USC Basketball: NBA Executive Makes Mediocre Pro Comp For Bronny James
The Athletic's John Hollinger offered up an NBA player comparison for Bronny James that, if turns true, would lead to him being one of the more disappointing prospects in recent memory.
Hollinger compared Bronny to veteran Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris, a solid-if-unspectacular journeyman pro.
Despite how it sounds, this comparison isn't necessarily a knock on James, as Harris is a very solid NBA player. He spent a few years in Denver being a key 3&D piece, having multiple 40% 3-point shooting seasons to go along with averaging over a steal per game, acting as Denver's primary point-of-attack defender.
In his best year, he averaged 17.5 points on 48% from the field and 39.6% from 3-point range, to go along with 1.8 steals per game. The year prior, he shot 42% from 3 on similar volume.
He was dealt to Orlando in the Aaron Gordon trade that formed Denver's championship winning core, but has stayed productive as one of the better shooters in the league.
While James turning out like Gary Harris wouldn't be a bad thing regarding how he can contribute at the next level, it would be a bit disappointing given the expectations levied onto him over the past few years.
James offers a lot more playmaking and ball-handling than Harris does, which increases both his floor and ceiling. His sturdier frame also raises his ceiling as a defender, which makes him a better prospect than Harris overall.
All this being said, don't be surprised if a best-case scenario James turns out similar to Harris, especially considering how valuable Harris has proven himself in the past.
