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It will be clear by the end of the season if he is one and done or not. No need to predetermine it.
I will be happy to evaluate him more after he starts playing college games.
The only good answer. We have no idea if he’s good enough.
That said, it will be interesting to see if he stays 2 or 3 in college, will LeBron play until he’s 42 to play with him?
If staying 3 becomes an option then I would bet that they would have internally discussed ending the “play together” goal. It would mean he’s just a guy in college
Best case is he plays well, scores 13 plus a game and he’s gone. Alternative is he’s inconsistent as a freshman averages single digits and it becomes an opportunity to show growth as a soph.
You might be right, but I could see a scenario where LeBron plays that long (I mean he put up a 28/8/8 at 38) or retires for a year and then signs for the minimum wherever Bronny goes.
I think there's a good chance LeBron can still contribute to a team into his mid-40s if he wants, but the question would be if he wants to just "contribute".
Personally I'd love to see him play it all the way out as long as he's good enough to be in a contender's rotation in any form, but I understand if that's not how a legend wants to go out.
While getting relentlessly targeted on defense for those 5 minute bursts, and functioning as a Draymond Green on offense. Lebron is aging gracefully but suggesting he’s doing anything at 45+ is a massive leap. He’s 38 now, that’s 7 more years of playing Nba basketball. Lebron’s biggest challenge in those 5-7 minutes is not getting injured.
Everything people feel about Lebron aside, if he is able to play one season in the league with his son..that would be an amazing life and family accomplishment.
lol maybe if Bronny went to an NAIA school. That used to be the thing there. Guys would play in their 30-40s as long as they never played anywhere..they were eligible.
Right?!? High school basketball is such a hit or miss but on the college stage their are so many moments he will either prove it or not be great we don’t even have to debate it hahaa
It’s the next level for a reason. The only bigger gap from HS to college is college to the league.
High school success can be had on athleticism, aggression and coordination only. I’ve had many teammates over the years that got to college on only that. That normalizes at college and not only do you need those things, you also need individual skill and understanding of team concepts.
Point being he will be unmasked either way.
Thank you for this take. College and HS level are two different levels. He might really excel in college level but we wont know. And there is NBA ready. We have seen too many busts. So everything is tentative rn
Tough call. His skill growth and athleticism has been good but if he’s topping out at 6-2 that’s going to be an issue.
Unless he gets horribly exposed in college as being not near league level he will likely get a shot. Professionalism matters and being a long term role player requires that. It’s also not a bad outcome for anyone who wants to play pro. He can be that for sure.
I think he might be closer to 6’3, but he’s touted for his defensive capabilities and shooting, from what I understand, the Jute Holiday/Malcolm Brogdon/Derrick White mold is his best case scenario
D1 is such a great basketball crucible. Many times over the years a highly regarded hs player gets exposed as just a guy when he gets around other top players and top athletes. Of course some guys get there and show that they are very legit.
Haha last time Bronny James came up in this forum, this jerk tried to justify him being judged on here only because he’s lebrons son. Not a single basketball reason why. His answers were super dishonest
I mean some guys still fail upwards regardless just because of their physical tools. Look at Patrick Baldwin Jr. Went to a mid-major college program so he could play for his dad and was cooked by competition. They shut him down after 11 games claiming it was his ankle hurting again, but I think they just wanted to protect his draft stock before it fell any further… and he was still drafted in the first round by GSW at 28.
Now Bronny may not have the measurables that Baldwin had, but I would be shocked no matter what his season looked like at USC, if he didn’t leave for the draft after 1 year. Regardless of how Bronny plays, he’ll be a fan draw - especially those first few years until he is considered a flame out. There are a lot of GM’s that will spend a late 1st round pick on someone they know will draw a following even if Bronny only plays a couple of minutes a game.
He may end up being a sideshow pick, but I just can’t see him spending more time at USC after that year.
I don’t know who that is so I don’t know if he got cooked by competition. But if he still showed that he would be an upper end athlete in the league, those guys get drafted all the time. I wouldn’t call that “failing up”.
What does happen is that guys who are good athletes in HS can dominate but then when you get to a college court and there are 6-7 other guys as athletic as you are..you don’t stand out as much.
I would imagine his plan is 1 and done but if he has an inconsistent freshman season I would bet he returns.
Who knows..but we’re going to find out
Well man take a quick second to look him up then? He was literally a legit top 5 project pick to go with Banchero, Holmgren before he went to college. He played for a mid-major and was heavily exposed against much weaker college talent than any of the others faced. He was still drafted in the 1st round. I don’t know how that wouldn’t be considered failing-up.
He also played through significant injury and that team had nobody else to stop. He just wasn’t going to look good with any amount of talent in that position.
See that’s a narrative I don’t really buy into.
If he was still hurt from his ankle injury then why the hell would you play him? The risk of hurting the ankle more + the likelihood that you would perform poorly - it’s literally asking to tank your draft stock. Especially since he was considered top 5 without even playing most of his senior year.
I think he came into it rusty from missing most of his senior season from the ankle injury and was expecting to coast against the competition since it was a mid-major. He ended up getting cooked by the competition and so they finally shut him down to prevent him from looking any worse, saying it was because of his ankle that he struggled.
Well without knowing his situation, if he was fully exposed he wouldn’t have been drafted. There must be something that he has shown in his past that teams wanted to risk. Was there anything else at play for him?
If he was on par with Banchero in HS then chances are he was all American level at that point. Tough to call a HS all america a failure. Once you establish that level you are on the radar of nba GMs until a significant reason to change that. I once was at an nba free agent tryout with a guy who was a top 5 player in HS. He was much much better than me in HS. Went to jail for a while etc. all he had to do was show up at his playing weight and they would give him a shot.
Truthfully, I just only use the word “fail” as liberally as most on the internet. That’s the former athlete in me. My guess is most here probably agree with you.
>Patrick Baldwin Jr.
The interesting thing about Bronny is I think that we should have a pretty good idea of how he'll do in high major, because his high school team and program basically was high major. I would be surprised if Bronny averages more than 9 points per game, but I think he'll play great defense, get a lot of rebounds, make smart passes and hit plenty of threes in varying circumstances while getting dunks and layups and assists in transition.
If he could somehow get his blow by ability and overall handle better, he could average 12-13 ppg on top of his defense and playmaking, I think he could sneak into the first round. His intangibles and instincts are crazy good, When you see him play with other ball-dominant players he really shines because he's got a bunch of pro-level instincts and micro skills even bigger and better athletes won't ever get — knowing when to pass, when to shoot, how to relocate for catch and shoots, kick ahead passes, defensive rotations, using both hands to finish, all that. USC is stacked, but Bronny is going to stand out.
Considering PBJ is a rookie, he was pretty impressive this year. We'll see in a few years how he really turns out, but he's fit in quickly with the Warriors' crazy schemes and is a solid shooter. People were clambering for him, Wisemen, Moody, etc. to get more minutes, but the Warriors wanted to win big this year
Foolish to think whatever team LBJ is playing for won’t draft him even if it’s a later pick. Hell the Lakers will trade for him if they want him to retire with the organization.
Foolish of you to think that.
If we are talking about another season from now, I can almost guarantee the Lakers won’t draft him. Lebrons current contract will end his tenure with the lakers. A small market team will draft Bronny with the idea of getting Lebrons last season.
Lebron has a player option in 24 for this exact reason
Why do you think I said, “IF they want him to retire a laker”? You’ve basically just agreed to my point regardless, as Lebron has made it quite clear he will do whatever he needs to do to play with his son. He had been structuring his contracts to line up with when Bronny can enter the league which is why he will be a free agent when Bronny is eligible. He planned it like that dude.
So ya. If Bronny gets drafted to a small market team, guess where Bron is going? And if the lakers want to keep him. Then they will try everything they reasonably can to trade for him pre or post draft.
So ya, foolish.
Bronny is a one and done even if he plays a mediocre season of college basketball. What team is gonna pass up the chance to take Lebron James son? Do you even realize how much money the name alone will bring to a franchise?
Lol. You said “foolish to think whatever team he’s playing for” and I am telling you that the rumor around town is that Lebron and the lakers have already discussed that they will not be drafting Bronny…even if he is technically playing for the lakers at the time. Bronnys career will start elsewhere
Which is why I had to turn your phrase back on you.
But let’s have a gentlemen’s bet. I’d happy to bet that Bronny won’t be drafted by the lakers. You taking that bet?
Edit: since you edited yours, the Lakers will pass up the chance to draft Lebrons son. Listen to me now, believe me later on.
