'No Chemistry!' LaVar Ball Wants Bronny James to Skip College, Spurn Buckeyes

If it were up to LaVar Ball, Ohio State Buckeyes target Bronny James would skip college all together.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in hot pursuit of 2024 five-star recruit, Bronny James.

And as the son of NBA Superstar LeBron James, there is bound to be no shortage of controversy and hot takes surrounding his recruitment. 

Including those who should have no business giving advice to anyone with a bright NBA future.

Still, that is exactly what the father of LaMelo and Lonzo Ball, LaVar Ball, decided to do last week, telling Sporting News that he believes James should skip college altogether, and head to Australia to play his basketball ahead of entering the draft. 

“It’s better [in Australia]." Ball said in the interview. "Why? Because you playing against grown men and you getting paid. If you want to play basketball and you really that dude, why am I sitting in class trying to pass a chemistry test? I don’t want to play no chemistry. I don’t want to practice no Spanish.”

“You’re going to have all these players in college trying to come out, [when] you can set your own stage across the water,” Ball continued. “You’re going to get the haters and the supporters, that’s what makes for filled-up gyms. A lot of people want to see LeBron’s son do good and a lot of them want to say ‘he can’t play against no grown men.’”

While it is undeniable that the route of skipping college to play international pro basketball has worked in the past for some NBA prospects, including Ball's son LaMelo, and Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, it is still far from a guarantee.

There have also been examples of players choosing to join the NBA G-League, instead of committing to a college as well, such as Rockets standout Jalen Green.

However, there is still far more evidence to suggest that the college route is just as advantageous for prospects as anything international.

Kevin Durant, John Wall, Derrick Rose, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis... the list goes on. 

At the end of the day, James, as he has proven thus far, has the talent to be his own NBA player completely separate from that of his father.

And where ever he decides to take that talent, will be the place he and his family choose, and not one that comes at the suggestion of Ball.

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