Bronny James’ Lakers workout further stirs 2024 NBA Draft rumors

NBA

By Pilar Rossi

Bronny James could be one step closer to following in his dad’s footsteps.

The Los Angeles Lakers held a pre-NBA draft workout on Thursday that included James, the 19-year-old son of Lakers star and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James, per the Los Angeles Times.

Bronny garnered widespread attention with his workout at the 2024 NBA Scouting Combine in May.

He opened the week-long trial by going 19 for 25 and finished second best in the 3-point shooting drill, and his max vertical of 40.5 inches was the fourth-highest among prospects. 

While uniting with his father in the pros would make for a massive storyline — the elder James has long dreamt of sharing the court with his son — Bronny made it clear at the combine he wants his own journey when the June 26 draft begins.

“I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad,” he told reporters. “But, that’s not my mindset at all. I’m just trying to put in the work and see where it takes me.”

Bronny’s opt-in to the draft was a curious move for some after he finished his lone collegiate season at USC averaging 4.8 points and 2.1 assists — after missing time due to a cardiac incident before his freshman year.

He started the draft cycle unranked but has climbed to the No. 53 spot on CBS Sports’ list and is a projected pick for the end of June. 

Wherever he ends up, the potential second-generation star emphasized that he doesn’t want to be in his father’s shadow.

“I just want to, you know, have people know my name is Bronny James and not be identified as just LeBron James’ son,” he said. “My dream has always just been to put my name out, make a name for myself, and of course, you know, get to the NBA, which is everyone’s end goal that is here.”