Bronny James enters his senior season in the fall of 2023, and NBA scouts already are preparing for the 2024 NBA Draft.
French prospect Victor Wembanyama and G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson are the prizes of this year’s NBA draft, but the next class does not feature a can’t-miss prospect.
But all eyes will be on who drafts LeBron James’ eldest son since the Los Angeles Lakers superstar has teased the possibility of playing with Bronny James when he arrives in the NBA.
He has not committed to his post-high school future yet, but ESPN’s Jonathan Givony projected the Sierra Canyon guard to be drafted at No. 10 in his 2024 NBA mock draft. The order was determined by ESPN projections, so the Orlando Magic were projected to draft James.
“Some might be surprised to see James, ranked anywhere from 28 to 43 by the major recruiting services, as a potential top-10 pick,” Givony wrote Wednesday. “James has earned his spot in lottery conversations with the significant jump he has made at Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, Calif., this season, developing into arguably the best perimeter defender in his high school class while making strides in his perimeter shooting and playmaking ability.
“As most of his peers have flatlined the past 12 to 18 months, James has grown, filled out his frame, found another gear with his explosiveness and become an absolute terror off the ball defensively thanks to his outstanding intensity and feel for the game. He still has plenty of room to improve his ballhandling and pull-up jumper to become a more prolific and efficient shot-creator, but he has already caught the eyes of NBA decision-makers with the way he contributes to winning and likely will continue to grow and fill out his game.”
Being the son of a future Hall of Famer will follow James throughout his basketball career, and his stock could rise further if the 2024 class is as weak as projected. He’s already followed in his father’s footsteps by receiving flak from Skip Bayless over a minuscule act.
But the build-up to a potential father-son duo playing on the same team has begun with LeBron James’ future linked to his son.
