Bronny James commits to USC Trojans
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James’ son has committed to play collegiate basketball at USC, so we now know where he will play. He was also thinking about attending Ohio State and Oregon. According to Jeff Goodman of Stadium, fans will have the opportunity to witness him perform live on Nov. 6 at T-Mobile Arena.
The first image features Bronny in the USC locker room, while the second shows James wearing a USC shirt with the number 0 and the hashtag “Fight On #committed.”
James Jr. picked the Trojans over the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks. The 18-year-old is a four-star athlete and ranked №26 in his class by 247sports.
He previously played for basketball juggernaut Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, California, so he won’t have a far commute to his new school. Due to the two-mile distance between USC and Crypto.com Arena, he will be closer to his father.
It is hardly surprising that James’ son attended a Nike school and that his other top choices were also Nike institutions.
Bronny’s high school on-court performances were sure to draw attention given his last name. However, it didn’t take long for observers to realize the 6'3" guard wasn’t just a hyped-up player.
The 18-year-old is ranked №19 overall and №5 as a combo guard in the 2023 class according to the aggregate rankings of 247Sports.
In addition to the physical abilities one might anticipate from a person whose father was an 18-time NBA All-Star, he has shown a good grasp of the subtleties of the game that come with repetition and practice.
James appears to have acquired his father’s natural vision and sense of play as well.
There are advantages and disadvantages to being the son of LeBron James, the latter of which includes greater scrutiny and expectations. Coaches at the college and professional levels have seen that Bronny has never faltered in front of the camera.
Nobody should hold him to the same standard as his father because that is an unreasonable expectation for a player to bear. But he undoubtedly has the capabilities to make a difference for USC.
Where Bronny falls in the 2024 draft class will be a hot topic in the months to come, especially since LeBron has stated his desire to compete with his son in the NBA.
The trickiest part of all may be how a franchise will have to position itself to be able to select LeBron and sign him to its squad.
Most people just kind of smiled and nodded along when LeBron James initially started talking about the notion because the possibilities of carrying out even one of these measures, much alone all of them, are so remote. But James meant it. not in a bragging, headline-grabbing way. However, as a father, he daydreams about the potential of his son.
“I was serious, and I’m still serious about it,” James said after the Los Angeles Lakers 127–97 Game 3 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.
For James, that means keeping his mind and his body operating at the highest level.
“If my mind goes, then my body will just be like, ‘OK, what are we doing?’” he said after scoring 21 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds as the Lakers took a 2–1 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.
LeBron James and the Lakers still have a long way to go in this series and these playoffs. Even longer before a father’s wish is fulfilled.
But James has come here because he can remain in the present.
“I’ve done what I’ve had to do in this league,” James said. “My son is going to take his journey. And whatever his journey, however his journey lays out, he’s going to do what’s best for him. And as his dad, and his mom, Savannah, and his brother and sister, we’re going to support him in whatever he decides to do. So, just because that’s my aspiration or my goal, doesn’t mean it’s his. And I’m absolutely OK with that.”
Following three consecutive 20-win seasons and trips to the NCAA tournament, USC decided to extend Andy Enfield’s contract through the 2027–2028 campaign in March 2022.
James’ pledge demonstrates how the 53-year-old can persuade the kind of prospects who will take the program to the next level to buy into his vision. The 53-year-old has returned the Trojans to be a consistently winning team.
