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USC Basketball: Bronny James Has Harsh Words for Trojans Experience

He is excited to be on the Lakers now.

Eva Geitheim

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
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Former USC men's basketball guard Bronny James was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 55 overall pick last week. James spent just one year with the Trojans during an underwhelming campaign that saw him struggle with shooting and start just six of the 25 games he played in.

Now on the Lakers, James is looking forward to getting an opportunity that he feels he did not while at USC.

"I feel like I've been given an opportunity to showcase what I can really do because I wasn't given that much of an opportunity at USC," James told reporters at the Lakers' rookie press conference.

James averaged just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game with USC. He had four scoreless games with the Trojans, and put up double-digit points in just three games. He also averaged just 19.4 minutes per game, which was less than his top teammates who all averaged at least 20 minutes of action per game. Part of his lack of action and late start to the season was due to suffering cardiac arrest the summer before his first season, but James still feels like he could have had more chances at USC.

James will begin his chance to show what he can do during the NBA Summer League. The Lakers will begin play this Saturday in the California Classic Summer League, when they take on the Sacramento Kings.

The Trojans themselves are of course entering a new era under head coach Eric Musselman, who took over as the coach earlier this offseason. They have almost an entirely different staff and roster from last season, and James' USC coach Andy Enfield is now with SMU instead.

More USC: Isaiah Collier Officially Signs Rookie Deal with Jazz

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has been covering college and professional sports since 2022.

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