The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft tips off on Wednesday, June 26 while the second round takes place Thursday, June 27.
One of the more interesting prospects in this draft class is USC Trojans guard Bronny James who, of course, is the son of NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James. Bronny’s entry into the league has been anticipated since he was in high school and LeBron indicated in the past that he would love to share the floor with his son. The likelihood of this father-son pairing coming to fruition has increased in recent weeks with Bronny doing individual workouts with just two teams — the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. It remains to be seen where the son of the King will land this week and many draft experts are projecting him to go in the back half of the second round.
Bronny James Draft Profile
James was a four-star prospect in the 2023 high school recruiting class, averaging 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals as a senior at Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles. He committed to USC over the likes of Ohio State and Memphis, joining top point guard and fellow 2024 draft prospect Isaiah Collier in the class.
However, the anticipation for his collegiate debut was tempered over that summer when he collapsed during a workout due to a congenital heart defect. He was taken to ICU, where he was treated and in stable condition by the following day. Bronny would spend the next few months recovering before finally being cleared to play for the Trojans. Coming off the bench for most of the season, he averaged just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in his lone season with the program.
Strengths
Bronny is extremely athletic and explosive, which shouldn’t be a shock considering his father is literally LeBron James. He’s considered a combo guard for his shooting abilities and put that on display when he made 19 of 25 shots during the three-point shooting drill at the NBA Scouting Combine. He also showed his hops by recording a 40.5-inch vertical, the fourth-highest of all combine participants. He has a long wingspan for his frame, which can help him guard on the defensive end of the floor.
Weaknesses
James is a bit small for a combo guard, officially measuring at 6’1.5” during the combine. He shot just 36% from the field at USC, and according to the Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, he made just 33.8% of his catch-and-shoot threes in high school. He did not make much of an impact during his brief stint at USC considering that he played limited minutes off the bench for a team that finished the season under .500. And while he has been medically cleared to play in the NBA, his health will be something to monitor after last summer’s scare.
Player comparison: Davion Mitchell
Multiple draft analysts have compared James to Mitchell, who is similarly sized at 6’0”, 202 pounds. As Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman described, Mitchell has made himself useful with the Sacramento Kings as a pressure defender who can be a shooting threat while playing off the ball.