On October 22, 2024, Bronny James made his professional debut with the Los Angeles Lakers and in the process paired with LeBron James to become the first father-son duo to share an NBA floor. A day later, the pair found themselves sued in Los Angeles County Superior Court for their alleged involvement in a car crash outside of Los Angeles.
That lawsuit claims that they “negligently owned, controlled, repaired, entrusted, maintained and operated an automobile as to cause it to, and it did, become involved in an accident or collision” and was filed by April Almanza Lopez and Kiara Rae McGillen.
The complaint stems from an alleged car accident that took place on Nov. 13, 2022 — when Bronny was still in high school. Lopez owns the vehicle, but the complaint states that both Lopez and McGillen were passengers in the accident that took place on Pearlblossom Highway near the intersection at 87th street in Littlerock, California, per the Los Angeles Times. Lopez and McGillen claim the vehicle was damaged and that they suffered injuries in the alleged incident.
On Feb. 20, attorneys representing both LeBron and the 20-year-old Bronny wrote that they “deny each and every allegation contained in the complaint and further deny that plaintiffs have been damaged in the sum or sums alleged, or any other sum or sums, or at all.” In that filing, their attorneys ask the judge to rule in their favor and award costs incurred from the lawsuit.
Neither the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station nor the California Highway Patrol have reports on the alleged crash, as they told ESPN. The two members of the James family are not the only possible defendants listed, as multiple “Does” are included.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages for both injuries suffered in the accident as well as damages and depreciation to the car.
