It’s not a surprise, but his agent, Rich Paul, made it official speaking to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Bronny James is staying in the NBA draft.
The deadline for all prospects to make that call is midnight Eastern on Wednesday night (Thursday morning). Bronny entered the draft process more of a fringe candidate but now is likely to hear his name called — more likely in the second round than the first, but he will most likely get selected.
Bronny is a legit prospect but one with a lot of work to do before he is NBA-ready, according to team talent evaluators who spoke to NBC Sports. A number mentioned that they see him more as a two-way player at this point, but Bronny’s agent, Paul, is not going down that road.
“Bronny’s [draft] range is wide,” Paul told ESPN. “He’s a really good prospect who has a lot of room for growth. It only takes one team. I don’t care where that team is -- it can be No. 1 or 58 -- [but] I do care about the plan, the development. The team’s strategy, the opportunity and the financial commitment. That’s why I’m not doing a two-way deal. Every team understands that.”
At the NBA Draft Combine, Bronny showed off his NBA athleticism (40.5-inch vertical), he showed good shooting form in drills, and he’s seen as a high IQ player who can be a quality perimeter defender. The knocks are that he is not tall (6'1" without shoes at the Combine), and his handles, playmaking, and shooting in game conditions need a lot of work. Bronny came off the bench and averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game at USC last season.
Much of his development will likely come in the G-League next year, but Paul doesn’t want him to do that on a more disposable two-way contract, he wants Bronny to have an NBA deal. If not the son of LeBron James he would likely go undrafted (or late second round, at best) and probably would have jumped in the transfer portal and stayed in college. However, you play the hand you are dealt and Bronny is LeBron’s son, and the idea that drafting him might lure LeBron is a factor in some teams’ thinking. (The idea that LeBron would leave the Lakers and nearly $50 million on the table to play for the minimum in any market to be with his son is Tolkien-level fantasy, but some owners still apparently harbor it.)
Bronny reportedly has been invited to workout for about 10 teams but will choose fewer than that. The Lakers and Suns reportedly are on that workout list.
Bronny will get drafted and get an NBA contract, maybe with the Lakers or somewhere else, but he is staying in the NBA draft because he knows his name will be called.
