James, the son of NBA legend LeBron James, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday, after being passed over in the first round. If they both play in a game, it will mark the first time in NBA history that a father and son have played together.
The 6-foot-3 guard from the University of Southern California was a major topic of discussion leading up to the draft. While his famous last name contributed to the buzz, James has steadily developed his game to reach this moment.
Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Krysten Peek predicted that James would be picked 55th overall by the Lakers.
“James is far from a finished product, but proved he belonged in this draft class as a prospect at the draft combine, where he shot the ball well and showed more scoring potential in the lane with his floater,” Peek wrote in her latest mock draft.
Despite sharing genes with one of the greatest basketball players ever, experts were not as high on James as they were on his father, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2003. James’ underwhelming freshman season at USC contributed to this. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting below 40% from the field. Additionally, his team underperformed, making his first and only college season less than ideal.
On July 25, James suffered cardiac arrest during a USC basketball practice and was hospitalized. He was in stable condition and discharged three days later. This health scare delayed his preparation for the college season. He couldn’t practice until late November and played his first collegiate game in December.
Throughout the season, James showed glimpses of potential. One of his best performances was against Oregon State, where he scored 15 points. However, he only scored in double digits three times. For every spectacular fast-break dunk that evoked memories of his father’s prowess, there were questionable shots or decisions that raised doubts about his NBA prospects.
Despite skepticism from scouts and executives, history indicates that sons of NBA players often exceed their draft expectations.
“You don’t want to rank him high just because of his father, so maybe you underrank,” an anonymous Eastern Conference GM told Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh.
Haberstroh observed that players like Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who had a father in the league, often become All-Star-caliber players.
“As we talk about Bronny’s candidacy, it’s worth pointing out that the success of second-generation players like Brunson isn’t the exception; it’s the rule. Jalen Brunson (33rd in 2018; son of Rick), Domantas Sabonis (11th in 2016; son of Arvydas), and Stephen Curry (7th in 2009; son of Dell) exceeded expectations — not to mention perennial All-Stars like Kobe Bryant (13th in 1996; son of Joe “Jellybean” Bryant), Klay Thompson (11th in 2011; son of Mychal), and Devin Booker (13th in 2015; son of Melvin) weren’t even top-10 picks.”
Bronny James’ pre-draft process sent mixed signals. Many thought he would be drafted simply because LeBron, in 2022, told The Athletic that he wanted to play with his son in the league before retiring.
LeBron has since softened this stance. The 39-year-old is “off this idea of having to play with Bronny,” according to his agent, Rich Paul, who also represents Bronny.
Paul’s public statements contrasted with private actions. During the second round of the draft, former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers, now an ESPN broadcaster, mentioned that Paul was calling teams, warning them that if they selected Bronny, he would play in Australia instead.
This suggested Paul had a preferred destination for James, which now seems to be the Lakers.
James completed his high school career at Sierra Canyon as a four-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American. In his senior year, he averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
