A school basketball participant that averaged 4.8 factors per recreation throughout his freshman yr normally does not garner a lot consideration within the NBA draft.
However when that participant is the son of essentially the most well-known basketball participant on Earth, exceptions are made.
LeBron James’ oldest son, Bronny, entered the 2024 NBA Draft and can count on to listen to his identify known as someday throughout Wednesday’s first spherical or Thursday’s second spherical. The 6-foot-2 level guard performed 25 video games with the USC Trojans in 2023-24 after struggling a cardiac arrest final summer time.
Regardless of lackluster manufacturing in his lone collegiate season, Bronny James stored his identify within the 2024 draft with agent Wealthy Paul insisting his consumer would require an ordinary NBA contract and never a two-way deal.
Looming over Bronny James’ standing is the implications for his father. LeBron James is extensively anticipated to choose out of his 2024-25 participant choice with the Los Angeles Lakers and rejoin the staff in free company, however his earlier feedback about his needs to sometime play along with his son within the NBA may entice some groups to draft his son with hopes of turning the Jameses right into a package deal deal.
So, which staff may choose Bronny James within the 2024 NBA Draft? Kaz Famuyide of Fanatics Sportsbook broke down three prospects:
Los Angeles Lakers
2024 NBA Draft picks: No. 17, No. 55 (by way of Clippers)
Bronny James would not even want to maneuver out of his Brentwood dwelling if the Lakers chosen him. As a substitute, he would get to maintain residing along with his father turned teammate.
The Lakers are essentially the most obvious and entertaining match for Bronny James. Nevertheless, there are questions in regards to the Lakers’ path to drafting him.
No. 17 is considered as far too early to make use of on Bronny James — even in a draft full of query marks — however he additionally might not make it to No. 55.
Deciding on Bronny James would set LeBron James as much as end his profession as a Laker. Nevertheless, the Lakers have to contemplate if taking the purpose guard at No. 17 or utilizing further draft capital to maneuver up from No. 55 is in the very best curiosity of latest head coach JJ Redick, All-Star massive man Anthony Davis and the remainder of the group.
Bronny James, son of NBA all-time main scorer LeBeron James, is anticipated to be a second spherical choose within the 2024 NBA Draft.
Phoenix Suns
2024 NBA Draft picks: No. 22
The primary yr of the Phoenix Suns’ massive three didn’t go based on plan.
Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal fashioned one of many NBA’s costliest trios final offseason, however they in the end didn’t win a playoff recreation and had been swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves within the first spherical.
Given the staff’s monetary scenario, the draft may turn into a significant a part of Phoenix’s team-building. The franchise may take a swing on Bronny James hoping he pans out as a productive bench guard — and probably have his father observe him to the desert.
“The Suns are in cap hell,” Famuyide stated, alluding to the Suns’ stars all being beneath contract by way of the subsequent two seasons.
“Perhaps they take an opportunity on a second-round choose like Bronny James and hope that LeBron says, ‘ what? I’ll depart the Lakers, play with these star gamers and take much less cash to attempt to get one other championship alternative.’ That is attainable.”
Cleveland Cavaliers
2024 NBA Draft picks: No. 20
The Cleveland Cavaliers face extra imminent uncertainty with their high participant.
Donovan Mitchell has a 2025-26 participant choice and will hit free company subsequent summer time, placing the Cavaliers able to increase or commerce him this offseason or run the chance of dropping him for nothing a yr from now. Whereas Bronny James may very well be a backup guard behind Mitchell in Cleveland, Famuyide thinks LeBron James returning to Cleveland as soon as once more would entice Mitchell to remain put.
“I feel you’ll be able to inform a man like [Mitchell] would wish to keep in Cleveland if the King was coming again to make Ohio a championship contender as soon as once more,” Famuyide stated.
Relating to basketball match, groups may very well be inclined to see if Bronny James falls to them within the second spherical. Nevertheless, even when it is a slim probability, the potential of touchdown LeBron James in a package deal deal may lure a corporation to swing for the fences on his son sooner than anticipated.
“You gotta admit, the enticement of presumably prying LeBron James from the Los Angeles Lakers is perhaps an excessive amount of for just a few NBA groups to go up,” Famuyide stated.