Bronny James is the most polarizing prospect in this year’s NBA Draft, largely due to his famous last name.
Is LeBron James’ son ready to join his dad at the professional level?
Looking at Bronny’s stats from his lone year at USC, the answer appears to be no. He averaged just 4.8 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 19.4 minutes over 25 games with the Trojans—hardly NBA numbers.
However, the 19-year-old combo guard was recovering from a cardiac arrest incident that occurred during summer workouts, which delayed his ability to get on the court. Additionally, head coach Andy Enfield used him in a peculiar role, and his freshman year stats might not reflect his true potential. For instance, James showcased his impressive shooting at the NBA Draft Scouting Combine on Monday.
While it wasn’t great that he measured in at 6-foot-1 after being listed at 6-foot-4, his shooting was notable. Given this year’s draft class is relatively weak compared to recent years, taking a chance on one of basketball’s biggest names could be worthwhile—especially if LeBron Sr. ends his legendary career on the same team as his son.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, there’s another unique factor at play: the G-League. NBA organizations are considering drafting James as someone who could increase revenue for their minor league affiliates. Merchandise sales are also a consideration.
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James is almost certainly going to start his career in the G-League. NBA teams believe he could sell tickets to games that typically don’t draw large crowds, and fans might purchase t-shirts, posters, or jerseys. Drafting him could provide a revenue boost.
However, “could” is the key word. There’s no guarantee James will fill G-League gyms or sell merch. USC’s basketball arena holds over 10,000 fans, but the Trojans averaged an attendance of approximately 6,300 per game.
Los Angeles might be a tough sports market, but is Bronny James really going to be a major draw for the Austin Spurs, Ontario Clippers, Greensboro Swarm, or Long Island Nets? It’s uncertain. He’s not Caitlin Clark, after all.
