The Athletic has reside protection of the 2024 NBA Draft.
By Shams Charania, Lukas Weese and Sam Vecenie
Bronny James, the son of NBA famous person LeBron James, is predicted to remain within the 2024 NBA Draft, league sources mentioned.
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 can take part in all pre-draft actions, starting with the NBA Draft Mix this week.
Whereas not thought-about a prime prospect — James was not included in The Athletic’s post-lottery mock draft Sunday — 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 12 months’s draft class.
There’s additionally the added intrigue of whether or not James and his father might change into teammates. LeBron has expressed a want to finish his profession enjoying alongside his son.
GO DEEPER
What did Bronny James present on the NBA Draft Mix?
The youthful James collapsed after struggling a cardiac arrest throughout a USC group exercise in July. A household spokesperson mentioned a congenital coronary heart defect induced the incident. Docs cleared him to return to apply 4 months later, and he made his faculty debut on Dec. 10 in opposition to Lengthy Seashore State. He appeared in USC’s last 25 video games, beginning six and averaging 4.8 factors, 2.8 rebounds and a pair of.1 assists in 19.3 minutes.
Questions surrounding his future accelerated when his faculty 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 take care of flexibility as he labored out for NBA groups.
Following the USC teaching change, LeBron mentioned that Bronny had “some powerful selections to make” concerning his future.
“On the finish of the day, Bronny’s his personal man,” LeBron mentioned in April.
The youthful James’ choice comes forward of an enormous one for his father, who has to determine whether or not to choose into his $51.4 million participant choice for 2024-25 by June 29. Staff sources mentioned 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 last recreation 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 initiatives as a 3-and-D guard who performs exhausting, makes good selections on offense, does the little issues, passes effectively, 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 velocity to stay with most guards.
James’ offense is a piece in progress. He struggled to generate any half-court paint touches this 12 months and isn’t a lot of a pull-up shooter but. He made solely 27 % of his 3s final season, although he seemed extra assured taking them at USC and has extra taking pictures expertise than his share exhibits. — Sam Vecenie, NBA Draft author
Do Bronny’s measurements on the mix matter?
We lastly bought affirmation on how large James is strictly. He measured at 6-foot-1 1/2 with out sneakers with a 6-7 1/4 wingspan and an 8-2 1/2 standing attain Monday. That’s a lot smaller than the 6-4 peak at which he was listed whereas enjoying for USC, nevertheless it’s necessary to keep in mind that faculties checklist gamers’ heights in sneakers. Whereas the Trojans added an additional inch to Bronny’s peak, they didn’t drastically oversell it. On prime of that, NBA groups have been working beneath the idea that James was within the ballpark of 6-2 anyway.
James’ standing attain places him far more within the ballpark of level guard versus that of a combo or taking pictures guard. Previous gamers to submit 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 exhibiting assist him?
James’ success throughout a taking pictures drill Monday does function a reminder for evaluators that James has the potential to shoot the ball regardless of his percentages. Having mentioned that, as I wrote a month in the past, “he confirmed far more taking pictures potential as a high-school participant than he did in faculty. There’s nothing inherently improper along with his mechanics. Maybe he was out of rhythm after not being cleared to play in the course of the offseason.”
Bronny James caught FIRE within the #NBACombine… no misses in sight 👀🎯 pic.twitter.com/0YkGfbfBF8
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) Could 14, 2024
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 recreation they really have essentially the most confidence in translating to the professionals. Moreover, these photographs are only a drop within the bucket. Any of the a whole lot of scouts and executives who have been at Nike Hoop Summit final 12 months noticed James shoot a pattern that was many greater than the quantity he took on the mix. And naturally, the photographs he took at recreation velocity 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 have been working beneath the idea that James would check exceedingly effectively athletically. This one in all probability didn’t transfer the needle a lot for James positively, however confirming pre-conceived notions is efficacious. — Vecenie
(Picture: Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
