In all likelihood, USC freshman Bronny James will not return to SoCal for the 2024-2025 season. Instead, he could go to another school or land in the NBA.
James declared for the 2034 NBA draft and entered his name into the transfer portal. It’s uncertain what he will do, but all signs point to him going to the next level and possibly playing alongside his father, NBA icon LeBron James.
It’s what many expect him to do; however, his odds of being a high draft pick aren’t too high. According to the latest 2024 ESPN NBA mock draft, they have James going undrafted.
“One player that saw his stock fall was USC guard Bronny James, who was considered a lottery pick coming into his freshman year but went undrafted in ESPN’s latest mock. James, the son of LeBron James, struggled after returning from a cardiac arrest episode he suffered last summer. He’s also currently in the transfer portal.”
From what we saw of James last season, going undrafted seems like the right move. His numbers didn’t pop off the page, and neither did his play. At times, his energy and enthusiasm allowed him to make some great plays on defense; however, his play was pedestrian outside of that. He averaged 4.8 points per game on 36.6% shooting from the field, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 25 games and 19.4 minutes of action.
Nonetheless, a handful of teams could take a flyer on the 19-year-old—like the Los Angeles Lakers and possibly the Philadelphia 76ers.
His name means something, especially with the chance of his father becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer and how he’s expressed his desire to play with his son.
We’re not sure how real it could be, but we’ll see if any team will take a bite out of the apple.
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