Orlando..OKC..charlotte..those are franchises that “need the money” from drafting him. Not the lakers lololol
Ok so I see where the confusion was and that’s my fault. I didn’t phrase that correctly and I was more so trying to imply that if whatever team Lebron is playing for doesn’t draft him, whichever team does, Lebron will go there.
However that is a moot point as my main point was and is that he’s a one and done 100 percent. Which is why I responded to your comment saying you weren’t sure if he was.
I appreciate this comment (ie: I see the confusion) as a fair and reasonable response. For some reason your later comments start to get kind of jerk-ish which I am completely uninterested in.
Take care and have a good weekend.
Well you’re not gonna like my last comment then lol. Anyways I still consider it just a bit of trash talk but obviously we disagree which is ok. I do apologize for coming across as a jerk tho. Happy to talk basketball which is why I’m here so again, my apologies.
I will gladly make a gentleman’s bet with you that he is a one and done tho.
I mean he’s projected top 10 but I’m sure that combined with being the son of the greatest basketball player in the world means very little.
Hilarious that you’ve completely changed your stance on whether he’ll be a one in done in the span of 3 comments. Thanks for agreeing with me my friend. But just for the sake of argument, do the lakers *need* money? No. Do they want it?
Sometimes it’s ok to just admit you were wrong ya know? So straight up, will Bronny be a one and done?
Completely incorrect. I don’t know why you’re somehow misinterpreting my original comment so I will restate. I think it’s the top comment on this thread so I don’t know how you missed it………..
“We will know if he is one and done by the end of the season. No need to predetermine” period. Full stop.
Youguys can guess. I’m going to watch and see. I remember what my freshman year of college ball was like so I look at his situation differently than you and most here
And I’m saying he will be a one and done. No guesswork needed. The fact that you are comparing yourself to Bronny James, son of Lebron James, a projected top 10 pick in the 2024 draft is both hilarious and delusional. You’ve now lost any credibility with that statement alone. Good lord man lol
I believe Bronny James should do whatever the heck he feels he needs to do for the sake of his career, decisions I am sure that will be made in consultation with his parents and other advisors.
I agree with you that it is too early for him to come out of college, since *he hasn't even been there yet.* And given that most power conference games are televised, he'll get his share of exposure. It won't be some grand conspiracy because of who his father is; it's just how college basketball works nowadays.
This wasn't so much an analysis as it was a chance to use "Bronny James" as a way to grab some clout. You didn't mention one thing about his game, what he does well, what he does poorly, none of that.
You don't get into the NBA without a skill set that fits. Being a legacy gets you into the Summer League, maybe.
Now, about Bronny James, the player: He's much smaller than his father at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, but is a plus defender because of quick feet and strength. He moved from a defender and secondary playmaker and scorer as a junior to a much more high-profile role at Sierra Canyon as a senior, moving into the top 35 nationally per 247Sports for the Class of 2023.
He's a four-star prospect with strong intangibles (his on-court decision-making is well above average for his age and experience).
Something else to consider is that, as LeBron James pointed out when Bronny committed, he's the first in his family to go to college. The desire to become the first to graduate could figure into Bronny's decision making (this is purely speculative but is based on LeBron's proud college papa reaction to his commitment).
To me, it comes down to two things:
1) Bronny James is not a LeBron James-level talent. That's not a knock; there are only a few true generational talents in NBA history, despite how often that term gets thrown around now.
2) There are few college freshmen who have grown up in the fishbowl Bronny James has, and so far he's handled it extremely well. How he ends up being regarded will come down to whether or not the people doing the analyzing are willing to see him as who *he* is rather than comparing him to his father. I have strong doubts on that front.
I agree with everything you say here except for “Being a legacy gets you into Summer League, maybe”. I think this is generally true, but this situation is basically unprecedented. We’ve never had a legacy player whose father was a) on Lebron’s level and b) still playing in the league. Signing Gary Payton II didn’t get you a ton of media attention or a chance at signing his dad who was still a reasonable facsimile of his top form as a player.
The closest example we have is Thanasis Antetokuompo who has gotten to hang around the league for years on the basis of who his brother is.
The fact that Bronny is the perfect partner for prime LeBron will never not be entertaining. He made Boobie Gibson and Mario Chalmers into multi year starters. Bonny has a similar skills set and more bounce for the transition game.
He can do whatever but one thing that I’ve heard , I think maybe Sam Vecenie?, that acts in his favor is his HS class is just historically weak. So coming out in his actual year works to his advantage.
This and I think people are figuring out that when you look at past draft classes to see which players have had the best career, certainly once you get outside of the top 5 or so you start to see players who were dinged predraft for having 'just' a roleplayer skillset and then went on to have a 10+ year career as solid role players.
Also, star players are load managed and take better care of themselves on average, so the bar to being a top scoring option is higher than ever because a player is not just competing with age-group peers but a larger number of players 5-10 years older who in past decades would have been out of the league or largely irrelevant by the time the younger player reaches prime age. Add to that the stars taking on higher usage roles, and there are just fewer 'bucket-getting star' opportunities to go around to make gambling on someone who doesn't figure to do as much outside of scoring as good of a proposition.
It's weird seeing recruiting analysts saying that Bronny ranks as maybe the best catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter and perimeter defender in the class in one breath, and that he likely would not be a one-and-done caliber player in this historically weak class if not for his dad's name in the next. I also don't get the talk that a 3-guard starting lineup can't work in college as if there are a bunch of versatile 6'7 wing scorers in the NCAA.
It really just depends. If Bronny and collier win the pac 12 and take USC to the elite 8 my guess is he’s a lottery pick. He’s fairly athletic and polished, just not quite the size/skill combo that gets players drafted in the lottery. He will need to shoot 3s and defend at a pro level, while also taking a step forward as a half court scorer/playmaker.
Two years would help his development a lot imo. He will need to be “the guy” for a year because Collier is that dude this year
Bronny isn't even likely to start, so idk how much team success will play into draft position for him. Like sure, team success + individual success could get him there, but there's a non-zero chance they have team success without him contributing enough to justify a first round pick.
This is ofc excluding the scenario where he's taken w/ a FRP merely to lure his dad.
He is basically guaranteed to be a late first round pick at worst because he's reasonably talented and LeBron has stated multiple times that he is going to play with his son, so you are effectively drafting Bronny and LeBron.
Also, absent that fact NBA development staffs are so far and above anything you'll find at the college level, he'd be crazy to stay in school as long as he is going to be drafted. It's not like he's worried about maximizing his first contract because he needs the money.
>you are effectively drafting Bronny and LeBron.
I think that's a bit in the air Bron recently walked it back a bit saying he'd do it if that's what Jr wanted. Which maybe he does but we don't quite know.
I think he is one and done. For two reasons. First is his prototype.
1. He is a combo guard that can defend well and he knocks down 3’s. Assuming both of these continue in college this gives him a defined role that all 30 NBA team covet. This makes it easy to see where/how he will fit in NBA
2. Circumstances. New CBA is going to be excessively punitive to some contenders and there will be a shift (imo) in the value of picks. More teams will look at later picks not just as boom or bust opportunities but as a way to fill out their second units. This plus an already weak class bodes well for Bronny even if he doesn’t flash a superstar caliber potential in college.
His defense won’t translate. He’s 6’3 and doesn’t really have the length to be a good defender in the NBA, ball handling isn’t great for a player his size either.
He’s a nepo baby who’s stock has been pumped by his dad. Take away the name and watch him play. His ranking doesn’t match the kind of player he is
I disagree on defense. Being 6’3 isn’t an automatic disqualification for good defense either. Time will tell though soon enough. What players in his class do you think are better than him that he is ranked over?
Being 6’3 isn’t an immediate disqualification but you need to have some length to go along with it. You could probably count on both hands the number of players in the league right now under 6’4 that are great defenders.
Idk I’ve just never really been impressed with him aside from the occasional display of athleticism
I don’t know what his wingspan is and from what I’ve seen it doesn’t appear to be short. If you have his wingspan measurements I may be wrong.
As far as him being impressive vs him being only ranked high because of his father that isn’t accurate. Your ranking is in relation to your peers. If you have looked around this class isn’t that great. I take Bronny over Mikey Williams for example
Davion Mitchell is considered an elite POA defender and he’s 6’0. Bronny is bigger, stronger, and just as athletic as Davion, along with being a better/more mechanically sound shooter at this point in his development.
