USC Basketball: Bronny James Draws Praise From Andy Enfield Despite Shooting Struggles

Despite shooting woes, USC's head coach likes what he sees from his freshman guard.

At 10-15, your USC Trojans aren't having the season many of us envisioned they would. USC has struggled mightily, and even halfway through the season, they have yet to find their groove. 

USC star freshman guard Bronny James is a microcosm of USC's struggles. Their offensive and defensive scoring, perimeter shooting, three-point shooting, and free-throw shooting have been poor. 

Unfortunately, James has been a product of his environment. His shooting has especially been porous. However, USC head coach Andy Enfield is too worried about it. Enfield spoke to Luca Evans of The OC Register and said he has liked what he's seen from Bronny lately. 

“Smart player. He had been struggling with his shooting. And we want him to shoot open shots, but as you saw tonight, he can affect winning in a variety of ways. And he did that.”

per Andy Enfield via Luca Evans

Andy Enfield on Bronny James (seven points, three assists, great defense) postgame:

“Smart player. He had been struggling with his shooting. And we want him to shoot open shots, but as you saw tonight, he can affect winning in a variety of ways. And he did that.”

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) February 16, 2024

James has not been the darling of the college game like many had hoped he'd be. In 17 games this season, James has averaged 5.9 points on 36.3% shooting from the field, 27.5% from the three, and 64.3% from the charity stripe. Sometimes, numbers can be deceiving, but unfortunately, that's not the case for the freshman. 

Although his numbers aren't up to par, Enfield is proud of the things he can control — his effort, aggressiveness, and defense. First years aren't always the best, and James is an example of that. 

James will learn from this, and hopefully, we look back at his freshman season and view it as an anomaly.