Last week, Bronny James revealed his plans for the future, announcing that he would declare for the 2024 NBA Draft but keep his eligibility at the college level intact.
According to one anonymous general manager, the son of LeBron James is making a wise decision in maintaining his college eligibility, as he believes the 19-year-old combo guard isn’t ready for the professional level.
“Bronny is nowhere near ready,” the NBA general manager told The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. “He should go back to school to develop at his own pace or he risks getting lost in the shuffle, whether or not he’s playing with his dad.”
The younger James has been on the NBA’s radar since even before his high school career began, as his famous father has expressed his desire to play alongside his oldest son at the NBA level on multiple occasions. While Bronny enjoyed a strong high school career and was a 4-star prospect coming out of the Sierra Canyon School, his freshman season at USC was hardly special.
After overcoming cardiac arrest that he suffered in the summer, James appeared in 25 games with the Trojans, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. Should he remain in the draft, it will be interesting to see whether a team takes him in hopes of also luring his dad and should he return to college, he has already announced that he is entering the transfer portal.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.