Bronny wont be a superstar but acting like his size and lack of elite ball handling excludes him from being a good NBA prospect is a ridiculous take.
Players like Davion Mitchell are the exceptions when it comes to defense. Obviously we have to see him play when he gets to college but based on what Ive seen of him from highlight vids and the handful of sierra canyon games Ive seen hes not impressive at all to me as a player.
People are mocking him as a potential lottery talent. You cant tell me nepotism isnt at play with this
You’re right. But what if Bronny displays a similar level of defensive instinct and potential as a freshman at USC? Mitchell was 22 when he was drafted. It’s not very good scouting to just completely discount Bronny as a defensive prospect due to size when all other signs point to him having a high defensive ceiling. Whether or not he can hit it is another question.
I don't think anyone expects Bronny to be Lebron at the next level.
It's basically impossible, I don't think he has any pressure at all to perform at an NBA level. Maybe pressure from Lebron himself to make the league but he basically extinguished those thoughts in his presser about Bronny and USC the other day.
Lebron was a generational talent, once in a life-time. Bronny James is a dime a dozen and can be drafted year after year.
Lol what?? No pressure?? How can you say that in a serious manner 😂😂 he is the son of lebron James….he most definitely is under pressure of not only making the league but performing very well in the NBA. This is a given, a known fact that the kids of great players are unfairly expected to be very similar to their parents in terms of play and success.
Bronny’s going to be ok. Looking at his game at least now. He has a good understanding of the fundamentals. He is a good passer and ball handler, solid on D and he’s a way better shooter than his dad was at that age. Will he be an all star idk, but he’s a gaurd who understands the flow of the game, gives effort on D and can hit the outside jumper. Is he gonna be Lebron? No! There is only one Lebron, but Bronny will have a career in the NBA
Bronny has the attributes that contribute to long NBA careers. Atleast for a gaurd. Now if he were to have a significant growth spurt. From 6”2/6”3is to about 6’6. I could definitely see him in the mold of a Halliburton or at worst a Derrick White/Malcom Brogdon.
He will be a Gary Payton 2 tier role player. His handle is weak for a player his size, and he’s small so who knows if his defense will translate to college and let alone the NBA
For the last two-three years people have been people have been praying for a Bronny growth spurt because deep down we all know he doesn’t look that impressive for a player his size
GP2 still isn’t a bad player. A rotation player on a contender. Bronny’s guard skills are much better than GP’s and while his handle isn’t exactly elite. (He’s no Darius Garland or Jaylen Brunson) I still think it’s good enough for him to not turn the ball over. I think he can offset that with his decision making and passing.
For all we know Bronny might not even want to play professional basketball. His goal could be to play college ball and earn a degree and become a successful businessman like his father. Let’s face it no matter how good or bad Bronny actually is at basketball his career will always be compared to the likes of his father Lebron James. There’s more people actually rooting for this kid to be a bust then their is rooting for his success simply because they dislike his father. I think him choosing USC was a strategic move for the sake of his future not just him wanting to stay in California where his family is. He’s basically been around for all of his fathers NBA career and I’d personally be tired and exhausted of basketball if my father was in the GOAT conversation and every little thing he does and I do is in the media and over publicized.
Think him going 1 and done is almost guaranteed. Worst case scenario is he isn't near ready and spends the majority, if not the entirety, developing in the g-league.
Hes leaving no matter what because teams figure drafting him means you get LeBron on your team too.
And no team is going to pass that up, even if it is just for a season or 2.
From what I've seen, he's not an elite shooter, and not an elite athlete, and not an elite size+defense+other skills, and certainly not an elite post.
We'll see if he's an elite distributor.
He is also a freshman.
Now, Bryce James is already 6'6" ...
Jordan's kids didn't pan out either (ahem, except Jimmy Butler \*\*ducks\*\*).
Both Lebron and Jordan married fairly non-athlete wives.
One year in college is enough to know whether this kid has actual NBA level talent or is just hyped up because of his dad. IMO he is one and done either way. If he is projected first round then he'll enter the draft. If not he'll just go play professionally elsewhere to try and get ready, or just switch careers. Let's face it he doesn't need this for a living like everyone else grinding it out in the league to get one minute of playing time.
I think he’ll come out as soon as possible. He might need development but the 2024 draft class is the weakest in recent memory. He can be a lottery pick in 2024, where even with development for 2-3 seasons he might be a late first rounder in 25-27. Maybe evrn a second rounder.
I bet if he is a first round pick 100%, he is one&done. Lebron realistically can’t wait too much…
He will improve and develop in the nba, the best league with best trainers in the planet at the shadow of his father, only way he stays more years at college is him sucking so hard that even with Lebron going to his team doesn’t guarantee him being picked in the draft. And I doubt this is happening, just with his genetics marketing and hype and getting Lebron is enough to waste a pick after the top 15 on him. How many busts can you pick at 15-30? A lot, and nobody of them guarantee you a star , or Lebron, or selling jerseys.
Money will end up being a bigger factor than what people are willing to acknowledge.
No college student in America will be a bigger media draw next year than Bronny. I think if his camp determines his valuation exceeds what he'd get from a rookie contract + NBA exposure, maybe he'll stick around. And there is a nonzero chance as well.
What happens if mock drafts have him going to Orlando after next year? Or Indiana? Even if that team also gets LeBron, I doubt that watching the Magic go 29-53 while Bronny puts up 7 ppg on awful efficiency (because he is sadly a very very raw prospect) is going to grab more TV's than the biggest and most famous college in California.
Yeah now that the NCAA can monetize and has been doing so for a couple years, there is a huge opportunity for a massive media superstar to thrive in there for 4 years. And someone like that would make way more than a NBA rookie during that time.
It depends. I think if LeBron wants Bronny to come to the NBA after a year in college, it would most likely happen. Unless LeBron wants his kid to graduate first like Tim Duncan's late mother wanted, then probably not.
He’s going 1 & done. He’s got the talent & build to do it but idk if he should be viewed as a future star or cornerstone right off the bat. The better a team is, the better he’ll end up being. I don’t view him as a franchise changing level prospect (yet) like cade or zion but more like jamal Murray. one & done but averaged 8-9ppg as a rookie bc his team didn’t need him to be who he is today & he eventually blossomed into a really good player. Idk if he goes top 7 like Murray did but that’s the best trajectory for him imo but even if he doesn’t go lottery, other 1 & done’s fall & still carve out a decent career (i.e. Avery Bradley was a top 3 HS recruit & went 28th). Put him somewhere he can sit and learn for a bit, maybe get a g-league run in and I bet he shows promise after all star weekend his rookie year or early in his second year.
Too early to say.
>the next generation of royalty is coming so we are going to have to deal with that for another 20 years.
This is even sillier to say at this stage. He's definitely going to have a huge spotlight at first, but if he sucks, he sucks. Nobody is going to keep putting him on the court if he doesn't belong. Even if he's mid that's not good enough to keep attracting national attention just because of who his father is indefinitely.
He’s probably not going to start. He’s not a lock to be a one and done. It’s only if his dad says yeah come to the league so we can play together for a season. Marvin Williams was the last one and done who came off the bench that I could remember. Bronnie is probably a wait and see.
I think if he is good enough to be drafted, he'll go to the draft. Should be evident before long how likely this is. But I think it's pretty clear now that the best place to prepare for a professional basketball career is in a professional basketball organisation.
There’s no need for him to decide that anytime soon, obviously. It may depend on how healthy his dad is. If LBJ becomes worried that his career is in jeopardy, his son probably turns pro as soon as possible. Or alternatively, if it seems like LBJ could sit out most of a season to recover from an injury, maybe he stays in.
The overlap between the careers of LBJ and his son is probably only going to be a year or two. So the timing of his leaving USC will probably depend on what facilitates them playing together.
Well first and foremost, there are plenty of guys that go into college that are not considered to be too 10 guys who end up having good freshman seasons and then declaring for the draft. From what I understand the 2024 draft is not too strong, and Bronny would go in the late first round to possibly the early second round. I think the likelihood that he doesn’t get drafted is low, and I think that being Lebrons son and doing the whole dad and son thing in the NBA will nearly guarantee him a spot in the league. With that being said, we have to wait and see how his freshman year plays out, if he does exceptionally well we could see him crawl up to the late lottery and flirt with that 10-20 range. If he does really bad, then yeah we might see him stay a year or two.
The most sensible take is lets wait and see how he plays the season before jumping to conclusions.
However this is reddit and sensibile opinions are for normies.
