USC Basketball: Andy Enfield Explains What Bronny James Needs To Do To Join Closing Five

Bronny's role is incredibly unclear.

Amidst USC's awful season, a noteworthy storyline has been the vacillating minutes of Bronny James. 

An injury to Isaiah Collier opened the door to him starting, but since before/after that time period, his role has been uncertain on a team loaded with guards. 

In their recent loss to the Colorado Buffaloes, Bronny didn't see the floor in their 2nd overtime, finishing with just 2 points and 2 assists in 14 minutes.

His defense was direly needed, as USC gave up one of their highest point totals of the season. When asked about it, here's what Andy Enfield had to say:

Bronny James didn't play in 2OT v. Colorado -- finished with two points, two AST in 14 min.

Enfield, when asked what James has to do to continue working into closing rotation: "We just went with our veterans down the stretch, but he’s going to continue to improve as a player.”

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) February 18, 2024

More or less dodging the question, the hot-seated coach mentioned that he opted to use his veterans over James. While that's understandable, their blown lead reflected clear game mismanagement all-around, and the lineups that they had out there may not have been optimal. 

Having two top-tier guards and a small lineup overall, there's really no way for Bronny to find his way into the closing lineup absent injuries. If he plays alongside Collier and guard Boogie Ellis, they'll end up running 3-guards, none of whom are particularly big, along with Kobe Johnson, the team's third-best player, who is only 6-foot-7 and built like a traditional wing.

There's a low chance we end up seeing even some of Bronny's full potential this season given the Trojans' logjam at guard. To that end, his draft stock has taken a hit, opening the door to a potential return next season.