Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James was in attendance at Dodger Stadium Friday evening as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 2-0 in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, securing their spot in the National League Championship Series.
Following the Dodgers’ victory, James took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to congratulate the team on their advancement to the NLCS. The Dodgers will now face the New York Mets in the next series, beginning Sunday.
James’ presence at the game comes as his Lakers prepare for their season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. The team won’t play again until then, providing James with downtime to attend the playoff game.
The interest from NBA stars in Major League Baseball is not new. Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford recently suggested that both James and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors possess the necessary skills and perform ethic to succeed as hitters in MLB. Crawford cited their focus and hand-eye coordination as key attributes that would translate well to the diamond.
Crawford’s assessment came during a conversation with former MLB All-Star Dexter Fowler, who offered Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine as another NBA player with potential in baseball. While both Curry and James were eliminated early from the NBA postseason – in the first and second rounds, respectively – they may have limited time to pursue baseball training this offseason due to potential injury recovery.
The connection between the NBA and MLB has been growing, with players from both leagues increasingly acknowledging each other’s athletic abilities. This was highlighted earlier this year when Ken Griffey Jr. And his father planned to attend the first regular season NBA game featuring LeBron James and his son, Bronny, becoming the first father-son duo to play together in the league. The Griffeys themselves were the first father-son duo to play in an MLB game, achieving this milestone with the Seattle Mariners in 1990.
The Lakers’ Bronny James and LeBron James made history in a preseason game earlier this month, playing on the same court together. The regular season game on Tuesday will mark the first time a father and son have played together in a regular season NBA game.
