There is no doubt that the college player with the most hype and pressure is USC basketball star Bronny James, the son of LeBron James. However, Trojans head coach Andy Enfield said to Mirin Fader of The Ringer that with Bronny being a freshman, he is going to “go through a learning curve.”
“As all freshmen, you go through a learning curve,” Enfield says. “And because he joined the team late in midseason [due to his cardiac arrest], he wasn’t available to play at the beginning of the season. It was more difficult for him because he had missed so much time. It’s OK to go through this learning curve. You’re a freshman. And you’re not only a freshman, but you didn’t start the season on time.”
Enfield expects Bronny James to be a “terrific player”
While it always be hard to live up to his father's name, that seems to not be the worry for Enfield as he expects James to be a “terrific player down the line.” However, it's going to take some development as he has been easing back into the game ever since his health scare with a cardiac arrest in July of 2023.
“We expect him to be a terrific player down the line. He has a big upside in his game, and as he gets more experience, it just keeps developing. He has no ego,” Enfield said. “Sure, he wants to do well for himself, but he’s all about the team.”
So far in his freshman season with the Tojans, James has averaged five points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 37 percent from the field. This was in 19.5 minutes per game, usually off the bench as he has been easing into playing more after the aforementioned health scare.
“It’s who he is as a person,” Enfield continued. “He’s the son of one of the greatest basketball players of all time. But when he steps on the court, he’s Bronny—and he’s just one of the guys.”
Bronny James' future is a hard one to predict with Trojans
There is a lot of talk about what the next steps are for Bronny James as some think he should stay for all four years in college basketball with the Trojans. Most feel he will enter in the NBA Draft sooner rather than later with the hopes of joining his father on a team, whether that be with the Los Angeles Lakers or elsewhere as LeBron has said that is a goal for him.
Enfield believes Bronny's ultimate goal is to “become a great player” and create a name for himself rather than live in the shadow his father casts. The traits he carries are exceptional as the USC basketball coach describes him as “an energetic personality.”
“He wants to become a great player,” Enfield says. “He has a very positive spirit about him, an energetic personality. In the way that he carries himself, and the way that he plays every day. … It’s very infectious.”
In terms of USC basketball success, they have two more games left of the season as they are near the bottom of the standings with a 6-12 record in Pac-12 play and 12-17 overall. Their next game is Thursday night as they will face the Arizona State Sun Devils.
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