Alexander Brown
USC freshman Bronny James, son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, was one of 78 players invited to participate in the NBA Draft Combine. This year’s combine takes place May 12-19 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago.
Bronny James announced last month that he was joining NBA Draft and the transfer portal. With the Lakers’ season coming to an end following a loss to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs, the elder James provided an update on the pending decision his oldest son will have to make next month.
“I just want to go home to my family, honestly,” James said. “… One of my boys is deciding whether he’s going to join the draft or go back to school. I have another son [Bryce James] that’s playing AAU ball right now and my daughter [Zhuri James] is playing volleyball – and my wife [Savanah James] is doing so many good things, so it’s about family now.”
James will have until May 29 – the withdrawal deadline set by the NCAA – to decide whether to remain in the draft or return for his second season. The NBA has a later withdrawal deadline (June 16), but the NCAA has its own set of rules that states the deadline is 10 days after the NBA Combine ends. The 2024 NBA Draft will be June 26-27.
The Athletic reported on Monday that the Lakers are “open to potential customers” of drafting Bronny. The Lakers will have the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, which could be conveyed to the Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019. Los Angeles has its own second-round pick in this summer’s draft.
The former four-star recruit played in 25 games for the Trojans after making his college debut on Dec. 10 against Long Beach State, less than five months after suffering cardiac arrest during a summer workout at USC. James made six starts during the 2023-24 season and averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
“I had a year with some ups and downs, but it all contributed to my growth as a man, student and athlete,” James wrote on Instagram. “I have made the decision to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility, and I will also enter the NCAA transfer portal. Thank you to USC for an incredible freshman year and, as always, grateful to my family, friends, doctors, athletic trainers and fans for their support.”
James missed USC’s trip abroad to Greece and Croatia for a three-game summer tour and was absent from the start of fall practices because of the cardiac arrest incident. After his minutes restriction was lifted in January, James showed his potential as a playmaker and defender in an expanded role.
James’ future was questioned last month when rumors surfaced that the 19-year-old would enter the transfer portal and explore his college options.
“I don’t know where that came from,” LeBron James said after the Lakers defeated the Raptors 128-111 in Toronto. “But at the end of the day, Bronny is his own man. He has some difficult decisions to make. whatever he does.”
Bronny James NBA Draft Projection
James’ preliminary stock is considered a mystery. His overall stats haven’t been good this season, but that won’t stop the respective team from drafting him. The 2024 NBA Draft class is a mystery because it is one of the weakest draft classes at the top in nearly a decade. This could benefit James and convince him to declare for the draft if a team wants to pounce on a prospect with upside.
James has the tools to be a successful player at the next level. He is a motor defender with a playmaking edge. James also has an incredible basketball IQ, just like his father. Something James will have to improve at the next level is his 3-point shooting. James connected on just 26.7% from distance on 2.4 attempts per night.
In CBS Sports’ 2024 Draft Prospect Rankings, James is currently unranked and has not participated in any first-round mocks. James will likely fall to the second round, but should get an opportunity at the next level no matter what — which could be a regular contract or a two-way deal.
Entering the NBA Draft while maintaining college eligibility is common among college prospects who are unsure about where they project to be in the draft process. In this case, Bronny projects as a potential second-round pick, so keeping his options open as he enters the transfer portal will allow him to go through the draft process, work out for NBA teams, and get feedback before making a final decision. .
James will need approval from the NBA’s Fitness to Play Panel before he is eligible to participate in team workouts, the draft combine in May or be selected in the draft due to cardiac arrest, according to ESPN.
LeBron has a player option for the 2024-25 NBA season that he could hypothetically decline, which could create an easier path for the two to pair together next season. The Lakers have their second-round pick for the 2024 NBA Draft. The New Orleans Pelicans own the Lakers’ first-round pick and are entitled to receive their 2025 first-round pick.
Portal possibilities
Days after his father dismissed rumors that he would enter the transfer portal, USC hired Arkansas coach Eric Musselman to replace Andy Enfield, who left town to take the vacant position at SMU. Despite Musselman having ties to the James family, he still opted to enter the upcoming draft and transfer portal.
Young James played with Arkansas signee Isaiah Elohim at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, California. Musselman recruited Elohim to Arkansas before leaving for the Trojans’ vacant job. However, James decided to enter the portal – the first step for a player looking to transfer.
Logical early options to get James out of the transfer portal Ohio State, Duquesne, Oregon, UCLA and SMU. Upon graduating from high school, James committed to USC over Oregon and Ohio State. Duquesne recently named Dru Joyce III — LeBron’s former high school teammate at St. Mary High School — as the program’s next head coach.
Impact on USC
USC already lost wing Kobe Johnson through the transfer portal this offseason to rival UCLA. Collier entered the NBA Draft, and four-star point guard Trent Perry recently decommitted from the school following a coaching change.
Musselman is an excellent high school and transfer portal recruiter. While at Arkansas, he helped them land the No. 2 overall recruiting class behind Duke in the 2022 cycle. Musselman is known for using the transfer portal to attract talent, which will likely be the case when the Trojans do the transition to the Big Ten.
Most of the top high school talents in the 2024 recruiting class have already signed their National Letters of Intent with their respective schools. Musselman’s best option to replace James, Collier and Boogie Ellis in the backcourt is to convince Perry to stay.
