The Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James to form a father-son duo with future Hall of Famer LeBron James in the most monumental second-round pick in recent NBA history Thursday.

The guard from Southern California will join a Lakers team that's hoping to convince LeBron James, 39, to finish his storied NBA career in purple and gold.

The younger James was picked 55th overall out of 58 picks in the two-round NBA draft. The second round was held on its own day for the first time this year.

Four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, the 39-year-old Lakers playmaker who is a four-time NBA champion, has previously said he would like to play alongside his son next season

Bronny James, 19, had private workouts with only two teams before the draft: the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

It was widely believed that the Lakers were planning to pair him with his father despite Bronny James' one lacklustre season of college basketball. He suffered cardiac arrest the July before his freshman season and only entered game action in December.

James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 25 college games. (Reuters/AFP)