USC Basketball: NBA Execs Surprisingly Think Bronny James Has Key Skill

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 9, 2024

Feb 29, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) controls the ball. / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Soon-to-be-ex USC Trojans freshman combo guard Bronny James is ditching the club, but given that he's not projected as a top-58 talent (two teams forfeited their draft picks, otherwise it'd be 60), he seems to be keeping his options open with regard to his next basketball steps. The 6'4" combo guard out of Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth has declared for this year's NBA draft, while also entering the NCAA's transfer portal. So either way, his days at USC are done.

This is hardly a surprise. Playing for now-departed head coach Andy Enfield, the 19-year-old averaged a scant 4.8 points on .366/.267/.676 shooting splits, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists across 25 games (six starts). Given that USC went just 15-18 and missed the NCAA Tournament, this makes his limited run all the more damning.

Still, NBA scouts believe he really does have pro potential right now, as a very raw prospect. Shams Charania of FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" breaks it all down:

"Bronny James is declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft, but he's also maintaining his college eligibility...When I talk to NBA teams there's a clear consensus that as a defender he's already at that caliber of an NBA defender."@ShamsCharania on Bronny James. pic.twitter.com/pEM2ho4zxJ

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 8, 2024

"Bronny James is declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft, but he's also maintaining his college eligibility, gonna enter the NCAA transfer portal, leaving USC regardless of where this goes," Charania said. "I'm told this is just the start of the process, where Bronny James' priority is to stay in the draft of course, but that's gonna depend on how his evaluation comes from his team workouts, team visits. He's gonna have to go through a thorough evaluation through this predraft process."

"When I talk to NBA teams there's a clear consensus that as a defender he's already at that caliber of an NBA defender," Charania added. "We know about his basketball IQ as well, obviously great genes there, but shooting, offensive game, ballhandling, I think those are all things that scouts, talent evaluators will keep an eye on as he goes through the predraft process. I think if there's a draft to be in, though, this is probably the draft, by all accounts, to stay in."