Ohio State Target Bronny James Proves He's Real Deal at McDonald's All-American Game
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With all eyes on 2023 Sierra Canyon (Los Angeles, CA) guard Bronny James - a key recruiting target for the Ohio State Buckeyes - at the McDonald's All-American Game in Houston on Tuesday, he didn't disappoint.
His dad, none other than the legendary LeBron James, was watching from the front row with seemingly every camera focused on both him and Bronny. But the pressure hardly seemed to faze LeBron's four-star prospect of a son, who finished with 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting from deep.
Safe to say that Bronny is a vastly different player than his Hall of Fame father, but still showed NBA and college scouts that he's the real deal.
Here's a look at all five of his made 3s. Additional analysis will be included in individual clips below.
Bronny shot the ball with effortless shooting touch, showing little hesitation in catch-and-shoot scenarios to let it fly.
His shooting form is already proving to be something to salivate over, as he gets nice dip in his hips off the catch and keeps his heels off the ground to get maximum lift and bounce into a shot. To top it all off, he has ideal arc in his shot and keeps that shooting hand bent all the way through the process to ensure the best results.
But Bronny proved that is shooting ability is multi-faceted.
Arguably his best quality as a shooter at this point in his young career is the ability to relocate without the ball to allow easier passes for his teammates and, as a result, easier shots for himself.
This highlight might not seem like much, but it shows he can carve out a career for himself as an elite shooter. With his teammate in a bit of pinch on the baseline, Bronny does a short relocation to the corner and keep his hands ready for the pass, allowing him to easily lift into his shot right off the catch. Take a look:
But maybe Bronny's most impressive make of the night came when he showed his ability to hit from near-NBA range off the dribble with a contest right in his face.
Here, he sets his man up to run into the screen by jab-stepping away with the ball. Despite some solid defense on the switch, he takes one dribble, gets into his right-left step in rhythm and keeps his shooting stroke consistent despite pulling up off the dribble. This is some impressive stuff from a prospect that many have been doubting due to the unreal hype surrounding him.
As for the Buckeyes, they were certainly watching Tuesday's game to see what they could be bringing to Columbus should Bronny commit to Ohio State.
He's announced previously that he's cut his commitment list to Ohio State, Oregon or USC. With Columbus being just about a two-hour drive from where Bronny's dad grew up in Akron, a pledge to Ohio State would certainly be some storybook stuff.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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