Bronny James, son of NBA superstar LeBron James, and his Strive for Greatness squad are at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in Augusta, Georgia, this week. The class of 2023 guard had one of the most assertive offensive games of his young career. He scored 28 points and dished out six assists, although his team lost. LeBron was in attendance and tweeted about his son’s performance.
We just working! Stay low and stay locked in! šš¤“š¾ https://t.co/Ibefoywa1O
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 19, 2022
As a junior Bronny is ranked 39th nationally on the ESPN 100 list. He’s received a scholarship offer from the University of Kentucky and interest from Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina. But he’s a long way off from the NBA.
LeBron has talked openly about playing with his son. But under the league’s current system, he wouldn’t be draft-eligible for two more years.
“My last year will be played with my son,” James said. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”
That’s the 2024 NBA draft and the 2024-25 season which would be LeBron’s 22nd year in the league. He will be 40 years old during that season. However, Bronny needs to be drafted first and he’s nowhere near NBA ready.
24/7 Sports’ Adam Finkelstein studies players at the prep level, and thought this EYBL Peach Jam game was Bronny’s best.
“Bronny James may be the most recognized high school player in the country, and yet he almost never plays like he has anything to prove. He’s generally content to make the right play and impact winning in ways that aren’t always as loud as his social media following or fan attention would suggest.
“On Monday though, Bronny was as assertive with his individual offense as I’ve ever seen him. Playing with the ball in his hands as the point guard, he still got his Strive for Greatness squad into their actions, but he aggressively looked for opportunities to assert himself, both from behind the three-point line and attacking the rim. The result was 28 points and 6 assists on 11 of 22 shooting from the floor and 5 of 11 from the three-point line.”
A lot can change in two years for Bronny. At 6 feet 3, growing a few more inches would certainly help and increase his wingspan. The NBA is a league of super tall, elite skilled, and plus-sized wingspans super ballers.
This summer circuit will be huge for Bronny as he looks to climb the national rankings, and if he uses that to catapult into a very successful senior season, he will have a lot of options for his post-high school playing career.
Maybe he plays a year of college ball at a good program where he can play and continue to develop his skills. Or he can play for the NBA G League Ignite program. The most important thing is that he continues to develop his skills and basketball IQ.
Being the son of LeBron James has a ton of inherent pressures. He needs the space and time to grow into whatever kind of player he’s going to be independent of his dad’s accomplishments.
