-
Jamal Collier, ESPN
WITH DOZENS OF with cameras following his every move, Bronny James took the court Monday night during the NBA draft, ready to create his own narrative.
It was the first day of strength and agility drills in Chicago, and James was in one of the last groups to participate, but several leaders, including Los Angeles Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka, stayed in the stands of Wintrust Arena to watch his training. .
James had an impressive first day. He recorded a vertical jump of 40.5 inches, which was fourth highest among program participants with strong marks compared to his peers in agility drills. He shot 19 of 25 in the 3-point shooting drill, which ranked second overall. And although he stood 6-foot-1 without shoes, his 6-foot-7 wingspan and 210-pound frame were still comparable to NBA players like Gabe Vincent or Gary Harris.
James then participated in scrimmages the next two days, and scouts who spoke to ESPN this week applauded James for his performance and how he played a role in helping his team win, hitting open shots and play defense with enthusiasm.
Under the watchful eyes of NBA executives, his combined performances – from the measurables to the intangibles – propelled him to the top of the ESPN Top 100 rankings, rising from 98th overall to 54th. The projection changed from outside the top 100 prospects to a potential second-round selection ahead of the June 26-27 NBA Draft.
Initially, James wasn’t among the 78 most impressive prospects invited to the combine, but was instead somewhere in the middle of the pack. But more importantly, at the end of the combine, he looked like he belonged.
Bronny James has lived in the shadow of his superstar father, LeBron James, until now. For years, his name has been in the headlines due to his father’s desire to play alongside him before his career ends. LeBron James, 39, a four-time MVP and NBA champion, just finished his 21st season and could become a free agent this summer if he opts out of his contract with the Lakers. But he recently said he hasn’t “thought much lately” about teaming up with his older son in the NBA.
Bronny James, 19, told reporters this week that he views the group as a showcase of the work he’s done since finishing his first college season at USC (adding more volume), from him -even as a person (by answering questions from the media). after not giving interviews in first year) and the player he East on the court (an NBA hopeful detached from his famous name).
James said his goal is to make it to the NBA and not necessarily just play alongside his father, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“My dream has always been to get my name out there, make a name for myself and, of course, get to the NBA, which is everyone’s angle here,” James said Tuesday. “I never thought about playing with my dad, but of course he talked about it several times.”
If Bronny James’ goal this week was to drive a wedge between himself as a player and his father, he began to do so with a strong performance among the rest of Chicago’s draft prospects.
“It’s coming back,” USC guard and fellow draft prospect Isaiah Collier said. “It takes a little time, but Bronny is going to be really good.
“You will see very soon.”
WHEN we ask him which one Of the NBA players most similar to his game, James pointed to Jrue Holiday of the Boston Celtics and Derrick White and Davion Mitchell of the Sacramento Kings — guards who excel in their roles by being parasites on defense.
“(Mitchell) was an interesting comparison to hear him point out,” a team executive told ESPN. “He showed he was realistic in thinking about that. I see a little bit of Aaron Holiday in him.”
James’ first season at USC was delayed after he suffered cardiac arrest during a practice in July and required surgery due to a congenital heart defect. He didn’t start college until December, but even then he admitted he still felt lingering effects as well as exceptional fear from the episode.
“He was in a tough situation in college,” the executive continued. “He had a health issue and their backcourt was already set. Collier is a legitimate lottery pick, and Boogie Ellis as a senior ahead of him. So I can see where (James) needs more time, but In a few years, he’ll have a chance to be an NBA rotation player.
With a limited sample of game records from his first season — he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games for the Trojans — several executives who spoke to ESPN early Harvest said they couldn’t wait to see how James looked up close and on the field.
In his first scrimmage on Tuesday, James failed to capitalize on the momentum from his strong opening night performance. He struggled to find a rhythm playing 19 minutes, shooting 2 of 8 from the field and collecting 4 points and 4 rebounds.
“He made this nice move for a floating player,” one Eastern Conference scout told ESPN. “But he had to do something more to stand out.”
“With his size, when you’re undersized, you have to do more things that stand out,” one Eastern Conference general manager told ESPN.
0:19
Bronny impresses in front of the scouts, LeBron at the combine
Bronny James shows his vision with a sweet pass and knocks down a few jumpers in front of his father, LeBron, at the combine.
WEAR BLACK With the hood pulled over his head as if it could make him incognito, LeBron James walked down the steps of the stands at Wintrust Arena and found a seat in the second row at center court.
He was accompanied by his wife, Savannah, as they took a seat near LeBron and Bronny’s agent, Rich Paul. Bronny’s second and final scrimmage of the week was about to begin.
He wasn’t in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game, but he looked comfortable from the moment he stepped on the floor. He scored on his first pass, forcing a defender to jump in the air on a pump fake before dribbling on a mid-range jumper. He knocked down a pair of catch-and-shoot 3s and created a few creative passes for his teammates.
“These things take time, man. How many rookies come into the league at 19 with everything figured out and can make an impact right away?” the G League general manager told ESPN. “You trust the basketball IQ, and he’s going to understand some things because of the way he was raised. He’s LeBron James’ son.”
Bronny scored 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting in 23 minutes in the second scrimmage, earning him player of the game honors and a postgame interview on the ESPN broadcast.
LeBron sat with a smile in the stands as he showed Bronny walking over to put on a headset for the postgame interview on the court, and Savannah took out her phone to document the moment.
“I always try to play the right way, but my teammates and coaches just encouraged me to be aggressive,” Bronny said in the post-match interview. “They believe in me. I feel like that’s a big part of why I play the right way for my team and my teammates.
“They really helped me today.”
BRONNY JAMES STATED for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility. He has until May 29 to decide whether to remain in the draft or return to college, where he has decided to enter the transfer portal.
James admitted this week that he hadn’t yet made his decision and declined to say whether he would meet with NBA teams during the pre-draft process. James will train with various teams based on conversations coming out of Chicago, a source said.
The Lakers have shown continued interest in James as the rest of the league realizes what Los Angeles has been watching for some time, a source said.
James will participate in the Klutch Sports pro day on Wednesday, May 22. Klutch is hosting the pro day at the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo, California.
If James decides to return to college and transfer elsewhere, Duquesne should be among his considerations, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski in early April. Duquesne’s new coach, Dru Joyce, was a high school teammate of LeBron’s and is a longtime family friend.
For now, Bronny James is taking some time to think about his future.
If he chooses the NBA, his performance this week helped make his case a legitimate prospect in the eyes of league executives and scouts.
“Wherever I’m happy, I feel like that’s the best opportunity and the best situation that I want to be myself,” James said. “Yeah, wherever my heart wants me to go, I feel like that’s where I should be.”
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Jonathan Givony contributed reporting.