Lakers star LeBron James and Drake were in attendance as 16-year-old Bronny James played his first game this season.
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The Sierra Canyon High School basketball team faced the Centennial Huskies from Corona, California today. They suffered their first loss of the season in a playoff setting, blowing an early lead to lose the game 80-72.
However, the focus of the game was not really on the winners from Corona. It was fairly and squarely on Bronny James, who was scheduled to play his first game of this 2020-21 season.
Bronny went under the knife for a torn meniscus back in February and has only recently returned to their fold. So his coaches eased him back by featuring him off the bench on the night.
However, even Bronny knows that the coverage he’s getting from national and international media has a ton to do with those on the sidelines cheering him on for his injury return.
LeBron James and Drake cheer Bronny James and Sierra Canyon HS from the sidelines
Given that he’s out of the playoffs now, LeBron James is a lot freer now than his average year. The Lakers star has ample amounts of time to nurse himself back to 100% fitness after Solomon Hill’s intervention in March.
He’s also got the opportunity to attend his son’s high school games with greater regularity now. And so it happened that he got hip hop bestseller and dear friend Drake to tag along with him.
The celebrity royalty is here. LeBron James and Drake have arrived in Chatsworth at Sierra Canyon. pic.twitter.com/ZGbrSzeGdu
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) June 12, 2021
OMG AMARI 😤🤬 Even Drake and LeBron jumped out of their seats 🔥 @SCanyonSports pic.twitter.com/7EEeFm96JW
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) June 12, 2021
Hyped as James and Drake were to be present there, they were able to take the spotlight off Bronny. The 16-year-old had an impact as soon as he entered the game late in the first quarter.
An image captured by longtime Daily News photographer Andy Holzman (@holzmanphoto) Friday night during the Open Division final between Sierra Canyon and Corona Centennial.
Drake court side (w/ LeBron James) pleading his case to an official. Would love to know what he was saying. pic.twitter.com/UTwKXZQwJJ
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) June 12, 2021
But the game turned into a blowout by the 4th quarter, and Sierra Canyon were on the receiving end. They managed to trim the deficit by the end for a more respectable 80-72 scoreline.
Centennial took home the plaudits and the CIF Division championship for this year.