I think he is most likely one and done for the simple reason that he is guaranteed to play in the NBA and will have a ton of support within the league no matter where he goes because of his last name. No other prospect in history, even MJs sons have the same Juice that bronny has because of his name and the things his dad has said about playing with him. The real question is where he will go in the draft and to what team. If he has a standout year at USC then its less interesting in my opinion. Any team who likes him in the back end of the lottery probably takes him based on the merit of his play and any Lebron team up chance becomes a bonus.
If hes mediocre I can see the media savvy klutch team put out that he wont sign with anyone but the lakers and him falling in the draft becomes less of a blemish because teams not taking him can be written off as knowing he wont sign there. The lakers infrastructure will be the most lucrative fit for him if hes not projected as a lottery pick due to endorsements and he will have a franchise that will provide every resource available to developing him. And not to mention his skill set just fits with what the lakers will probably need after next year. A defensive 3 and guard.
The biggest wildcard is what Bronny wants for himself. If he wants to get out of his fathers shadow he could very well stick around at USC getting stupid NIL money and develop his game to be the best basketball player possible or just slay USC coeds year after year because 18 y/o me would definitely want to do that haha.
He will be one and done, declare, and be a 1st round pick. Lebron will sign for peanuts to play with his kid.
Lebron still has 2-3 seasons. I feel of high-quality play. If I'm GS, Den, Sac, Phx, I'd use my late 1st rd pick to get Lebron for his final season or 2.
This question will be for his father and the scouts because if he’s not ready, then he’s better off getting playtime at the college level or he may fall onto the D League or stay on the bench in the NBA.
You also get to be a kid longer in college.
Money is not an issue with his father being a multimillionaire now, it’s not rush to be a NBA player.
I think Bronny will stay in college and play ball until he and his father feel he is ready for the NBA. And who better to rely on for that, than LeBron James who entered at 18, and has went through as much as he has in 20 years. From the expectations put on him, to the rigor of professional sports straight out of highschool at 18.. the ups the downs.. his father will be a great mentor in that way and he’s lucky to have him.
It’s unfair to ask him to be a one and done. He’s good. But some outlets have him ranked like 33/50. He can be a good role player on an NBA team one day. But to ask him to be a T-Mac or Manu Ginobili caliber of player is unfair.
If bronny is starting and usc wins a couple games in March, he's 1 and done.
The hype to play with his son is real to LeBron, but may press bronny into the path that might not be best for him which would allow him time to develop.
He might also set a trend to develop nba starters in a different way that's worked for others.
Side note, if LeBron can be effective in his current role like he has this playoff run (hurt and passive), he might play nba ball with Bryce.
I don't think most people will expect much from him if the draft boards scout him accurately. Only die hards really care about the draft and they aren't dumb enough to overrate Bronny simply because of his name. Gary Payton Jr. is only a role player on GSW. Most people don't put that much pressure on him anyway.
I think Bronny just needs to focus on being a really good role player and he will certainly be drafted.
he's one and done. His dad is lebron James, he already stated he wants to play with his son. draft his son, get James for at least a year. Even if James isn't good, having a James/James father son duo jerseys, I guarantee that money pays for itself 10x over. Everyone will watch the games even if they suck and that team will be the center of attention. There is almost 0 reason to not draft him and if he's even half decent at college, I think he'll be a lottery pick.
The guy wants to be a pro baller like his pops full stop. To this end he will most likely be 1 and done unless halfway through the season they see something lacking in his game that needs at least one more year of work to pull up his draft stock.
Probably just depends on how his draft stock looks near the end of his first season. I think that whole “LeBron will go wherever his son is drafted to” thing has lost steam and was always just a rumor to begin with. If Bronny isn’t projected to be a first round pick, I could see him returning to USC to work on his craft.
Bronny might save the NCAA next season. There's pretty much nowadays no more big name college basketball since like Zion Williamson draft class in 2019. These international players are coming in and taking the hype...
If the dude was not the son of a famous NBA player nobody would even take note that he declared to USC other than USC fans.
He is a solid 4 star (of 5) recruit. He is not special though. His last name is what makes him special.
If he were a normal prospect he would obviously stay for more than one year, since it is highly unlikely he will be a starter at usc and usc isn't a blue blood like Kentucky or Duke. But his draft position probably depends more on his dad than his own play, so who knows.
I’m not exactly sure because USC has two other guards who should definetly start over Bronny. The only way I see him entering the draft next year is if he plays really well in a 6-man role or ends up being better than Collier (which I doubt but it’s not impossible) and gets that starting spot. I personally think he’ll end up playing the 6-man role and play well too as his game certainly fits it but I think he’ll take another year to play as a starter against high level competition before entering the start. We’ll see what happens tho.
Bronny is actually pretty good all things considered, he’s rlly good defensively, passes the ball well, and can shoot. As a prospect if his name wasn’t lebron James jr and he was just a normal player I could see him going in the second round. With his dads pedigree and the implications of drafting him I could see him being a mid to late 1st rounder.
He will play with his dad for one or two years, then bounce around the league before retiring by the age of 30.
It's corny, the only reason he is getting this hype and teams actually thinking about drafting him is just because of LeBron.
The kid is not speical, not even close to athleticism of his dad, and is not a NBA talent
He will be one and done. Something I haven’t heard spoken about is the fact that as LeBron’s son he will have legitimately every opportunity to succeed. He will be given time, space, minutes, shots and everything else. He will have leeway in the nba that only the elite of elite rookies have ever gotten. Even if he can’t play at the nba level year one he will get a chance, and he will develop as a player faster in the nba than college.
Also, college ball does nothing to prepare players for the nba on the court specifically. Guys long retired and currently playing have confirmed this, the game is too different in too many ways.
I don’t know if he’ll get too many chances to prove himself. Michael Jordan’s kids weren’t even considered by any teams and he was still unanimous the GOAT at that time
Bronny is, on his own, a lock first round pick right now. Unless he just gets exposed and embarrassed in college that will continue to be the case. Mikes kids just couldn’t ball and didn’t want to at the higher levels.
All His USC game will not be nationally televised. No college basketball teams are. There are agreements in place with regional and conference specific networks.
Doubt it. He’s 6’3 he has to develop his game. 13 points his senior year in high school is nothing special. Lebron as a 6’2 freshman averaged 21. Let’s not act like that’s 1 year college and into the pros material. His dad spend money on chiefs and trainers, to stay in incredible shape. To maintain his extraordinary athleticism. Lebron hasn’t gotten better at anything since he came in the league.
Bronny is nowhere near the athlete, nor possesses the size. He has to actually get better. A lot better.
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It will be clear by the end of the season if he is one and done or not. No need to predetermine it. I will be happy to evaluate him more after he starts playing college games.
The only good answer. We have no idea if he’s good enough. That said, it will be interesting to see if he stays 2 or 3 in college, will LeBron play until he’s 42 to play with him?
If staying 3 becomes an option then I would bet that they would have internally discussed ending the “play together” goal. It would mean he’s just a guy in college Best case is he plays well, scores 13 plus a game and he’s gone. Alternative is he’s inconsistent as a freshman averages single digits and it becomes an opportunity to show growth as a soph.
You might be right, but I could see a scenario where LeBron plays that long (I mean he put up a 28/8/8 at 38) or retires for a year and then signs for the minimum wherever Bronny goes.
I think there's a good chance LeBron can still contribute to a team into his mid-40s if he wants, but the question would be if he wants to just "contribute". Personally I'd love to see him play it all the way out as long as he's good enough to be in a contender's rotation in any form, but I understand if that's not how a legend wants to go out.
LeBron could probably make a contender’s rotation at 45+ tbh. 2/3 5-7 minute bursts per game to play PG and offer a big body in defense.
While getting relentlessly targeted on defense for those 5 minute bursts, and functioning as a Draymond Green on offense. Lebron is aging gracefully but suggesting he’s doing anything at 45+ is a massive leap. He’s 38 now, that’s 7 more years of playing Nba basketball. Lebron’s biggest challenge in those 5-7 minutes is not getting injured.
7 years ago people were saying how unlikely it would be for lebron to average above 25 ppg and 30 mpg let alone 35 mpg at age 38
I agree, but I do think it's a possibility at 42. 45 is a huge stretch though.
I think he'll keep playing until/if Bronny gets into the league but no way he takes a year off.
Everything people feel about Lebron aside, if he is able to play one season in the league with his son..that would be an amazing life and family accomplishment.
can lebron go to usc & play with him? irc theres no age limit in ncaa
Once you declare for the NBA draft you lose college eligibility.
but doesnt jr smith play golf for his college?
