Bronny James Drops 19 Points On Dad’s Alma Mater With Carmelo Anthony, Russ Westbrook In Stands| What’s The Best Path To NBA For The HS Junior?

Bronny James scored 19 points and led Sierra Canyon to a 71-53 victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary at The Chosen-1’s Invitational on Saturday Dec. 4. On hand was Bronny’s dad, Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar and St. Vincent-St. Mary’s alumnus LeBron James.

Joining James in the crowd at Staples Center were his Lakers teammates Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony.

The Unrealistic Expectations Surrounding Bronny James Have Already Gone Too Far

Bronny hit four threes and played pretty well, displaying skills and athleticism that will help him as he hopes to move and play at the next level.

“It felt special playing on the same court as he’s played,” Bronny James said of his father after the win. “I’m getting a lot of confidence from that, and it was a really special game for me. Afterwards, he just said he liked everything I was doing, with my poise and my pace for the game.”

Sierra Canyon was without its best player, Amari Bailey, and head coach Andre Chevalier was impressed with his team and the younger James.

“Bronny has, over the last couple of weeks, taken great strides and for him to show his ability, his confidence, his poise in a game like this was amazing,” Chevalier said. “With someone like Amari [Bailey] being out, Bronny has stepped up and showed his leadership on the court.”

Bronny is part of the high-school graduating class of 2023. The remainder of this season and the summer going into next season are crucial to his development and his basketball future. At 6’2″, he’s a pretty good athlete, though not particularly long. He plays as a combo guard, but shows a skill set for playmaking.

According to ESPN’s high school rankings, Bronny is the 49th-ranked player in his class, 13th by position, and fifth in the state. He has drawn interest from collegiate powerhouses Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA. But beyond an offer from Kentucky, not much else is known.

Don’t Be Surprised If Bronny James Plays His One Year Of College At An HBCU

Bleacher Report’s scout and draft analyst Jonathan Wasserman shared his thoughts on Bronny’s performance.

Bronny James is in a unique position as a prep player given who his father is and the changes to how prep athletes choose to continue their basketball careers. College is an option, but not the only one.

Bronny doesn’t have the financial concerns that other players might, though he may want to earn money on his own if a sponsorship opportunity presents itself.

It’s clear that Bronny and LeBron’s desire is for the younger James to play in the NBA someday. What path will best prepare him for that possibility?

Bronny could go the route of his former teammate Zaire Wade, son of Dwyane Wade, and turn professional right after his prep career ends. The younger James could be selected by the G League’s developmental team. He could join Overtime Elite’s program, or even play overseas. Though the latter seems unlikely.

Overtime Elite’s Atlantic Station Facility In Atlanta Completed In Six Months | Should The NCAA Be Worried?

Right now as a player Bronny is good, but not yet NBA caliber. He is still growing and a few more inches and pounds of muscle could change everything. From all accounts, the work ethic is there and he has possibly the greatest player of all time as a father.

He’ll have every opportunity to prove that he can be an NBA player. It will all come down to what he does on the court.


More news from our partners:

Bryce Young Locks Up Heisman With Huge Performance In Alabama’s SEC Championship Blowout Of Favorite Georgia

A Year Later, Former Ohio Deputy That Put Five Shots In Casey Goodson’s Back While He Stood Outside His Home Is Charged with Murder

Dismissed: Court Throws Out Media Mogul Byron Allen’s McDonald’s Discrimination Lawsuit That Claimed Fast Food Giant Failed to Advertise Widely In Black Media

`
Back to top