LeBron James, who was drafted straight out of high school never competed in college basketball. His son, Bronny James, the USC commit is in the middle of his freshman year. Fans as well as critics expected to see James Jr. play alongside his father following the 2024 NBA Draft. But as the college basketball season comes to an end, Bronny hasn’t performed up to the desired expectations.
So far James Jr. has averaged 5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Recently, during one of the episodes of the Ball Don’t Stop podcast, LeBron’s ex-rival, Stephon Marbury defended Bronny’s freshman year performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMx6iEgOv6w
Here is what Marbury had to say:
First I think that Bronny is a pro. You know he’s playing 20 minutes, which is half the game in college… I think his ability to get to the basket, shoot the basketball, pass the ball, and one of the most impressive things is his shot blocking. I think all of that is Grade A. You can’t really go by the statistics. When I look at him as an NBA player, he has all of the qualities.
Stephon Marbury said
“Bronny James is a pro. You can’t go by stats with him right now because he’s only playing half the game. His ability to shoot, get to the rim, pass and block shots is grade A. One more year of college will help.”
– Stephon Marbury on Bronny pic.twitter.com/DlOlVJHiAs
— Ball Don’t Stop (@balldontstop) March 4, 2024
Bronny is definitely one of the best in his class, though once he’s given more time, he’ll show more improvement in his game. James Jr. was one of the most highly anticipated players to play college basketball this season. As the March Madness is around the corner, USC will sadly miss the NCAA tournament this year. This does put the spotlight on Bronny, who was expected to be in action later this month.
When will LeBron James and Bronny James play together?
After analyzing the 2024 NBA mock draft, Bronny will not be declared as a draftee this year. His freshman year at USC wasn’t as bad as fans might believe. His best performance was against Oregon State when he put up 15 points in 20 minutes of action. Coming from high school, James Jr. was seen as a great shooter and defender, while also having a considerable court vision.
ESPN has Bronny James going in the 2025 draft, father LeBron James was not happy at 2024 mock draft omission (image via 247Sports/X)Going into his sophomore season, Bronny James will have to show his true potential in order to establish his name among the best prospects. Regardless of his future performance, James Jr. is currently a projected second-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Not only that, but fans await the father and son duo to hit the NBA hardwood.
It will be a historic event to see LeBron James team up with his son for his final season. Though before we get to witness the same, Bronny has a lot to show in his sophomore year. We’ll see James Jr. get more playing time next year, which will definitely bring the best of him. The Trojan will look to prove himself in the 2024-25 college basketball season.
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