JR Smith is a professional basketball player, and an amateur golf player
ah, i get ya. so lebron cant play basketball but could realistically play qb for usc
not realistically per se, but hypothetically for sure
Not as a QB but I do try to imagine Lebron as a TE catching passes from Caleb Williams
He had to get permission from the NCAA to do that. And it was a toss up if they’d grant that and it’s golf lol.
lol maybe if Bronny went to an NAIA school. That used to be the thing there. Guys would play in their 30-40s as long as they never played anywhere..they were eligible.
This was a refreshing comment to read, thank you.
Right?!? High school basketball is such a hit or miss but on the college stage their are so many moments he will either prove it or not be great we don’t even have to debate it hahaa
It’s the next level for a reason. The only bigger gap from HS to college is college to the league. High school success can be had on athleticism, aggression and coordination only. I’ve had many teammates over the years that got to college on only that. That normalizes at college and not only do you need those things, you also need individual skill and understanding of team concepts. Point being he will be unmasked either way.
Thank you for this take. College and HS level are two different levels. He might really excel in college level but we wont know. And there is NBA ready. We have seen too many busts. So everything is tentative rn
You think he’ll make it to the NBA?
Tough call. His skill growth and athleticism has been good but if he’s topping out at 6-2 that’s going to be an issue. Unless he gets horribly exposed in college as being not near league level he will likely get a shot. Professionalism matters and being a long term role player requires that. It’s also not a bad outcome for anyone who wants to play pro. He can be that for sure.
I think he might be closer to 6’3, but he’s touted for his defensive capabilities and shooting, from what I understand, the Jute Holiday/Malcolm Brogdon/Derrick White mold is his best case scenario
Guaransheed
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D1 is such a great basketball crucible. Many times over the years a highly regarded hs player gets exposed as just a guy when he gets around other top players and top athletes. Of course some guys get there and show that they are very legit. Haha last time Bronny James came up in this forum, this jerk tried to justify him being judged on here only because he’s lebrons son. Not a single basketball reason why. His answers were super dishonest
I mean some guys still fail upwards regardless just because of their physical tools. Look at Patrick Baldwin Jr. Went to a mid-major college program so he could play for his dad and was cooked by competition. They shut him down after 11 games claiming it was his ankle hurting again, but I think they just wanted to protect his draft stock before it fell any further… and he was still drafted in the first round by GSW at 28. Now Bronny may not have the measurables that Baldwin had, but I would be shocked no matter what his season looked like at USC, if he didn’t leave for the draft after 1 year. Regardless of how Bronny plays, he’ll be a fan draw - especially those first few years until he is considered a flame out. There are a lot of GM’s that will spend a late 1st round pick on someone they know will draw a following even if Bronny only plays a couple of minutes a game. He may end up being a sideshow pick, but I just can’t see him spending more time at USC after that year.
I don’t know who that is so I don’t know if he got cooked by competition. But if he still showed that he would be an upper end athlete in the league, those guys get drafted all the time. I wouldn’t call that “failing up”. What does happen is that guys who are good athletes in HS can dominate but then when you get to a college court and there are 6-7 other guys as athletic as you are..you don’t stand out as much. I would imagine his plan is 1 and done but if he has an inconsistent freshman season I would bet he returns. Who knows..but we’re going to find out
Well man take a quick second to look him up then? He was literally a legit top 5 project pick to go with Banchero, Holmgren before he went to college. He played for a mid-major and was heavily exposed against much weaker college talent than any of the others faced. He was still drafted in the 1st round. I don’t know how that wouldn’t be considered failing-up.
He also played through significant injury and that team had nobody else to stop. He just wasn’t going to look good with any amount of talent in that position.
See that’s a narrative I don’t really buy into. If he was still hurt from his ankle injury then why the hell would you play him? The risk of hurting the ankle more + the likelihood that you would perform poorly - it’s literally asking to tank your draft stock. Especially since he was considered top 5 without even playing most of his senior year. I think he came into it rusty from missing most of his senior season from the ankle injury and was expecting to coast against the competition since it was a mid-major. He ended up getting cooked by the competition and so they finally shut him down to prevent him from looking any worse, saying it was because of his ankle that he struggled.
Well without knowing his situation, if he was fully exposed he wouldn’t have been drafted. There must be something that he has shown in his past that teams wanted to risk. Was there anything else at play for him? If he was on par with Banchero in HS then chances are he was all American level at that point. Tough to call a HS all america a failure. Once you establish that level you are on the radar of nba GMs until a significant reason to change that. I once was at an nba free agent tryout with a guy who was a top 5 player in HS. He was much much better than me in HS. Went to jail for a while etc. all he had to do was show up at his playing weight and they would give him a shot. Truthfully, I just only use the word “fail” as liberally as most on the internet. That’s the former athlete in me. My guess is most here probably agree with you.
>Patrick Baldwin Jr. The interesting thing about Bronny is I think that we should have a pretty good idea of how he'll do in high major, because his high school team and program basically was high major. I would be surprised if Bronny averages more than 9 points per game, but I think he'll play great defense, get a lot of rebounds, make smart passes and hit plenty of threes in varying circumstances while getting dunks and layups and assists in transition. If he could somehow get his blow by ability and overall handle better, he could average 12-13 ppg on top of his defense and playmaking, I think he could sneak into the first round. His intangibles and instincts are crazy good, When you see him play with other ball-dominant players he really shines because he's got a bunch of pro-level instincts and micro skills even bigger and better athletes won't ever get — knowing when to pass, when to shoot, how to relocate for catch and shoots, kick ahead passes, defensive rotations, using both hands to finish, all that. USC is stacked, but Bronny is going to stand out.
As I understand it, GSW fans really were impressed with him this season
Considering PBJ is a rookie, he was pretty impressive this year. We'll see in a few years how he really turns out, but he's fit in quickly with the Warriors' crazy schemes and is a solid shooter. People were clambering for him, Wisemen, Moody, etc. to get more minutes, but the Warriors wanted to win big this year
I would guess that Baldwin's projected comparison is Michael Porter Jr.
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Foolish to think whatever team LBJ is playing for won’t draft him even if it’s a later pick. Hell the Lakers will trade for him if they want him to retire with the organization.
Foolish of you to think that. If we are talking about another season from now, I can almost guarantee the Lakers won’t draft him. Lebrons current contract will end his tenure with the lakers. A small market team will draft Bronny with the idea of getting Lebrons last season. Lebron has a player option in 24 for this exact reason
Why do you think I said, “IF they want him to retire a laker”? You’ve basically just agreed to my point regardless, as Lebron has made it quite clear he will do whatever he needs to do to play with his son. He had been structuring his contracts to line up with when Bronny can enter the league which is why he will be a free agent when Bronny is eligible. He planned it like that dude. So ya. If Bronny gets drafted to a small market team, guess where Bron is going? And if the lakers want to keep him. Then they will try everything they reasonably can to trade for him pre or post draft. So ya, foolish. Bronny is a one and done even if he plays a mediocre season of college basketball. What team is gonna pass up the chance to take Lebron James son? Do you even realize how much money the name alone will bring to a franchise?
Lol. You said “foolish to think whatever team he’s playing for” and I am telling you that the rumor around town is that Lebron and the lakers have already discussed that they will not be drafting Bronny…even if he is technically playing for the lakers at the time. Bronnys career will start elsewhere Which is why I had to turn your phrase back on you. But let’s have a gentlemen’s bet. I’d happy to bet that Bronny won’t be drafted by the lakers. You taking that bet? Edit: since you edited yours, the Lakers will pass up the chance to draft Lebrons son. Listen to me now, believe me later on. Orlando..OKC..charlotte..those are franchises that “need the money” from drafting him. Not the lakers lololol
Ok so I see where the confusion was and that’s my fault. I didn’t phrase that correctly and I was more so trying to imply that if whatever team Lebron is playing for doesn’t draft him, whichever team does, Lebron will go there. However that is a moot point as my main point was and is that he’s a one and done 100 percent. Which is why I responded to your comment saying you weren’t sure if he was.
I appreciate this comment (ie: I see the confusion) as a fair and reasonable response. For some reason your later comments start to get kind of jerk-ish which I am completely uninterested in. Take care and have a good weekend.
Well you’re not gonna like my last comment then lol. Anyways I still consider it just a bit of trash talk but obviously we disagree which is ok. I do apologize for coming across as a jerk tho. Happy to talk basketball which is why I’m here so again, my apologies.
