One of the great recruiting pursuits of 2023 has concluded.
Bronny James, son of NBA great LeBron James, announced on Saturday he is committing to USC.
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Bronny James averaged 11.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Strive For Greatness program on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring and summer, then followed that up with stellar performances in high-profile games during the high school season. James had 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals in the Hoophall Classic against Christopher Columbus (Florida), shooting 3-for-8 from 3-point range.
He had 15 points and four assists, making five 3-pointers, in the McDonald’s All American Game and then had 11 points in the Nike Hoop Summit.
In ESPN’s early 2024 NBA mock draft, James is projected as the No. 10 pick — with ESPN’s Jonathan Givony citing his ability as “arguably the best perimeter defender in his high school class” as his biggest asset.
LeBron James went straight from high school to the NBA. Bronny will be taking a different path to the pros. It will be fascinating to watch if father and son play together in NBA.
Sierra Canyon ➡️ USC
Bronny James and Juju Watkins are staying in LA 🌴 pic.twitter.com/c7z6dUDLMN
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 6, 2023
On3.com offers a scouting report:
“Bronny James is a sturdy guard, with a strong frame, long arms, and broad shoulders. The 6-2/6-3 guard is a noted defender at the point of attack. He moves his feet well laterally and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Offensively he does not really show blow-by burst in the half-court, but he attacks closeouts well, and he is strong in the paint. James is good in transition, has a little bit of wiggle there, and can get on the rim. He is explosive in straight lines. James needs to tighten his handle in space. One of his biggest areas of improvement is from three, where he has cleaned up his mechanics – especially the release – and gathered his balance. James made 13 threes in six Peach Jam games at a 35 percent clip. He will need to finish better at the rim, especially in traffic. When playing as the primary initiator, he takes care of the ball with a better than 2.5:1 assists to turnover ratio at Peach Jam.” – On3’s Jamie Shaw
