LeBron James wants son Bronny to get special perk Lionel Messi and Neymar received as official request made

As LeBron James' oldest son prepares for his first season as an NBA player, the four-time MVP has made a unique request for the youngster to emulate football stars Lionel Messi and Neymar too.

LeBron and Bronny James are set to become the first father-son duo to play together in NBA history during the upcoming 2024/25 season after the 20-year-old guard was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the NBA draft earlier this year.

The 6ft 2ins rookie attended the University of Southern California last year, making just six starts for the USC Trojans and averaging 4.8 points per game.

An avid video game player, Bronny has participated in multiple Call of Duty tournaments and has often posted about the game on his social media accounts.

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In 2020, he joined the esports organisation FaZe Clan, which began as a Call of Duty trick-shotting group.

And now LeBron has taken to X, formerly Twitter, to campaign for Bronny to be added to the game as a playable character.

"Bronny just said he want his own “Skin”. @Activision @CallofDuty talk to me," the former Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat icon wrote.

Having a "skin" in Call of Duty – i.e. a virtual reproduction of your likeness as a character in the game – is nothing new for sporing figures.

Soccer superstars Messi and Neymar have featured in past editions of the COD series, while NBA players including four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant have had "skins" created for them.

And while Bronny certainly isn't yet at the level of those iconic names in terms of stardom or sporting achievement, there appears to be hope of his father's request being granted.

In a reply to LeBron's X post, the game's developers, Activision, wrote: "We know Bronny is a shooter, let's talk.

"First father son duo in NBA history. Could be a #CallOfDuty first too."

The latest instalment in the COD series, Black Ops 6, is set for release later this month.

From the court to the virtual battlefield, LeBron and Bronny could break yet more new ground if they are included in an update package for the game.