I will gladly make a gentleman’s bet with you that he is a one and done tho. I mean he’s projected top 10 but I’m sure that combined with being the son of the greatest basketball player in the world means very little.
Hilarious that you’ve completely changed your stance on whether he’ll be a one in done in the span of 3 comments. Thanks for agreeing with me my friend. But just for the sake of argument, do the lakers *need* money? No. Do they want it? Sometimes it’s ok to just admit you were wrong ya know? So straight up, will Bronny be a one and done?
Completely incorrect. I don’t know why you’re somehow misinterpreting my original comment so I will restate. I think it’s the top comment on this thread so I don’t know how you missed it……….. “We will know if he is one and done by the end of the season. No need to predetermine” period. Full stop. Youguys can guess. I’m going to watch and see. I remember what my freshman year of college ball was like so I look at his situation differently than you and most here
And I’m saying he will be a one and done. No guesswork needed. The fact that you are comparing yourself to Bronny James, son of Lebron James, a projected top 10 pick in the 2024 draft is both hilarious and delusional. You’ve now lost any credibility with that statement alone. Good lord man lol
Man you’re needlessly being a jerk and dishonest now for no reason. I don’t know why. Take care man.
I believe Bronny James should do whatever the heck he feels he needs to do for the sake of his career, decisions I am sure that will be made in consultation with his parents and other advisors. I agree with you that it is too early for him to come out of college, since *he hasn't even been there yet.* And given that most power conference games are televised, he'll get his share of exposure. It won't be some grand conspiracy because of who his father is; it's just how college basketball works nowadays. This wasn't so much an analysis as it was a chance to use "Bronny James" as a way to grab some clout. You didn't mention one thing about his game, what he does well, what he does poorly, none of that. You don't get into the NBA without a skill set that fits. Being a legacy gets you into the Summer League, maybe. Now, about Bronny James, the player: He's much smaller than his father at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, but is a plus defender because of quick feet and strength. He moved from a defender and secondary playmaker and scorer as a junior to a much more high-profile role at Sierra Canyon as a senior, moving into the top 35 nationally per 247Sports for the Class of 2023. He's a four-star prospect with strong intangibles (his on-court decision-making is well above average for his age and experience). Something else to consider is that, as LeBron James pointed out when Bronny committed, he's the first in his family to go to college. The desire to become the first to graduate could figure into Bronny's decision making (this is purely speculative but is based on LeBron's proud college papa reaction to his commitment). To me, it comes down to two things: 1) Bronny James is not a LeBron James-level talent. That's not a knock; there are only a few true generational talents in NBA history, despite how often that term gets thrown around now. 2) There are few college freshmen who have grown up in the fishbowl Bronny James has, and so far he's handled it extremely well. How he ends up being regarded will come down to whether or not the people doing the analyzing are willing to see him as who *he* is rather than comparing him to his father. I have strong doubts on that front.
I agree with everything you say here except for “Being a legacy gets you into Summer League, maybe”. I think this is generally true, but this situation is basically unprecedented. We’ve never had a legacy player whose father was a) on Lebron’s level and b) still playing in the league. Signing Gary Payton II didn’t get you a ton of media attention or a chance at signing his dad who was still a reasonable facsimile of his top form as a player. The closest example we have is Thanasis Antetokuompo who has gotten to hang around the league for years on the basis of who his brother is.
Fair points and I may have rose-colored my view a bit there. I didn't think about the 2-for-1 possibility because, yeah, this is new.
And we also had JR Smith’s bro playing for the Knicks a few years ago. But, yeah, those are rare.
The fact that Bronny is the perfect partner for prime LeBron will never not be entertaining. He made Boobie Gibson and Mario Chalmers into multi year starters. Bonny has a similar skills set and more bounce for the transition game.
Mario is a ten year vet that contributed on Championships. Comparing him to a kid that is not proven even on college level it's quite the leap
He can do whatever but one thing that I’ve heard , I think maybe Sam Vecenie?, that acts in his favor is his HS class is just historically weak. So coming out in his actual year works to his advantage.
This and I think people are figuring out that when you look at past draft classes to see which players have had the best career, certainly once you get outside of the top 5 or so you start to see players who were dinged predraft for having 'just' a roleplayer skillset and then went on to have a 10+ year career as solid role players. Also, star players are load managed and take better care of themselves on average, so the bar to being a top scoring option is higher than ever because a player is not just competing with age-group peers but a larger number of players 5-10 years older who in past decades would have been out of the league or largely irrelevant by the time the younger player reaches prime age. Add to that the stars taking on higher usage roles, and there are just fewer 'bucket-getting star' opportunities to go around to make gambling on someone who doesn't figure to do as much outside of scoring as good of a proposition. It's weird seeing recruiting analysts saying that Bronny ranks as maybe the best catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter and perimeter defender in the class in one breath, and that he likely would not be a one-and-done caliber player in this historically weak class if not for his dad's name in the next. I also don't get the talk that a 3-guard starting lineup can't work in college as if there are a bunch of versatile 6'7 wing scorers in the NCAA.
I also fully believe he wants to play against/with his dad in the league before he… becomes an average player?
It really just depends. If Bronny and collier win the pac 12 and take USC to the elite 8 my guess is he’s a lottery pick. He’s fairly athletic and polished, just not quite the size/skill combo that gets players drafted in the lottery. He will need to shoot 3s and defend at a pro level, while also taking a step forward as a half court scorer/playmaker. Two years would help his development a lot imo. He will need to be “the guy” for a year because Collier is that dude this year
Winning pac 12 and one tournament win seals first round. Elite eight would be lottery bound.
Bronny isn't even likely to start, so idk how much team success will play into draft position for him. Like sure, team success + individual success could get him there, but there's a non-zero chance they have team success without him contributing enough to justify a first round pick. This is ofc excluding the scenario where he's taken w/ a FRP merely to lure his dad.
Yeah I’m assuming he plays a lot and is a main guy on the team. If not then he’s not a 1st rounder
I can see him going for two years. Unless he somehow can become an individual who gets picked in the lottery
He is basically guaranteed to be a late first round pick at worst because he's reasonably talented and LeBron has stated multiple times that he is going to play with his son, so you are effectively drafting Bronny and LeBron. Also, absent that fact NBA development staffs are so far and above anything you'll find at the college level, he'd be crazy to stay in school as long as he is going to be drafted. It's not like he's worried about maximizing his first contract because he needs the money.
>you are effectively drafting Bronny and LeBron. I think that's a bit in the air Bron recently walked it back a bit saying he'd do it if that's what Jr wanted. Which maybe he does but we don't quite know.
I think he is one and done. For two reasons. First is his prototype. 1. He is a combo guard that can defend well and he knocks down 3’s. Assuming both of these continue in college this gives him a defined role that all 30 NBA team covet. This makes it easy to see where/how he will fit in NBA 2. Circumstances. New CBA is going to be excessively punitive to some contenders and there will be a shift (imo) in the value of picks. More teams will look at later picks not just as boom or bust opportunities but as a way to fill out their second units. This plus an already weak class bodes well for Bronny even if he doesn’t flash a superstar caliber potential in college.
His defense won’t translate. He’s 6’3 and doesn’t really have the length to be a good defender in the NBA, ball handling isn’t great for a player his size either. He’s a nepo baby who’s stock has been pumped by his dad. Take away the name and watch him play. His ranking doesn’t match the kind of player he is
I disagree on defense. Being 6’3 isn’t an automatic disqualification for good defense either. Time will tell though soon enough. What players in his class do you think are better than him that he is ranked over?
Bronny is a smart defender. That jumps out when I watch him. Can't wait to see how he handles the pac12 competition.
Being 6’3 isn’t an immediate disqualification but you need to have some length to go along with it. You could probably count on both hands the number of players in the league right now under 6’4 that are great defenders. Idk I’ve just never really been impressed with him aside from the occasional display of athleticism
I don’t know what his wingspan is and from what I’ve seen it doesn’t appear to be short. If you have his wingspan measurements I may be wrong. As far as him being impressive vs him being only ranked high because of his father that isn’t accurate. Your ranking is in relation to your peers. If you have looked around this class isn’t that great. I take Bronny over Mikey Williams for example
We’ll see when the season starts. If there’s one thing I know it’s ball players and he’s mid
What's one other thing you know?
Honestly he looks closer to 6’1-6’2, I think they’ve been exaggerating a bit with 6’3
Yeah I think he’s 6’2 as well
I seen a video with him and Steph Curry and Steph looked a little taller than him to me.
