- The Ohio State Buckeyes are now the +125 betting favorites to be Bronny James’ collegiate team.
- USC and Oregon are next at +200 and +225 because of Bronny’s connections to the top signees of both schools.
- LeBron James’ eldest son can commit to a school from April 12 to May 17th or he can choose to play in the G-League as his path to the NBA.
Bronny James is back in the limelight after LeBron’s eldest son competed in the McDonald’s All-American event on Monday and Tuesday.
Last Monday, Bronny James looked impressive and finished second in the dunk contest. On Tuesday night, he impressed once again, scoring 15 points on 5-8 three-point shooting despite his team losing and DJ Wagner winning MVP honors with 19 points.
In between the dunk contest and the HS all-star game, the top NCAA sportsbooks reopened the betting line for Bronny’s college destination. The teams on top of the list are entirely different from the ones that the best basketball betting sites listed in August 2022.
Last year, BetOnline’s Top 5 were UCLA at +100, Oregon at +125, UNC at +400, USC at +600, and Michigan State at +750.
On Wednesday morning, the online betting site narrowed down the list to 3 schools: Ohio State at +125, USC at +200, and Oregon at +225. The rest of the field is listed at +750 odds.
Ohio State in Bronny’s Top 3
In January, the L.A. Times reported that Bronny has narrowed down his choices to three programs: Ohio State, USC, and UCLA. But among the three, Ohio State stands out for several reasons.
It is the flagship program in LeBron James’ home state. King James once said that if he had chosen to go to college for one year, it would have been at OSU. As for Bronny, it’s also the only program he’s visited, even though it was unofficial.
Ohio State fans: “We want Bronny.” 👀
(h/t @ClutchPointsApp)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) September 4, 2022
Bronny and his family were on hand to watch Ohio State’s season-opening football game against Notre Dame, watched its basketball team practice, and even participated in a photo shoot. The crowd at the football game even chanted “We want Bronny” when they saw him there.
The Buckeyes project to have a solid roster for the 2023-24 season as they have the No.6 best recruiting class in the nation which features three Top 50 players on the 247Sports.com website.
But with this season’s leading scorer, freshman Brice Sensabaugh recently announcing he will apply for the NBA draft, there could be room for Bronny.
Nation’s No.1 Prospect Wants Bronny to “Stay Home”
USC and UCLA were the other two reported choices for Bronny after Ohio State. The 18-year-old currently plays for Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles while LeBron plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. Because of those, USC’s top-rated prospect wants Bronny to “stay home” for college.
Wheeler guards Isaiah Collier, who is the No.1 prospect in the nation, has also been recruiting high school rival Bronny James to “stay home” and sign with USC. The 6-3 guard from Marietta, Georgia chose USC over the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati, and Michigan among others. He wants Bronny to do the same.
USC has a record of impressive recruiting. Since Andy Enfield took over as head coach in 2013, the Trojans have secured commitments from a total of five 5-star recruits, including Collier. The last No.1 prospect from USC to go to the NBA was Evan Mobley who was picked 3rd overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Collier and Bronny played during Tuesday’s McDonald’s All-American game in Houston. Although Bronny decided to skip the media portion of the event and stay mum on his recruitment, he and Collier could have spoken about the possibility of teaming up in USC next season.
Bronny James created a lot of noise especially after making that viral slam dunk over the weekend 💪
The Oregon Ducks have also jumped on top of the Bronny James sweepstakes after his connection with Mookie Cook and his Dad's ties with Nike 👀 pic.twitter.com/di69DVKALv
— ClutchPoints CBB (@ClutchpointsCBB) August 16, 2022
Bronny has Connections to Oregon
Oregon wasn’t among the teams that are supposed to be on Bronny’s shortlist. However, his connections to the Ducks are undeniable. Oregon’s 5-star recruit Mookie Cook recently said that he wants Bronny to play with him in Eugene. Cook and James have known each other since middle school years, and he’s seen Bronny’s improvement.
The connection between the two goes beyond their long-standing friendship. Cook also recently starred in a movie entitled Shooting Stars where he played the high school version of Bronny’s dad on the big screen.
Aside from Cook, Bronny is also very familiar with another Oregon signee in KJ Evans. Evans, a 5-star recruit who is the 11th-rated prospect in the nation, recently encouraged Bronny to visit Eugene and has been actively recruiting LeBron’s son to sign with the Ducks.
On top of all these, there is another big connection. Oregon is home to Nike with whom LeBron has a lifetime shoe deal with. Bronny’s dad is also close to Nike founder Phil Knight.
Knight is an Oregon alumnus and has been a staunch supporter of the school’s basketball program. Phil was on hand when LeBron broke Kareem’s scoring record earlier this year.
What About the Rest of the Field?
While Ohio State, USC, and Oregon are now considered the favorites to land Bronny James, several big-time programs have already sent their offers to LeBron’s eldest son.
A USA Today report last January said that Bronny has received at least 9 offers. These include Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, and Memphis.
Last summer, Bronny had a strong showing in the AAU circuit which saw him rise from a sub-50 recruit to a borderline Top-40 talent. He continued to improve this year and is now ranked at No. 33 in the latest 247Sports composite rating entering the McDonald’s All-American game. Last month, a mock draft even projected him to be a Top-10 pick.
Among the players who participated in the McDonald’s All-Star game, Bronny James was the only player who does not have a clear path to the NBA yet. But after Tuesday’s game, expect the schools to ramp up their recruitment process.
Bronny can sign at any date between April 12 and May 17th and must make his decision by May 17th. There is also a possibility that he chooses to skip college and play in the G-League. But right now, he is expected to play in the NCAA for at least one season. The question is where?
