Draft possible.
Those are the words to describe Bronny James coming out of the NBA Draft Combine, which concluded Sunday in Chicago.
That doesn't mean James will be drafted in June 2024, but it does mean he's a legitimate prospect, a possible second-round pick.
Are there any scouts or executives who don't believe he's a second-round pick? Yes. ESPN's Andscape's Marc Spears read a scathing scouting report on James on the network's NBA Today show.
Did any scouts or executives leave Chicago believing that James, who played his freshman season at USC in 2023-24, was draft eligible? yes.
“My dream has always been to get my name out there, make a name for myself and, of course, make it to the NBA,” Bronny told reporters in Chicago, but the idea of a father playing alongside his son was softened.
“I never thought about just playing with my dad, but of course he does. He's brought it up a few times. But yeah, I don't think about it.”
1.000 hitters by scouts and executives, Darko Milicic would not have been selected ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, and Nikola Jokic would not have been selected in the second round. .
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What is the most difficult question for those involved in the draft process? If Bronny wasn't LeBron's son, what would his future be? And in the end, it's too hard to make that distinction. You can't separate Bronny James from LeBron James. After suffering a sudden cardiac arrest last summer, the young James has calmly navigated situations that were out of his control, not letting the opinions of those around him get the better of him and focusing on his goal of playing in the NBA.
Bronny performed so well at the combine that ESPN projected James as a late second-round selection in its post-combine mock draft. Five NBA front-office executives who will make a draft pick or have a significant say in the selection told USA TODAY Sports they believe teams will draft James. They were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about draft prospects.
James was 6 feet 1.5 inches tall this week, shorter than USC's 6-4 list, giving the team another fact to consider. However, James had the sixth-best vertical jump (40 1/2 inches), just shy of his best of 42 inches. James wasn't the fastest in agility, shuttle and sprint drills, but he wasn't near the bottom either. He excelled in shooting practice “on the move,” making 19 of 25 shots, ranking second overall and first among shooting guards. That was ahead of college's projected first-round pick Stephon Castle and Providence's Devin Carter.
He had some ups and downs in the scrimmages, going from 2-of-8 shooting for four points in the first to 4-of-10 shooting for 13 points in the second while showing a knack for defense, showing he has the physical tools and skill set to play among the 78 players invited to the combine.
“It's happening again,” University of Southern California guard and potential lottery pick Isaiah Collier told reporters. She said, “It's going to take some time, but Bronny will get better. Come see him soon.''
Bronny's basketball future will be measured against the backdrop of what happened last summer. Over the summer following his senior season, James improved so much that ESPN and other outlets had him listed as a first-round pick in mock drafts.
But while working out on the University of Southern California campus in July, James suffered a sudden, life-threatening cardiac arrest. He was diagnosed with congenital heart disease and was cleared to fully return to basketball activities in late November. He played in 25 games for the Trojans, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.6 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from 3-point range.
He admitted the incident was “still lingering” and said he was thinking about “all the things that could happen”. This is a serious matter of life and death for the 19-year-old, who has also been cleared to play by the NBA's Fitness to Play Committee.
James has not yet decided whether to keep his name in the draft or return to college for his sophomore season. His name is also in the NCAA transfer portal, and he has until May 29 to decide if he wants to keep his name in the draft. James is also scheduled to work out Wednesday at Klutch Sports' Pro Day at the Los Angeles Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo, California.
“I feel like if you're in a place where you're happy, that's the best opportunity and situation to be yourself,” James told reporters. “Wherever my heart desires, I feel like that’s where I’m meant to be.”
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