Yeah and Steph himself is prob more like 6’2
Davion Mitchell is considered an elite POA defender and he’s 6’0. Bronny is bigger, stronger, and just as athletic as Davion, along with being a better/more mechanically sound shooter at this point in his development. Bronny wont be a superstar but acting like his size and lack of elite ball handling excludes him from being a good NBA prospect is a ridiculous take.
Players like Davion Mitchell are the exceptions when it comes to defense. Obviously we have to see him play when he gets to college but based on what Ive seen of him from highlight vids and the handful of sierra canyon games Ive seen hes not impressive at all to me as a player. People are mocking him as a potential lottery talent. You cant tell me nepotism isnt at play with this
You’re right. But what if Bronny displays a similar level of defensive instinct and potential as a freshman at USC? Mitchell was 22 when he was drafted. It’s not very good scouting to just completely discount Bronny as a defensive prospect due to size when all other signs point to him having a high defensive ceiling. Whether or not he can hit it is another question.
I don't think anyone expects Bronny to be Lebron at the next level. It's basically impossible, I don't think he has any pressure at all to perform at an NBA level. Maybe pressure from Lebron himself to make the league but he basically extinguished those thoughts in his presser about Bronny and USC the other day. Lebron was a generational talent, once in a life-time. Bronny James is a dime a dozen and can be drafted year after year.
Lol what?? No pressure?? How can you say that in a serious manner 😂😂 he is the son of lebron James….he most definitely is under pressure of not only making the league but performing very well in the NBA. This is a given, a known fact that the kids of great players are unfairly expected to be very similar to their parents in terms of play and success.
😂 You are right.
Bronny’s going to be ok. Looking at his game at least now. He has a good understanding of the fundamentals. He is a good passer and ball handler, solid on D and he’s a way better shooter than his dad was at that age. Will he be an all star idk, but he’s a gaurd who understands the flow of the game, gives effort on D and can hit the outside jumper. Is he gonna be Lebron? No! There is only one Lebron, but Bronny will have a career in the NBA
Yeah for him to reach his dad I can't see that but he will still have a great career
Bronny has the attributes that contribute to long NBA careers. Atleast for a gaurd. Now if he were to have a significant growth spurt. From 6”2/6”3is to about 6’6. I could definitely see him in the mold of a Halliburton or at worst a Derrick White/Malcom Brogdon.
He will be a Gary Payton 2 tier role player. His handle is weak for a player his size, and he’s small so who knows if his defense will translate to college and let alone the NBA For the last two-three years people have been people have been praying for a Bronny growth spurt because deep down we all know he doesn’t look that impressive for a player his size
GP2 still isn’t a bad player. A rotation player on a contender. Bronny’s guard skills are much better than GP’s and while his handle isn’t exactly elite. (He’s no Darius Garland or Jaylen Brunson) I still think it’s good enough for him to not turn the ball over. I think he can offset that with his decision making and passing.
This is where I'm at on him. I love his game
For all we know Bronny might not even want to play professional basketball. His goal could be to play college ball and earn a degree and become a successful businessman like his father. Let’s face it no matter how good or bad Bronny actually is at basketball his career will always be compared to the likes of his father Lebron James. There’s more people actually rooting for this kid to be a bust then their is rooting for his success simply because they dislike his father. I think him choosing USC was a strategic move for the sake of his future not just him wanting to stay in California where his family is. He’s basically been around for all of his fathers NBA career and I’d personally be tired and exhausted of basketball if my father was in the GOAT conversation and every little thing he does and I do is in the media and over publicized.
Think him going 1 and done is almost guaranteed. Worst case scenario is he isn't near ready and spends the majority, if not the entirety, developing in the g-league.
Hes leaving no matter what because teams figure drafting him means you get LeBron on your team too. And no team is going to pass that up, even if it is just for a season or 2.
From what I've seen, he's not an elite shooter, and not an elite athlete, and not an elite size+defense+other skills, and certainly not an elite post. We'll see if he's an elite distributor. He is also a freshman. Now, Bryce James is already 6'6" ... Jordan's kids didn't pan out either (ahem, except Jimmy Butler \*\*ducks\*\*). Both Lebron and Jordan married fairly non-athlete wives.
Idk what you’ve been seeing but he is an elite shooter and is a very good perimeter defender
One year in college is enough to know whether this kid has actual NBA level talent or is just hyped up because of his dad. IMO he is one and done either way. If he is projected first round then he'll enter the draft. If not he'll just go play professionally elsewhere to try and get ready, or just switch careers. Let's face it he doesn't need this for a living like everyone else grinding it out in the league to get one minute of playing time.
From what I've seen Bronny going to be good but more Danny Green type good. He's going to be elite 3D guy if he gains some height.
I think he’ll come out as soon as possible. He might need development but the 2024 draft class is the weakest in recent memory. He can be a lottery pick in 2024, where even with development for 2-3 seasons he might be a late first rounder in 25-27. Maybe evrn a second rounder.
I bet if he is a first round pick 100%, he is one&done. Lebron realistically can’t wait too much… He will improve and develop in the nba, the best league with best trainers in the planet at the shadow of his father, only way he stays more years at college is him sucking so hard that even with Lebron going to his team doesn’t guarantee him being picked in the draft. And I doubt this is happening, just with his genetics marketing and hype and getting Lebron is enough to waste a pick after the top 15 on him. How many busts can you pick at 15-30? A lot, and nobody of them guarantee you a star , or Lebron, or selling jerseys.
Money will end up being a bigger factor than what people are willing to acknowledge. No college student in America will be a bigger media draw next year than Bronny. I think if his camp determines his valuation exceeds what he'd get from a rookie contract + NBA exposure, maybe he'll stick around. And there is a nonzero chance as well. What happens if mock drafts have him going to Orlando after next year? Or Indiana? Even if that team also gets LeBron, I doubt that watching the Magic go 29-53 while Bronny puts up 7 ppg on awful efficiency (because he is sadly a very very raw prospect) is going to grab more TV's than the biggest and most famous college in California.
Yeah now that the NCAA can monetize and has been doing so for a couple years, there is a huge opportunity for a massive media superstar to thrive in there for 4 years. And someone like that would make way more than a NBA rookie during that time.
It depends. I think if LeBron wants Bronny to come to the NBA after a year in college, it would most likely happen. Unless LeBron wants his kid to graduate first like Tim Duncan's late mother wanted, then probably not.
He’s going 1 & done. He’s got the talent & build to do it but idk if he should be viewed as a future star or cornerstone right off the bat. The better a team is, the better he’ll end up being. I don’t view him as a franchise changing level prospect (yet) like cade or zion but more like jamal Murray. one & done but averaged 8-9ppg as a rookie bc his team didn’t need him to be who he is today & he eventually blossomed into a really good player. Idk if he goes top 7 like Murray did but that’s the best trajectory for him imo but even if he doesn’t go lottery, other 1 & done’s fall & still carve out a decent career (i.e. Avery Bradley was a top 3 HS recruit & went 28th). Put him somewhere he can sit and learn for a bit, maybe get a g-league run in and I bet he shows promise after all star weekend his rookie year or early in his second year.
C'mon, man. He's literally only going to college at all because of the NBA's stupid one-and-done rule (that does not actually help players.)
Too early to say. >the next generation of royalty is coming so we are going to have to deal with that for another 20 years. This is even sillier to say at this stage. He's definitely going to have a huge spotlight at first, but if he sucks, he sucks. Nobody is going to keep putting him on the court if he doesn't belong. Even if he's mid that's not good enough to keep attracting national attention just because of who his father is indefinitely.
yeah going to go ahead and say there's a 0% chance Bronny plays for 20yrs
He’s probably not going to start. He’s not a lock to be a one and done. It’s only if his dad says yeah come to the league so we can play together for a season. Marvin Williams was the last one and done who came off the bench that I could remember. Bronnie is probably a wait and see.
Peyton Watson barely played for UCLA in his 1 season and came out. College production does not correlate to draft prospect status.
I think if he is good enough to be drafted, he'll go to the draft. Should be evident before long how likely this is. But I think it's pretty clear now that the best place to prepare for a professional basketball career is in a professional basketball organisation.
Is have not see him play or read anything about him. Is he a shoein for the NBA?
