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As USC freshman Bronny James gets closer to being eligible for the NBA Draft, his spotlight is starting to shine even brighter than usual.
That attention reached a new peak on Monday when his father, LeBron, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to respond to ESPN’s future NBA mock draft in which Bronny would be selected in 2025, not 2024.
“Could you please let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball?” LeBron he wrote in a post that was later deleted.
lebron has not been shy about his desire to stay in the NBA long enough to play with his son. Still performing at an All-Star level at age 39, LeBron’s time isn’t running out yet, but the status of his contract (he can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason by declining his player option for 2024-25 ) might give you a chance. flexibility to join forces with Bronny if his son turns pro.
The only problem is that Bronny’s freshman season at USC hasn’t given him a clear clue to take the single route.
FURTHER: LeBron James addresses the Lakers’ future and retirement plans
Bronny James Statistics
James’ first college season has been anything but traditional. The 19-year-old suffered cardiac arrest during training during the summer, postponing his freshman season for four months. Upon his return, James was still on a minutes restriction through his first four games.
Even after James returned to form, it has been a tumultuous season for the freshman and USC. The Trojans have been tremendously disappointing, ranking second to last in the Pac-12 with a 5-11 conference record.
James hasn’t had the opportunities he might have hoped for to showcase his abilities if he had plans to be a one-and-done prospect. For most of the year, he came off the bench behind senior guard Boogie Ellis and freshman guard Isaiah Collier, who was the No. 1 player in the high school class of 2023.
Both Ellis and Collier have missed games due to injuries, but James didn’t take advantage of his opportunity to shine in a larger role. His lack of assertiveness in those moments It was something I wrote about. after watching his final high school game at Sierra Canyon last year.
Overall, it feels like James’ game has been put in a box because of the talent in front of him. He has been reduced to a 3-and-D type player who hasn’t had much freedom to create as a ball handler. He hasn’t shot the ball well and hasn’t shown shot-creating skills, taking a backseat more often than not. His playing time has been inconsistent and it seems like he has never gotten into a rhythm this season.
With just four games left in the regular season, James has only scored in double figures three times in 19 appearances. He has had four games with at least five assists and four games with multiple steals. He has only made multiple three-pointers in three games but has never made more than two three-pointers in a game.
Here are his complete stats for the season:
| 2023-24 | |
| GP | 19 (6GS) |
| deputy | 20.1 |
| GF% | 37.1 |
| 3P% | 27.5 |
| FOOT% | 62.1 |
| PPG | 5.5 |
| role playing game | 2.8 |
| APG | 2.5 |
| AAP | 0.7 |
| BPG | 0.2 |
Bronny James Projected Draft
- 2024 NBA Draft: Late first round pick, early second round pick
- 2025 NBA Draft: First round pick
Although Bronny is only averaging 5.5 points per game and hasn’t shown any unique skill, I wouldn’t be surprised if a team was willing to take a late-first-round or early-second-round flier if he declares for the draft. of the 2024 NBA.
It goes beyond increasing the chances of a team courting LeBron in potential free agency (but that, of course, also plays a role). In a draft class lacking well-rounded talent, why wouldn’t a team take a chance on the heir to an all-time great and hope to unleash his full potential after a strange, lonely college season?
On the other hand, Bronny staying for his second season is probably the most logical option. With Ellis graduating and Collier almost certain to be a one-and-done player, Bronny would have a full season in a featured role to showcase his abilities. He would also give her an entire offseason to work on his game after his preseason was cut short by a heart problem a year ago.
DECOR: LeBron would be doing Bronny a favor by allowing him to develop as an NBA prospect in due time.
All eyes will be on Bronny’s NBA Draft decision and, according to LeBron, it will be his son’s pick.
“It’s up to [Bronny]”LeBron told the Inside the NBA team on All-Star weekend. “It depends on the kid. We will go over the entire process. He is still in season with the Pac-12 tournament approaching.
“We’re going to weigh all the options and let the child make the decision.”
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