Terms like “Pops” and “Old Man” are off the table. And “Dad” is definitely not acceptable.

LeBron James, the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, addressed an intriguing question regarding the possibility of playing alongside his son Bronny, who was picked as the 55th overall choice in the 2024 NBA draft — what will Bronny call him during games? Clearly, using “Dad” while on the court would be quite embarrassing for a professional player, so that option is out.

“No, he can’t,” LeBron chuckled while appearing on “The Shop,” a show he co-produces. “We already settled that. He can’t call me ‘Dad’ while we’re working, alright? Once we’re out of practice and the gates close, I can be ‘Dad’ again. In the car, at home, I can be ‘Dad.’ But on the court, he has to call me something like ‘2-3,’ ‘Bron,’ or even ‘GOAT’ if he wants to. It’s totally up to him.”

If Bronny and LeBron manage to play in a regular-season game together, they will make NBA history as the first father-son pair to do so. LeBron, who will turn 40 in December, signed a two-year contract worth $104 million with the Lakers in July, which means they could have another season to reach this milestone if it doesn’t happen this season. Bronny is anticipated to spend a lot of time in the G League, the NBA’s development league, next season.

“It’s easy for me because I’ve been calling him ‘Bronny’ for such a long time,” LeBron added. “I haven’t been using ‘hey son’ repeatedly, so it’s simple for me. It’ll be a change for him. But we can’t be sprinting down the court with him shouting, ‘Dad! Move the ball up! Dad! I’m wide open! Dad, come on!’ No, that’s not allowed.”

At 19 years old, Bronny had a mixed performance during his NBA Summer League debut, but he showed improvement as it progressed. Last season, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 25 games with Southern California. On the other hand, LeBron remains one of the top players in the NBA, coming off a season where he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game. Additionally, he was a key player in Team USA’s gold medal journey at the 2024 Paris Olympics.