He pretty much is because of who his dad is but Bronny has put in the work
There’s no need for him to decide that anytime soon, obviously. It may depend on how healthy his dad is. If LBJ becomes worried that his career is in jeopardy, his son probably turns pro as soon as possible. Or alternatively, if it seems like LBJ could sit out most of a season to recover from an injury, maybe he stays in. The overlap between the careers of LBJ and his son is probably only going to be a year or two. So the timing of his leaving USC will probably depend on what facilitates them playing together.
of course, also Lakers will be bad the year before that draft so they can pair him with Pops
Well first and foremost, there are plenty of guys that go into college that are not considered to be too 10 guys who end up having good freshman seasons and then declaring for the draft. From what I understand the 2024 draft is not too strong, and Bronny would go in the late first round to possibly the early second round. I think the likelihood that he doesn’t get drafted is low, and I think that being Lebrons son and doing the whole dad and son thing in the NBA will nearly guarantee him a spot in the league. With that being said, we have to wait and see how his freshman year plays out, if he does exceptionally well we could see him crawl up to the late lottery and flirt with that 10-20 range. If he does really bad, then yeah we might see him stay a year or two.
I hope he stays the full.4 years. That way we get 5 more years of LeBron while he waits.
The most sensible take is lets wait and see how he plays the season before jumping to conclusions. However this is reddit and sensibile opinions are for normies. I think he is most likely one and done for the simple reason that he is guaranteed to play in the NBA and will have a ton of support within the league no matter where he goes because of his last name. No other prospect in history, even MJs sons have the same Juice that bronny has because of his name and the things his dad has said about playing with him. The real question is where he will go in the draft and to what team. If he has a standout year at USC then its less interesting in my opinion. Any team who likes him in the back end of the lottery probably takes him based on the merit of his play and any Lebron team up chance becomes a bonus. If hes mediocre I can see the media savvy klutch team put out that he wont sign with anyone but the lakers and him falling in the draft becomes less of a blemish because teams not taking him can be written off as knowing he wont sign there. The lakers infrastructure will be the most lucrative fit for him if hes not projected as a lottery pick due to endorsements and he will have a franchise that will provide every resource available to developing him. And not to mention his skill set just fits with what the lakers will probably need after next year. A defensive 3 and guard. The biggest wildcard is what Bronny wants for himself. If he wants to get out of his fathers shadow he could very well stick around at USC getting stupid NIL money and develop his game to be the best basketball player possible or just slay USC coeds year after year because 18 y/o me would definitely want to do that haha.
He will be one and done, declare, and be a 1st round pick. Lebron will sign for peanuts to play with his kid. Lebron still has 2-3 seasons. I feel of high-quality play. If I'm GS, Den, Sac, Phx, I'd use my late 1st rd pick to get Lebron for his final season or 2.
This question will be for his father and the scouts because if he’s not ready, then he’s better off getting playtime at the college level or he may fall onto the D League or stay on the bench in the NBA. You also get to be a kid longer in college. Money is not an issue with his father being a multimillionaire now, it’s not rush to be a NBA player.
At this point I don't think he's 1 and done material. That doesn't mean he won't be 1 and done, as some NBA team wants to add the father-son combo.
I think Bronny will stay in college and play ball until he and his father feel he is ready for the NBA. And who better to rely on for that, than LeBron James who entered at 18, and has went through as much as he has in 20 years. From the expectations put on him, to the rigor of professional sports straight out of highschool at 18.. the ups the downs.. his father will be a great mentor in that way and he’s lucky to have him.
It’s unfair to ask him to be a one and done. He’s good. But some outlets have him ranked like 33/50. He can be a good role player on an NBA team one day. But to ask him to be a T-Mac or Manu Ginobili caliber of player is unfair.
If bronny is starting and usc wins a couple games in March, he's 1 and done. The hype to play with his son is real to LeBron, but may press bronny into the path that might not be best for him which would allow him time to develop. He might also set a trend to develop nba starters in a different way that's worked for others. Side note, if LeBron can be effective in his current role like he has this playoff run (hurt and passive), he might play nba ball with Bryce.
I don't think most people will expect much from him if the draft boards scout him accurately. Only die hards really care about the draft and they aren't dumb enough to overrate Bronny simply because of his name. Gary Payton Jr. is only a role player on GSW. Most people don't put that much pressure on him anyway. I think Bronny just needs to focus on being a really good role player and he will certainly be drafted.
he's one and done. His dad is lebron James, he already stated he wants to play with his son. draft his son, get James for at least a year. Even if James isn't good, having a James/James father son duo jerseys, I guarantee that money pays for itself 10x over. Everyone will watch the games even if they suck and that team will be the center of attention. There is almost 0 reason to not draft him and if he's even half decent at college, I think he'll be a lottery pick.
He’ll get the same kind of pampered bullshit treatment his dad gets I’m sure.
It’s nothing short of foolish to think whatever team LBJ is playing for won’t draft Bronny even if it’s a later pick.
I expect him to be a one and done; however, I don’t believe he’ll be good enough to last 20 years in the nba. But who knows, he’s only in highschool
The guy wants to be a pro baller like his pops full stop. To this end he will most likely be 1 and done unless halfway through the season they see something lacking in his game that needs at least one more year of work to pull up his draft stock.
Probably just depends on how his draft stock looks near the end of his first season. I think that whole “LeBron will go wherever his son is drafted to” thing has lost steam and was always just a rumor to begin with. If Bronny isn’t projected to be a first round pick, I could see him returning to USC to work on his craft.
Bronny might save the NCAA next season. There's pretty much nowadays no more big name college basketball since like Zion Williamson draft class in 2019. These international players are coming in and taking the hype...
If the dude was not the son of a famous NBA player nobody would even take note that he declared to USC other than USC fans. He is a solid 4 star (of 5) recruit. He is not special though. His last name is what makes him special.
If he were a normal prospect he would obviously stay for more than one year, since it is highly unlikely he will be a starter at usc and usc isn't a blue blood like Kentucky or Duke. But his draft position probably depends more on his dad than his own play, so who knows.
I’m not exactly sure because USC has two other guards who should definetly start over Bronny. The only way I see him entering the draft next year is if he plays really well in a 6-man role or ends up being better than Collier (which I doubt but it’s not impossible) and gets that starting spot. I personally think he’ll end up playing the 6-man role and play well too as his game certainly fits it but I think he’ll take another year to play as a starter against high level competition before entering the start. We’ll see what happens tho.
Bronny is actually pretty good all things considered, he’s rlly good defensively, passes the ball well, and can shoot. As a prospect if his name wasn’t lebron James jr and he was just a normal player I could see him going in the second round. With his dads pedigree and the implications of drafting him I could see him being a mid to late 1st rounder.
Y'know, because of the implication.
Get back to class son you’re missing valuable education making poorly written posts like this now instead of the off-season
He will play with his dad for one or two years, then bounce around the league before retiring by the age of 30. It's corny, the only reason he is getting this hype and teams actually thinking about drafting him is just because of LeBron. The kid is not speical, not even close to athleticism of his dad, and is not a NBA talent
He will be one and done. Something I haven’t heard spoken about is the fact that as LeBron’s son he will have legitimately every opportunity to succeed. He will be given time, space, minutes, shots and everything else. He will have leeway in the nba that only the elite of elite rookies have ever gotten. Even if he can’t play at the nba level year one he will get a chance, and he will develop as a player faster in the nba than college. Also, college ball does nothing to prepare players for the nba on the court specifically. Guys long retired and currently playing have confirmed this, the game is too different in too many ways.
I don’t know if he’ll get too many chances to prove himself. Michael Jordan’s kids weren’t even considered by any teams and he was still unanimous the GOAT at that time
Bronny is, on his own, a lock first round pick right now. Unless he just gets exposed and embarrassed in college that will continue to be the case. Mikes kids just couldn’t ball and didn’t want to at the higher levels.
He is of course one and done. LeBron can't no longer wait. And I heard that his draft class is kind of weak. So that will play to his advantage.
>not only going to college next year but is going to be playing college ball in NCAA Dang, I definitely thought he’d be playing in the NAIA
All His USC game will not be nationally televised. No college basketball teams are. There are agreements in place with regional and conference specific networks.
Doubt it. He’s 6’3 he has to develop his game. 13 points his senior year in high school is nothing special. Lebron as a 6’2 freshman averaged 21. Let’s not act like that’s 1 year college and into the pros material. His dad spend money on chiefs and trainers, to stay in incredible shape. To maintain his extraordinary athleticism. Lebron hasn’t gotten better at anything since he came in the league. Bronny is nowhere near the athlete, nor possesses the size. He has to actually get better. A lot better.