Bronny James staying in 2024 NBA Draft, agent says

The Athletic has dwell protection of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Bronny James, the son of NBA famous person LeBron James, will stay within the 2024 NBA Draft and forgo his remaining school eligibility, their agent Wealthy Paul informed ESPN forward of Wednesday’s NCAA deadline. The Athletic beforehand reported this determination was anticipated.

“Bronny’s [draft] vary is vast,” Paul informed ESPN. “He’s a extremely good prospect who has quite a lot of room for progress. It solely takes one crew. I don’t care the place that crew is — it may be No. 1 or 58 — [but] I do care in regards to the plan, the event.

“The crew’s technique, the chance and the monetary dedication. That’s why I’m not doing a two-way deal. Each crew understands that.”

The Phoenix Suns — the crew that holds the No. 22 choose — will conduct a exercise with James forward of the draft, as he’s amongst a number of gamers in consideration, The Athletic beforehand reported. James has over 10 exercise invites however is anticipated to solely go to a number of groups, together with the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

James, who suffered a cardiac arrest final July earlier than returning to the court docket for his freshman season at USC, has been absolutely cleared to play by the NBA’s Health to Play Panel and took part in all pre-draft actions, starting with the NBA Draft Mix earlier this month.

Whereas not thought of a high prospect — James was not included in The Athletic’s post-lottery mock draft — his surname and journey again to the court docket following a severe well being scare make him one of the vital notable gamers on this yr’s draft class.

There’s additionally the added intrigue of whether or not James and his father might turn out to be teammates. LeBron has expressed a need to finish his profession enjoying alongside his son.

The youthful James collapsed after struggling a cardiac arrest throughout a USC crew exercise in July. A household spokesperson stated a congenital coronary heart defect precipitated the incident. Medical doctors cleared him to return to apply 4 months later, and he made his school debut on Dec. 10 in opposition to Lengthy Seaside State. He appeared in USC’s remaining 25 video games, beginning six and averaging 4.8 factors, 2.8 rebounds and a couple of.1 assists in 19.3 minutes.

Questions surrounding his future accelerated when his school coach at USC, Andy Enfield, left for the head-coaching emptiness at SMU in March.

James, 19, declared for the NBA Draft on April 5. He additionally entered the switch portal to keep up flexibility as he labored out for NBA groups.

Following the USC teaching change, LeBron stated that Bronny had “some robust choices to make” concerning his future.

“On the finish of the day, Bronny’s his personal man,” LeBron stated in April.

The youthful James’ determination comes forward of a giant one for his father, who has to determine whether or not to decide into his $51.4 million participant possibility for 2024-25 by June 29. Crew sources stated final month the Lakers are open to the prospect of serving to LeBron fulfill his dream of enjoying along with his son by doubtlessly drafting him.

LeBron declined to reply a query about whether or not he performed his remaining sport as a Laker after Los Angeles was eradicated in 5 video games by the Denver Nuggets within the first spherical of the NBA playoffs.

The NBA Draft takes place June 26-27.

Bronny tasks as a 3-and-D guard who performs exhausting, makes good choices on offense, does the little issues, passes nicely, leads the quick break off defensive rebounds, fills transition lanes and assaults the rim when he will get an opportunity. He’s a terrific defensive participant who fights on the level of assault and has the size and foot pace to stay with most guards.

James’ offense is a piece in progress. He struggled to generate any half-court paint touches this yr and isn’t a lot of a pull-up shooter but. He made solely 27 p.c of his 3s final season, although he regarded extra assured taking them at USC and has extra capturing expertise than his proportion reveals. — Sam Vecenie, NBA Draft author

Do Bronny’s measurements on the mix matter?

We lastly bought affirmation on how massive James is strictly. He measured at 6-foot-1 1/2 with out footwear with a 6-7 1/4 wingspan and an 8-2 1/2 standing attain. That’s a lot smaller than the 6-4 top at which he was listed whereas enjoying for USC, but it surely’s vital to do not forget that faculties checklist gamers’ heights in footwear. Whereas the Trojans added an additional inch to Bronny’s top, they didn’t drastically oversell it. On high of that, NBA groups had been working below the belief that James was within the ballpark of 6-2 anyway.

James’ standing attain places him rather more within the ballpark of level guard versus that of a combo or capturing guard. Previous gamers to put up an 8-2 1/2 standing attain on the mix embrace Bruce Brown, Collin Sexton, Terry Rozier and Avery Bradley. James is a bit stronger and stouter than most of these gamers. — Vecenie

How a lot does shooting-drill displaying assist him?

James’ success throughout a capturing drill is a reminder for evaluators that James has the potential to shoot the ball regardless of his percentages. Having stated that, as I wrote a month in the past, “he confirmed rather more capturing potential as a high-school participant than he did in school. There may be nothing inherently incorrect along with his mechanics. Maybe he was out of rhythm after not being cleared to play in the course of the offseason.”

NBA groups haven’t gone into this course of believing that James is unable to shoot the basketball. That’s the a part of his offensive sport they really have essentially the most confidence in translating to the professionals. Moreover, these pictures are only a drop within the bucket. Any of the a whole lot of scouts and executives who had been at Nike Hoop Summit final yr noticed James shoot a pattern that was many greater than the quantity he took on the mix. And naturally, the pictures he took at sport pace this previous season are nonetheless those that matter most. Whereas this may need shifted a few minds, I don’t know that it moved the needle all that a lot. — Vecenie

What about his vertical leap?

It’s good to substantiate what folks already thought, however once more, evaluators had been working below the belief that James would take a look at exceedingly nicely athletically. This one most likely didn’t transfer the needle a lot for James positively, however confirming pre-conceived notions is effective. — Vecenie

Required studying

(Picture: Jeff Haynes / NBAE through Getty Photographs)