What scouts think about Bronny James' NBA prospects

LAS VEGAS – No one has endured more adversity this college basketball season than Bronny James. The 6-foot-2 guard committed to USC last spring, and the Trojans had the No. 3 recruiting class that included James and No. 1 high school prospect Isaiah Collier.

In August, James suffered a cardiac arrest while training and underwent surgery. He returned to the court on December 10 in a home game against Long Beach State and played 17 minutes, recording four points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the overtime loss. After everything he's been through, it's crazy to think about his comeback in just four months, and it's a testament to the work he put in last season to get back into the team.

“Any time a young guy misses four months, including the first part of the season, it’s difficult to start playing right away in December,” USC head coach Andy Enfield told Yahoo Sports. “You are behind in a lot of things, including conditioning, timing in offense and defense, the system you want to learn. It's really hard as a newbie, but I give it a lot of credit. He was focused every day, works extremely hard and is a great teammate.”

Now that the NBA's draft order has been determined and James has been officially cleared by the Fitness to Play panel to play in the league – likely keeping him in the draft – only one question remains to be answered: which real NBA Does James have any prospects?

That answer could come at the draft combine this week, where James will take part in five-on-five matchups. He will also take part in measurements and interviews with teams.

It's clear that James needs more development before contributing to an NBA roster, but there have been many players drafted in the past with similar stats to Bronny who have developed in the G League, getting reps and adapting to the pace and have adapted the physicality of the NBA game.

Just last year, Chris Livingston was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the number 58 pick. In his one-year stay at Kentucky, Livingston averaged 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds. Also in 2023, the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Jaylen Clark out of UCLA at No. 53. Clark tore his Achilles tendon late last season, and the Timberwolves still drafted him because of his potential, knowing they would have to wait a full season before he got on the field. In 2022, the Denver Nuggets selected Peyton Watson 30th overall after he averaged 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in a season at UCLA.

Bronny's first year at USC was underwhelming from a scouting perspective. He finished the season averaging 4.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 27.3% from behind the arc. His 3-balls are hesitant and he hasn't had enough impact on offense this season, playing alongside two ball-dominant guards in Collier and Boogie Ellis. He is most effective on defense. Bronny can defend both positions in the backcourt, keeping players in front, and is an excellent rebounder for his size. He has gotten stronger since last year and does a good job of finding his position when the shot goes up.

“He’s a very smart player and has a good feel for the game,” an NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “It needs more time to develop, but the basic mechanisms are there.”

James has until May 29 to decide whether to remain in the draft. If he doesn't, he could choose a new school through the NCAA transfer portal.

“I think he’ll probably stay in this draft,” one NBA executive told Yahoo Sports. “Should he return for another year? Probably, but teams will take a serious look at him this year if he decides to stay in this draft class.”

Bronny is far from a finished product and has always been a player who doesn't rush the development process. He was patient with his development at Sierra Canyon High School (Chatsworth, Calif.) and was named a McDonald's All-American, one of the highest honors for high school basketball players, in his senior year. It's an honor he demonstrated, even if he wasn't just the son of LeBron James. During the All-Star Game, Bronny hit five 3-pointers and added four assists while his family sat on the sidelines.

The deciding factor for Bronny will depend on whether he wants to develop against his peers at the college level or gain representation in the G League that plays with NBA rules and spacing.

In one now-deleted tweet from February 26thLeBron addressed the speculation and criticism surrounding his son, saying, “Can you please just let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball?” LeBron wrote. “Ultimately, whatever he decides to do, the work and the results will be what matters.”

The 2024 NBA Draft is considered a weak class. There is no consensus on the No. 1 pick and there will be a lot of movement on teams' draft boards between now and June 26. It's also worth noting that the Los Angeles Lakers have the 55th pick in the draft and could be the heavy favorite to land him.

Bronny and LeBron could make history as the first father-son duo to share an NBA court. Collier, a potential lottery pick in this year's draft, believes his former teammate could also be ready to begin his professional career.

“Bronny has grown a lot this year,” Collier told Yahoo Sports. “College ball is definitely tough for anyone coming in as a freshman and especially for what they’ve been through. People don't know how hard he works. He’s selfless and a smart player.”