- Bronny James has been medically cleared to enter the 2024 NBA Draft and play in the league.
- Reports from the NBA Draft Combine indicate that James impressed onlookers.
- The Los Angeles Lakers remain the favorites to select James in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Bronny James, 19, has cleared one major hurdle on his journey to the NBA: The USC Trojan has been medically cleared to play. Health has been a sticking point for James since he went into cardiac arrest in August 2023.
According to ESPN’s sources, James passed an NBA medical evaluation and was cleared to play in the league. The sources added that LeBron’s son unanimously passed the tests conducted by three doctors. James was unable to debut with USC until December.
In his first appearance as a Trojan, the rookie played 17 minutes against Long Beach State. He struggled to get into a rhythm and finished with four points on one-for-three shooting.
On December 30, King James’ son recorded a career-high 15 points on 54.5% shooting against the Oregon State Beavers. Despite the promising performance, James leveled out and couldn’t find a groove at USC.
He concluded his freshman campaign with 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. The 6-foot-1 guard shot 36.6% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the three-point stripe. It wasn’t a strong season for James, though there is optimism among NBA scouts he can develop into a contributor at the NBA level.
James Sharp In NBA Draft Combine Drills
While one workout at the NBA Draft Combine doesn’t make or break a player, James received positive reviews from his first drills. He was criticized for not shooting the ball well in college, but that wasn’t the case in his first workout.
James finished the three-point shooting drill going 19-25 from deep for 76%. There was only one other prospect with a better success rate than James from three. He continued his solid form in the move and shooting drill, which tests a player’s agility, shooting, and cardio.
James didn’t miss a shot during the entire drill, which lasted 1:15. It was a good look for James, who is contemplating a return to college or declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft.
Additionally, the 19-year-old showcased his leaping ability with a 40.5-inch max vert, which was good for fourth at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. This is despite being measured at 6-foot-1. James’ height caused some controversy because he’s always held that he is three inches taller at 6-foot-4.
On his ESPN profile page, he is listed as being 6-foot-4. The same applies to his USC biography. This was the only blemish on Bronny’s resume on what was an otherwise flawless day for the NBA hopeful.
Two to three NBA teams aside from the Lakers are allegedly interested in meeting with the prospect, according to NBA insider Shams Charania’s comments on The Pat McAfee Show.
James will have until May 29 to decide whether to return to college or enter the 2024 NBA Draft. His decision will likely hinge on these meetings with teams, where he and his agent will have a fair assessment of his standing. If James goes back to college, he is expected to transfer from USC.
Lakers Remain Favorites To Draft Bronny
Much to the surprise of no one, the Los Angeles Lakers have the best odds to draft James. As we shared last month, the Lakers were +200 favorites to pick LeBron James’ son in the draft.
According to BetUS, the Lakers now lead as -150 favorites. That equals an implied probability of 60% of being drafted by the Lakers. Naturally, the intention would be to draft LeBron’s son, so the 39-year-old, four-time NBA champ stays in Los Angeles.
The team who drafts his son may very well do it as a ploy to attract the bigger fish. LeBron has stated previously that he’s interested in playing with Bronny in the NBA. However, if the younger James continues to work how he did at the NBA Draft Combine, teams might take a chance on drafting a future star.
