NBA Draft Scouting Report: USC's Bronny James
Bronny James
Guard | USC
Height: 6'3” | Weight: 180 lbs
2024 Draft Age: 19.71
Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader/USA TODAY NETWORK
Prospect Profile
LeBron James Jr. — LeBron James’ oldest son — is known as Bronny and is set to follow his father’s footsteps in making it to the NBA. With that in mind their games are quite different, even when they were at the same age.
Bronny James is an undersized combo guard, but makes up for the lack of height with a strong frame, great athleticism and quickness. He boasts quick, powerful vertical pop and moves well on both ends. Given his age and genetics, it’s worth monitoring James’ height moving forward as it wouldn’t be surprising to see him grow a few inches.
When it comes down to it, the former Sierra Canyon standout is known for being a shooter. He has deep range and has proven to be a player that can rattle off multiple triples in a single quarter when he gets hot. This has always helped him get his team back into games when trailing, or even pulling away for a win. With that in mind, given his first scoring instinct is to shoot, he sometimes limits himself as an offensive player. Putting together a more balanced shot diet at USC will be critical, as it will make him a more well-rounded prospect and open things for him offensively. When James catches, his first two actions are generally to shoot or pass. Moving forward, we’ll want to see him create and score on the move more and get to the next two levels.
James processes the game very well for his age. He makes smart plays, has good vision and natural feel. He has been around the game his whole life and obviously had a mentor in his dad, who is one of the smartest players the game has ever seen. The incoming freshman simply plays the right way and impacts winning.
With that in mind, to really take his game to the next level James will need to prove he can really be a lead guard. Right now, he’s more of a combo guard that’s best off-ball, but he can also facilitate and make plays for others at times. That said, we haven’t seen him emerge as a true full-time point guard. If he can prove that’s possible for him, teams can evaluate him as someone who could start at the NBA level at either position one day. With that in mind, it’s going to be tough to get many reps as the primary handler at USC with the way the roster is constructed.
Defensively, James gives more effort than most his age. He rarely takes plays off and understands how to defend various players based on their strengths and weaknesses. Again, he will mostly defend point and shooting guards moving forward, but don’t underestimate his ability to hold his own against taller wings with his strength and IQ. As an off-ball defender, he’s a menace with his ability to deflect and steal passes and is a great team defender. It’s safe to say this end of the floor is a major plus for James and something that should continue to translate.
James has mostly been in low usage roles the past few years, but has still found ways to make a tremendous impact. Will that type of role continue in college, and if so, how high can a two-way shooter/connector guard go in the draft?
If he’s really going to emerge as one of the best players in this class, he will need to get more aggressive and show he can dominate a game. In this upcoming season, he’ll be playing next to another potential one-and-done freshman in Isaiah Collier. This will be one of the most exciting young backcourts in the country, but the dynamic will be interesting to watch. Many of the things James needs to improve on are strengths of Collier’s, so he may not get as much of an opportunity to do so.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Mid to Late Fist-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.
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