NBA Draft prospects have until 11:59 p.m. ET Wednesday to decide whether they will remain a part of this year’s draft class or return to school.
Bronny James has already made up his mind. He is going pro.
James has been in the spotlight for many years, as his father — Lakers star LeBron James — is one of the best players in NBA history. But the younger James is a solid player in his own right and has the athletic potential needed to develop into a quality player at the professional level.
Will Bronny be drafted, and will his father eventually join him wherever he lands? Only time will tell.
For now, here’s what to know about the younger James’ future as he looks to cut his teeth in the NBA.
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Is Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft?
Yes, Bronny James plans to go pro and remain a part of the 2024 NBA Draft, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN.
“He’s staying in the draft,” Paul said.
James had until 11:59 p.m. ET Wednesday to withdraw from the 2024 NBA Draft, but he will instead forgo his final few years of college eligibility as he looks to make an NBA roster.
Why Bronny James is staying in the 2024 NBA Draft
James enjoyed a strong pre-draft process and performed well at the NBA Draft Combine. He showed off his elite-level athleticism at the event, shot the ball well and scored 13 points in one of the five-on-five scrimmages.
That NBA Combine performance put James’ stock on the rise. It doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he’ll be selected, but it gave him a much better chance to be a second-round pick in what is considered to be a weak overall draft class.
After all, James was a McDonalds All-American entering his first year at USC. His lone college season was simply derailed by a cardiac arrest and subsequent surgery to fix a heart defect in June 2023. He played off the bench for USC and only averaged 4.8 points in 19.4 minutes per game.
Those stats may not inspire much faith that James will be selected early, but as Paul communicated to ESPN, James’ camp doesn’t care too much about when he is drafted. Their No. 1 goal is for James to land with a team that can develop him.
“Bronny’s [draft] range is wide,” Paul said. “He’s a really good prospect who has a lot of room for growth. It only takes one team. I don’t care where that team is — it can be No. 1 or 58 — [but] I do care about the plan, the development. The team’s strategy, the opportunity and the financial commitment. That’s why I’m not doing a two-way deal. Every team understands that.”
Considering the dearth of overall talent in the 2024 NBA Draft class, it seems likely a team will be willing to make that kind of commitment to James. That’s why he is starting to appear in more and more NBA mock drafts ahead of the event.
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Bronny James mock draft
Sporting News’ Kyle Irving has James landing with the Lakers in his latest 2024 NBA mock draft. Irving isn’t the only one making that projection, as The Ringer and Yahoo Sports also had him in that spot following the 2024 NBA Draft lottery.
ESPN’s latest mock draft has James being selected by the Celtics one pick earlier at No. 54 overall after his strong NBA Combine performance. It will be interesting to see if James continues to rise as the actual draft date draws nearer and nearer.
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Bronny James stats
If James does rise, it won’t necessarily be due to his college numbers. He played just under 20 minutes per game coming off the bench for USC and was modestly productive.
Below is a look at his per-game stats for the 2023-24 college basketball season.
| Stat | Total |
| Minutes | 19.4 |
| Points | 4.8 |
| Rebounds | 2.8 |
| Assists | 2.1 |
| Steals | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 0.2 |
| FG % | 36.6 |
Of course, James’ numbers are more impressive considering that he posted them after suffering a cardiac arrest in June 2023. He was cleared to play in the NBA after that medical event, so he should only continue to improve as he further distances himself from that health scare.
James seems unlikely to post better stats at the NBA level right away, but he could eventually blossom into a do-it-all role player in the right scenario.