Ever since Bronny James broke the internet with his announcement that he's leaving USC, the basketball world has been fiercely speculating where he'll end up next. The possibility of him playing with his father LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers next year has fans and pundits alike on the edge of their seats.
However, Bronny isn't worried about potentially forming the first father-son duo in NBA history, via USA Today's Michael Scotto.
“When I get there, I don’t think it would be just like me and my dad,” Bronny said. “I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad. That’s not my mindset right now at all. I’m just trying to put in the work and see where it takes me from there.”
The former Trojan does have some work to do before being ready to meaningfully contribute to an NBA squad, as he only averaged 4.8 points per game on 36.6% shooting, with 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a freshman. Bronny did suffer a cardiac arrest in a preseason practice, which threw a wrench in his season.
Will the 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard be able to tune out the noise caused by his family ties?
Bronny James showed that he's still behind offensively at the NBA Draft combine
It's good that Bronny isn't getting distracted by the media circus, because he still has plenty of room for improvement. The Cleveland native didn't make much of an offensive impact during the scrimmage at the combine Tuesday, scoring just four points on 2-of-8 shooting in 19 minutes. He also went 0-of-4 from long range.
However, Bronny has shown flashes of the potential that has NBA clubs thinking he can eventually forge his legacy. The former McDonald's All-American did well during combine drills, recording a 40-inch vertical as well as hitting 19-of-25 three-point attempts. He's maintained a positive attitude through it all, via ESPN's James Collier.
“My job is just to play a role and play the right way, make sure I get my teammates involved and stuff like that,” Bronny said. “But again, I was just super grateful for the opportunity to be out there. I felt like I should be out there.”
The lackluster freshman year may have been a blessing in disguise for the 19-year-old, as it's helped keep him humble. He acknowledged that he hasn't earned the right to be mentioned in the same breath as his dad yet, despite the constant comparisons.
“Bronny was just a nickname that I was just given when I was younger,” Bronny added. “But everything that follows my dad, people just try to link me with that and all the greatness that he's achieved. I haven't done anything yet, so I feel like there needs to be that divide between Bronny and LeBron.”
Whether or not Bronny ends up with the Lakers next season, the reality remains that he needs to continue developing for him to see long-term success in the league. Luckily, his mind seems to be in the right place.
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