so he could collect all the Lakers jerseys. His father, Jason, obliged.
Josh Beven, who traveled a long way for the game, liked the James Jr. No. 9 jersey for its rarity.
"They're not in Australia yet," said Beven, who came from Down Under.
The everyday Los Angeles crowd has adopted more of a wait-and-see approach.
There were eight 20-somethings dressed in Bronny Jr. jerseys with fake dreadlocks, who all donned FaZe Clan necklaces.
"We're Bronny's friends," one said. "He plays online with us."
Short of that group, only a handful of fans came to the gathering sporting a No. 9 jersey.
Perhaps the biggest indictment?
Even the counterfeiters lined up along Figueroa Street, piled high in Kobe Bryant merch, didn't want to invest. There wasn't a single cheap T-shirt vendor who tried to cash in on the night.
While it was hard to walk home with a collectible from the night, the history of the game's all-time leading scorer playing alongside his oldest son promises to endure.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectible market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.