Bronny James Entering NBA Draft, Still Staying In Transfer Portal

After a tumultuous freshman season, Bronny James is still looking to head to the big leagues.

The much-hyped USC freshman and son of NBA legend LeBron James announced he is entering the 2024 NBA Draft while still maintaining his college eligibility.

On Friday, he announced the news via Instagram, thanking USC, family, and trainers for their support.

“I’ve had a year with some ups and downs but all added to growth for me as a man, student and athlete,” Bronny wrote. Later in the post, he added, “Thank you to USC for an amazing Freshman year, and as always thankful for my family, doctors, athletic trainers and fans for their support.”

Bronny’s freshman season will always have an asterisk attached to it.

Last July, he suffered a cardiac arrest episode that resulted from a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect. After surgery to treat the defect, Bronny was unable to play for five months, delaying the start of his college career and likely derailing his development.

There was much hype when he made his first collegiate appearance for USC on Dec. 10, a home game against Long Beach State. However, the Trojans were upset 84-79 in overtime, and it was a sign of things to come for Bronny and his team. USC ultimately failed to return to the NCAA Tournament, finishing 15-18. Bronny averaged a mere 4.8 points per game, 2.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 19 minutes to cap an unfortunate start to his post-high school career.

By keeping his college eligibility, James is preparing to hear what NBA scouts say about his draft status before deciding whether to play another year at another school. Of course, given the connection and the basketball world’s desire to see a father-son tandem come to fruition, Bronny could play with his father on the Lakers or elsewhere.

However, should Bronny remain in college, some compelling options exist for the potential rising sophomore. SMU hired former USC coach Andy Enfeld last week, which would make for an easier transition should James choose to play there. Ohio State has to be considered a possibility due to LeBron’s support of the connection between school and childhood in the state of Ohio. For several reasons, Duquesne could be a perfect landing spot for Bronny. The team’s new coach, Dru Joyce III, is a lifelong friend of LeBron, and Duquesne’s status as a mid-major school can give Bronny a chance to prove himself as a leader and a top scorer.

Whatever path Bronny chooses for the foreseeable future, the basketball world will surely take notice.