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USC Basketball: Bronny James to Enter Transfer Portal, NBA Future Halted

Bronny James is on the way out.

Martand Bhagavatula

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In shocking news, USC Trojans freshman guard Bronny James is reportedly planning to enter the transfer portal, joining starting wing Kobe Johnson in doing so, according to Hall of Fame reporter Dick Weiss. Though Weiss deleted his initial report, Kaiden Smith of On3 relayed the news.

James struggled to find playing time following his return from a cardiac arrest suffered in July, as a crowded backcourt and the team's generally inconsistent play made things exceedingly difficult for the former 4-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth. In 25 games for the 15-18 Trojans (six starts), Bronny James posted averaged 4.8 points on .366/.267/.676 shooting splits, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals a night.

The departure of head coach Andy Enfield to Southern Methodist University was bound to lead to some transfers, but Bronny being one of them is incredibly surprising given his strong familial ties to Los Angeles.

If accurate, this report also all but assures that James will return to college, as opposed to entering the NBA draft. There's limited clarity regarding which other schools he's looking at, but it's more than likely going to be a high-major program with playing time available at guard. It's worth noting that Ohio State made a strong push for him and just underwent a coaching change.

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Martand Bhagavatula
MARTAND BHAGAVATULA

Martand is currently a student at the University of Southern California, and has prior experience in the NIL space, sports financial advisory, and publishing in sports analytics. As a Lakers, Chargers, and Angels fan, he often finds himself disappointed.

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