USC Basketball: NBA Coach Expects Bronny James Will Be Drafted Before No. 50 Pick

The one-and-done Trojan is on the rise.

May 14, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Bronny James (50) participates in drills during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

It's no secret that Los Angeles Lakers All-Star combo forward LeBron James has frequently voiced his interest in playing alongside at least his eldest son, one-and-done USC Trojans combo guard Bronny James, at the NBA level. Multiple generations of families have toiled in the league before, but never simultaneously.

The 39-year-old LeBron James may not be quite in his prime anymore, but he remains one of the league's elite scorers even now, as the NBA's oldest players. The 6-foot-9 superstar appeared in a remarkable 71 games (his most-ever as a Laker), averaging 25.7 points on a .540/.410/.750 slash line, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks a game.

Were it not for his famous father, Bronny James would likely not quite be a draft prospect this summer. After averaging a scant 4.8 points on .366/.267/.676 shooting splits, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals, it's more likely that, had James insisted on not continuing to play in college (he had placed his name in the NCAA transfer portal, so it would not have been at USC) and staying in the draft, he would have been more of a two-way signing than an actual draft selection.

The Lakers have the Nos. 17 and 55 picks in this year's draft, and have been the team most frequently connected with adding Bronny James. Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, however, seems pretty optimistic Bronny James will not last quite that long into the second round.

During a recent appearance on the podcast Green Light with Chris Long, Carlisle told co-hosts Long and Macon Gunter that, in his estimation, Bronny James wouldn't last until the Lakers' current second round pick, No. 55.

“I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that he goes quite a bit higher than that," Carlisle said. "I’m not going to say who… I’ve been fine enough this year during the playoffs.”

The Pacers themselves boast three picks this year, all in the second round: the Nos. 36, 49 and 50 picks. Will Carlisle's own club opt to take a risk and draft Bronny James, no doubt hoping that LeBron James declines his $51.4 million player option for 2024-25 and perhaps links up with Indiana as a free agent?

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