How is Bronny James viewed as an NBA prospect? 'He's made huge strides'

'In time, (Bronny) will be a good shooter.'
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Bronny James officially signed with the USC Trojans on Wednesday. 

The eldest son of LeBron James has had a meteoric rise in the 2023 high school basketball recruiting rankings. In On3.com's latest rankings update, James was bumped up to No. 11 nationally and given a fifth star. He'd previously been ranked at No. 23 by On3.

Such a high ranking will come with high expectations. 

So what exactly is Bronny James' ceiling as an NBA prospect? We asked an NBA executive to share his thoughts on the 6-foot-3, 190-pound combo guard. 

Here's what the NBA executive had to say:

He's made huge strides. He has a great build and natural strength. He has fluid movement in his jumper, but has no dip. In time, he will be a good shooter. His handle and passing translate to an off-guard at the next level. There's no denying his pedigree and athletic ability. He plays the right way.

Here's 247Sports.com's evaluation of James from Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein:

Bronny is a strong-bodied combo-guard with a well-rounded game. As the eldest son of LeBron James, his every move has been under a magnifying glass since before he played his first high school game. To his credit, that has never stopped him from playing the right way. In fact, Bronny’s best attribute may be his understanding of how to impact the game without dominating the ball or forcing bad shots. He’s unselfish, a more than willing passer, and engaged defender. The best part of his individual offense is his ability to shoot the ball from long-range. He has good mechanics and consistently knocks down open rhythm threes. As a playmaker, we still haven’t seen him develop into much of a half-court creator, but he’s capable of being explosive in transition. He can get downhill with the ball, has the strong frame to absorb contact, and is a good vertical athlete at the rim with mid-air body control to match. He can play both with and without the basketball, but is more naturally suited off the ball at this point. Overall, Bronny may not always be the spectacular talent that some assume from the namesake of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, but he is a well-rounded two-way player with a mature floor-game.


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Connor Morrissette
CONNOR MORRISSETTE

Senior Reporter covering USC Athletics for SI All Trojans