The Los Angeles Lakers made a significant move by selecting Bronny James with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. This decision increases the likelihood of the former USC Trojan player joining his father, future Hall of Famer LeBron James, on the court.
Bronny, also known as LeBron James Jr., played one year at the University of Southern California (USC). However, his college career was significantly shortened after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a practice. Although he returned to the court within a few months, he struggled to make an impact on the Trojans team, which finished 9th in the Pac-12 with a 15-18 record. During his lone college season, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game.
Now joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Bronny will have the opportunity to play alongside his father. LeBron James Sr. has long expressed his desire to play with one or both of his sons before retiring from basketball. With LeBron’s current contract with the Lakers expected to be terminated, the drafting of his son serves as an incentive for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer to return for his 40th season and potentially retire as a Laker.
While Bronny wasn’t a standout in this season’s NBA Draft, he was a four-star recruit before joining USC after graduating from Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth. Though he lacks his father’s physical prowess and athleticism, he is noted for his excellent court vision and active, willing defense. Sharing the same DNA as one of the game’s all-time greats certainly doesn’t hurt his prospects.
NBA experts suggest that Bronny’s path to success in the league will likely depend on his ability to play defense and create opportunities for others. The Lakers finished the 2023-24 season with a 47-35 record and were eliminated by the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets, in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs.
In addition to Bronny, the Lakers also selected Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht with the 17th pick in the draft. This move was seen as one of the most notable in the league, with some expecting the SEC Player of the Year to be selected much earlier.
Knecht and James Jr. will be the first rookies to play under the new head coach JJ Redick, who was appointed as the franchise’s 26th head coach following the dismissal of Darvin Ham at the end of last season.