The first step in a story that could have major NBA implications next summer took place today as Bronny James revealed that he’ll play college basketball at USC. The 18-year-old star at Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles made the announcement on his Instagram page.
Bronny’s father, LeBron James, stated at the 2022 All-Star Game that one of his remaining career goals is to play on the same NBA team with his son. They would become the first father-and-son duo to ever be in the NBA at the same time.
LeBron’s current contract with the Lakers includes a $50.652MM player option for the 2024/25 season, which he could decline to become a free agent. He has indicated a willingness to sign with whatever team selects Bronny in next year’s draft.
He talked about it again in a January interview with Dave McMenamin of ESPN (video link), saying, “I need to be on the floor with my boy. I gotta be on the floor with Bronny. I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing.”
The younger James has been steadily moving up draft boards, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported in February. Givony has Bronny going 10th in his latest 2024 mock draft and calls him “arguably the best perimeter defender in his high school class.”
Bronny is a McDonald’s All-American and is considered one of the five best point guard prospects in high school, according to Jeff Borzello of ESPN. He selected the Trojans over Oregon and Ohio State, who were considered to be the other finalists in a mostly secretive recruiting process.
The potential pairing of LeBron and Bronny would be a huge money-maker for whoever can pull it off, Adam Zagoria states in a Forbes article. Pinnacle Advertising creative director Bob Dorfman told Zagoria that some teams could see a 50% rise in their valuation within a year if they were able to acquire both players.
“The franchise value of the team that lands them will skyrocket,” Dorfman added. “Their games will become must-see events that command huge ticket prices and prime-time viewing slots, and they could quickly turn into a playoff powerhouse.”
Guess he’s never heard of Gordie Howe. But I’m not surprised.
I mean, neither am I considering he is under 65.
Also, what does hockey have to do with this?
Hockey has just as much “to do with this” as baseball does.
Guess he’s never heard of Slingin’ Sammy Baugh
But I’m not surprised…..
Lebron is like the overwhelming majority of Americans who don’t like or follow hockey (this ain’t Canada). He has no reason to know about some hockey guy who last played before he was even born.
Agreed. I mean, for cryin’ out loud what’s all this fuss about George Ruth.
Who cares…..a non news item
That you read and commented on.
This is a rumors site about the NBA. The article expresses beliefs about a prospect that will be eligible for the NBA draft next off-season. The prospect’s father is the most popular player in the NBA and is one the best to ever do it. Therefore yez this would be relevant and newsworthy for a site that regularly writes article on NBA rumors.
The flop generation 2!
Yeah sure. I’m old enough to remember when LeBron was a HS senior and there were haters saying he was overrated and would be just another guy in the NBA. It looks like Bronny is going to have his own idiot haters generation 2.
He’s not gonna get close to 50 mill if he opts out. He better realize playing with his son is more important then money.
You’re funny for thinking he won’t.
So some team should trade their pick to the Lakers for a song or when they pick Bronny they should trade him ot the Lakers for a song.
“USC’s own” lol he isn’t even enrolled yet
He’s not an nba talent.
You’d better go educate all these draft analysts that have Bronny ranked as a late 1st rounder to mid 2nd rounder. A couple even have him in the top 10.
He’s a great perimeter defender for his age, very good playmaker and couldn’t ask for a better teacher or lineage.
He’s got a year to learn in a pro level system at USC, who knows where he’ll end up on the draft boards in a season? Oh wait that’s right some dude with the username of bloodfarts on the Hoops rump’s pages says he’s not an NBA talent.
Does what his father rates at affect his draft stock? If a team drafts him and LeBron just follows him there it could be worth a lot assuming you trust LeBron. Did LeBron want Westbrook?
Interesting that he chose USC where there is a point guard likely better than he is. Will be interesting to watch how all of this plays out
Bronny is only going to get drafted bc of hid dad. He’s a very good defensive PG, bur has a much below avg offensive game. He averaged
Who cares …… wake me when he gets drafted by GMBron ……..
You care apparently.
Charlotte Hornets way over draft Bronny James #1 overall, to lure LBJ as player, coach and future owner. LBJ then gets one up on MJ by turning them into a contender as owner.
Don’t give him the idea
Charlotte drafting Bronny, getting Lebron to sign, then trading Bronny for Vlade Divac would be more fitting. But your idea is fun too. The Hornets don’t have a history of coming out on top in situations like this…
He has things going for him, but he also is an undersized guard with similarities to many players not in the league b/c of how hard it is to stay in the league as a guard.
He theoretically could defend 1-3, more likely just at guard, he has a high basketball IQ as a playmaker, he can shoot and knock down catch and shoot shots, but he has a slow release and is a little heavy footed. If those things improve, or if he gets a couple of inches taller, that could obviously help him significantly, but he actually is a really strong fit on a LeBron type of team, in that chalmers/dellavadova/Caruso 3rd playmaker/catch and shoot guy/defends
It’s going to be important who he ends up with b/c fit is an even bigger significant determining factor at his position for guys trying to stay in the league/even get opportunities
We already k ow the team that drafts. Brony will have lebron as well. He wants to play with not against him. Unless lakers do
Bronny. Ya couldn’t give your kid a better name than that? Sounds like a caricature of a real person. Oh wait…..he is. The kid looks like he’d have a hard time benching 50 pounds.
And dang he looks like Carlton from Fresh Prince. Was mommy Bronny getting a little side action from Alfonso Ribeiro?
Another reason to dislike the entitled brats of the NBA.
Wondering if the league and the refs will treat Bronny like a prima donna the way they do with papa.
Seems a touch fake to talk about “whichever team drafts Bronny,” as though it depends on a random spin of the lottery wheel. As noted in the story, the pairing of the James Gang will be a ratings/financial bonanza. That means the draft day deal will be totally planned and arranged before the draft. GM LeBron will see to it, because it’s not just about their pairing on the court. The LBJ business empire has an opportunity here to amplify the brand in a way the Howes and Griffeys did not imagine.
Oh, hell yes. I could never picture a team like the Hornets, Magic or Pistons drafting Bronny and pop follows him there. There would end up being some rigging of the draft, a scripted trade or the league would ‘entice’ one of the aforementioned teams to not draft Bronny.
I’m not a Bron fan becuase I find hin quite annoying. However, the hate some levy in him is really getting silly, and the extending of it to his kid is in even worse taste.
The hate comes from jealousy and self loathing. People who have never done anything as well as LeBron plays basketball or get paid 1/100000 th of what he has been paid hate him for being a winner in life and themselves for being losers.
Yeah you know …….
I know you
You know squat …..
You’re a Knicks fan. Too funny!
Yeah, it’s totally reasonable to expect everyone to be once-in-a-generation good in their respective professions. And it’s not like LeBron had significant genetic advantages over the vast majority of the population or anything /s. Stop debasing yourself so unnecessarily.
(This isn’t a defense of LeBron haters fwiw, they’re dumb too).
The Bulls should tank and draft him!
Be worth the Jersey sales at least!
He’s going to be drafted way above his actual slot anyway. With thought of the father son combo and the future value of franchise
Bronny may still grow a few inches. Looks like he will have a better career than MJ sons. Anyone not pulling for him is hateful no matter what you think of Dad. He is under pressure to be great!