Lebron (Bronny) James Jr. has agreed to attend USC this fall, where he will likely spend one season before declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft. All eyes will be on Bronny as he tries to get the Trojans over the hump. He was the 33rd ranked high school player this year, and will also be joined at USC by #1 recruit Isaiah Collier. They will likely be the favourites in the Pac-12 this year, with a chance to go on a run in the NCAA tournament next March.
The most exciting thing about this news is that it means that we are one step closer to seeing Bronny in the NBA. As of right now, Bronny is expected to be a first round pick, but not necessarily a top ten pick. This of course can change after a big season with USC. There has never been a father-son duo that has played together on the same team.
How will Bronny James fit in at USC? 🤔 @jeffborzello spoke to anonymous coaches and scouts about James' development on @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/v2e0FEAI4u pic.twitter.com/7Sf5eLgtpz
— ESPN (@espn) May 9, 2023
He has a different playing style than his father. Standing just 6’3″ compared to LeBron’s 6’9″, Bronny is a better fit as a guard and playmaker. This may work well for his ability to play alongside his dad in the future.
The elder LeBron has made it clear that one of his last goals of his career is to play with his son. This will likely create a unique scenario where the drafter of Bronny will likely also get LeBron in an unofficial package deal. It will be interesting to see if some team perhaps drafts him earlier than expected in order to secure the services of LeBron as well. The elder James has played against a whopping 9 different father-son duos over his career.
This news comes with LeBron’s Lakers on the brink of advancing to the Western Conference Finals over the Golden State Warriors. I know he said that his goal is to play with his son, but I wonder if that goal will change to winning a championship with his son by next year. LeBron is still playing at a very high level, averaging 22.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.
LeBron James has achieved everything possible in the NBA, except his last stated goal of playing his final season with his son, Bronny. https://t.co/kgdgY1KvWh
— CNN (@CNN) May 7, 2023
Even if the Lakers can’t get back to the promised land this year, I think that getting close will make LeBron yearn to get back as soon as possible. Time will tell if Bronny has the chops to be a quality NBA player, let alone a star.
Basketball diehards and casual fans alike will get something out of seeing the James duo play together. It would be a cool opportunity to say that you saw the first father-son duo play on the same team together.