USC freshman Bronny James has announced that he will be leaving the university and declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. The son of LeBron James made this decision after playing just one season with the Trojans. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, James plans to work out for NBA teams and make a draft decision based on their evaluation.
As a four-star recruit and the 27th overall prospect in the Class of 2023, James had high expectations when he joined USC. However, his freshman season was delayed due to a cardiac arrest incident during a preseason workout, which revealed a congenital heart defect. When he did make his debut in December, James only averaged 4.8 points in 19.3 minutes per game for a struggling USC team. The Trojans finished 15-18 and saw their head coach Andy Enfield depart for SMU earlier this week.
Bronny James now faces multiple options for his future in basketball. While he could jump to the NBA, it is uncertain if he is ready for such a leap. There has been speculation that an NBA team might take a chance on him in hopes of persuading LeBron James to join them. Alternatively, James could choose to stay in college, with potential landing spots including SMU, Oregon, and Ohio State.
Entering the transfer portal has opened up various paths for James, creating a question mark around where he will play next season. Depending on the interest from NBA teams and his development, James could spend time in the G League before becoming a full-fledged NBA player
