A bit of an uproar broke out, on April Fools' Day no less, when rumors came out that Bronny James, who didn't exactly meet expectations in his freshman season at USC (it's important to note that the mere fact that he was able to return to the hardwood following a cardiac arrest is a huge win in and of itself) will be entering the transfer portal. While nothing appears to be official quite yet, the latest word from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James may be alluding to the fact that his son may be seriously considering such a move.

Speaking to reporters following the Lakers' 128-111 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, James dropped a cryptic hint on the road that lies ahead for his beloved firstborn.

“I don't know [where those rumors] came from. At the end of the day, Bronny's his own man. He has some tough decisions to make and when he's ready to make his decision, he'll let us all know. But as his family, we all support whatever he does,” James said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

It speaks volumes to how supportive LeBron James and his family are that they're letting Bronny decide what's best for him and his career moving forward. But this offseason is a pivotal one for Bronny, especially after his freshman season at USC did nothing to boost his draft stock. It'll be wise for Bronny to seek counsel, but as the Lakers star said, he's a grown man who's capable of choosing for himself — and living with the consequences of whatever decision he comes up with.

Where did the Bronny transfer portal rumor come from?

A few sports media outlets have picked up a report that Bronny James will be departing from the USC Trojans via the transfer portal from Dick Weiss — a veteran of the industry. However, Weiss himself tweeted out that he “can't confirm” the story he helped spread.

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Nonetheless, Weiss acknowledged that “it's an idea whose time has come” and that it “makes sense if it happens.” He also added that he believes that the son of the Lakers champion could blossom into a star elsewhere, hence the uproar that came as a result of the rumor that spread without factual basis.

It'll be interesting to see what Bronny James does; he still holds the allure of being a late-round pick due to his affiliation with LeBron James, although it looks like going back for at least one more season in college is the best option if the goal is for him to develop as a player.

Bronny's freshman season at USC and a potential team-up with LeBron James

Bronny James did not look like he was ready at all to make the jump to the NBA with the way he played for USC. He may have showcased some good defensive chops, but his offensive game was as raw as it can be. In 25 games for the Trojans, he put up a paltry average of 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, while shooting a ghastly 36.6 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from three.

In fact, it has gotten to the point where, despite the effect drafting Bronny can have in luring LeBron James, NBA teams will be extremely wary of using a draft pick on the 19-year old guard. The “tough decision” the Lakers star's will make will be depending on where his priorities lie.