Bronny James’ senior season of high school basketball at Sierra Canyon School is now in the past, and there is a question about what lies ahead for him as the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Most expect the younger James to play college ball, but LaVar Ball, the father of Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball, feels the younger James should forget about getting his education and instead head to Australia to play in the NBL.
“You playing against grown men and you getting paid,” the 55-year-old said. “If you want to play basketball and you really that dude, why am I sitting in class trying to pass a chemistry test? I don’t wanna play no chemistry. I don’t wanna practice no Spanish. No!
“I wanna wake up, go practice, go back to sleep, go practice, have a game, practice. That’s all I wanna do. I don’t wanna be like, ‘Hey, I’ll meet you in the student union for study hall.'”
According to the NBA’s current rules, players must wait until one year after their class graduates from high school before being eligible for the draft. That would mean the younger James won’t be able to enter the league until the 2024-25 campaign.
While Lonzo Ball played one season of college ball at the University of California, Los Angeles, LaMelo Ball spent some time in the NBL before heading to the NBA two seasons ago and winning the Rookie of the Year award.
He is now a budding star with the Charlotte Hornets, although, like Lonzo Ball, he has had trouble staying healthy.
The younger James has gotten offers from some prominent basketball schools, and he’s coming off a solid performance in the McDonald’s All-American Game on Tuesday in which he hit five 3-pointers.
The guard has been lauded for his smooth offensive game, feel for what’s happening on the court and solid defensive skills. His chances of getting drafted into the NBA have greatly increased over the last several months, and a recent mock draft by ESPN had him going in the top 10.
However, he still has his doubters. One scout said that the younger James was only the 17th-best player in that McDonald’s All-American Game.
The NBL has reportedly already made overtures to him, and playing in Australia would give him the advantage of making some dough while getting to see the rest of the world and experience a slightly different culture.
