USC Basketball: All-Star Point Guard Pulls No Punches In Breaking Down Bronny James' Game

The freshman Trojan has had an uneven start to his season.

Former Washington Wizards All-NBA point guard Gilbert Arenas recently took stock of freshman USC Trojans combo guard Bronny James, a former four-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth who has had a modest first month-plus collegiate debut.

Through 11 contests, the 6'4" combo guard is averaging 5.9 points on .381/.250/.643 shooting splits, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals a night. He has started the last three games with fifth-year guard Boogie Ellis out of the team's rotation.

Arenas made a fascinating All-Star comp for James, eldest son of Arenas' one-time competitor, immortal Los Angeles Lakers power forward LeBron James, currently in the midst of his 21st NBA season.

“Bronny… he’s a Jrue Holiday, just more athletic,” Arenas said. “If he turns on his tiger, for sure. He just plays the right way. We don’t know what he really is. He has the Bugatti engine, but he wants to drive the speed limit. He don’t want a ticket. ‘I don’t want a ticket.’ That’s how he uses his body.”

Holiday, now with the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics, is a two-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive Teamer, and a three-time Teammate of the Year. He was the second- or third-best player on a championship-winning Milwaukee Bucks team in 2021, and could be the fourth-best player on another title-winning club in 2024.

Arenas is on to something. James is a defensive stalwart with great instincts on that end of the floor, though it's hard to project if James can develop the kind of offensive game that has helped Holiday blossomed into a high-level two-way contributor.