Bronny James, the firstborn of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, caught some people by surprise when he announced his decision to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft, although he could still return to college, maintaining his eligibility by entering the NCAA transfer portal.
There have been mixed reactions to the younger James’ decision, with some people thinking that his uneven freshman season with the University of Southern California highlights how he still needs to develop his game before joining the professional ranks.
Two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis is among those who believe declaring for the draft is the best course of action for the 19-year-old.
“I think for him to declare for the draft will be good because he may be a better pro than he is a college player,” Davis told TMZ Sports.
When asked why he thinks that’s the case, the retired point guard said that the change in environment may be good for the youngster.
“The program is a lot different,” Davis stated regarding the NBA. “It’s more free-flowing. You’re not coached every moment. You’re not playing zone all the time.”
Davis continued to praise the younger James, describing him as an athletic, smart point guard. Interestingly, another former All-Star, Metta Sandiford-Artest, proclaimed a few weeks ago that the younger James has the potential to be a starting point guard in the league.
Even Skip Bayless offered a similar sentiment about the younger James. The media personality said that he thinks the former Trojan is ready for the NBA because of his supposed NBA-level defense, high IQ and potential to become a reliable spot-up shooter.
“I believe he’s ready for the NBA right now.”@RealSkipBayless on Bronny declaring for NBA Draft pic.twitter.com/Qg4GaD3UwM
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 5, 2024
It remains to be seen how things play out for the younger James in the summer. Many folks are probably waiting to see if he eventually teams up with his father, a scenario that the future Hall of Famer has in his mind.
With some mock drafts, including a recent one from ESPN, predicting that no team will select the younger James, chances are he could go undrafted. Such an outcome could make it easier for him to be on the same squad as the Lakers legend.
Of course, he could also go back to college and join a different program to work on his craft. In 25 appearances during his freshman campaign, he put up just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 36.6 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from beyond the arc.
