SUMMARY
- Bronny James has been underperforming so far for the USC Trojans.
- Rich Paul reveals that Bronny is more focused on which teams decides to draft him.
Although Bronny James is yet to officially declare for the upcoming NBA Draft, theories on how his situation can unfold have capitated the majority of the basketball community. To the few who might not be aware, Bronny is the eldest son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and is expected by many to follow in the footsteps of his father to become an NBA star.
However, there is no denying that Bronny’s journey to becoming a pro is significantly different from that which his father went through several decades ago. After all, Bronny sustained a cardiac arrest last year and missed a significant amount of time due to rehabilitation and recovery from this unexpected medical complication.
Nonetheless, Bronny has found his way back onto the court, and theories that he will declare himself for the 2024 NBA Draft have fans wondering what his future could look like. That said, a closer look at recent reports on the subject is certainly required.
Which NBA teams should consider drafting Bronny James?
Since Bronny underwent surgery following a cardiac arrest, it is difficult to imagine how this impacted his rise and development as a basketball player. Therefore, it isn’t much of a surprise that he has been underperforming in college, averaging less than 6 points per game while having his playing minutes restricted.
Bronny James’ clips from his latest game at UCLA
His defensive impact is beyond the stat sheet. He is getting a lot of deflections and is locking down most of the players in 1 on 1 situations pic.twitter.com/WwFOkmXpjG
— BronnyMuse (@BronnyMuse06) February 26, 2024
Rich Paul is LeBron James’ sports agent and close friend. Due to his connection with the family, Rich also has insight into Bronny’s goals and expectations. He revealed that Bronny is more concerned about the team and situation that he enters as opposed to how high he is picked in the upcoming NBA Draft.
LeBron has also revealed that he wants to play alongside his son. On the other hand, Bronny has made it clear that he wants to establish his own identity and create a legacy for himself. Therefore, the team that drafts Bronny undoubtedly plays a big part in both their expectations.
While it would certainly be nice to see Bronny get drafted to a contender and make it to the NBA next season, one must wonder if leaving college and declaring for the NBA is the right call for him given his current situation.
Should Bronny declare for the draft or spend more time in college?
The majority of NBA players declare for the NBA after having attended college for one year. However, there have been a few prodigies such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant who joined the NBA straight out of high school.
Although fans would have certainly expected to see Bronny doing much better in terms of stats and performance, the argument that he needs to spend more time in college and work on his game is a valid one that shouldn’t be disputed quickly.
Bronny James had a triple double in 15 minutes on Saturday.
2 points
2 assists
2 reboundsBut yeah, he should enter the Draft this year. pic.twitter.com/kbZ3GWBIF6
— The Reverend Reiderson (@ChipReiderson) February 26, 2024
Bronny underwent a life-altering surgery and was unable to have the required amount of practice and training before making his college debut. While it has been more than 3 months since he returned, there is no denying that an additional year in college will improve his draft value significantly.
In any case, fans are left wondering if Bronny will rush the process in order to play alongside or against his father. After all, forcing his way into the NBA to become a “bust” will not help his or his father’s legacy in any way.