Bronny James’ Backup Plan Comes to Agent Rich Paul’s Delight After Shocking NBA Draft Decision

The Bronny James-USC saga has taken another surprising twist. After enduring a disastrous freshman season with the USC Trojans, many felt that Bronny would play at least another season of college basketball. It could have been with USC or someplace else, but the overriding sentiment was that Bronny would continue his collegiate career. However, in a surprising twist, Bronny has decided to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft.

Shams Charania of the ‘Athletic’ broke the news via his X account. He wrote, “USC freshman Bronny James is declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft. James, 19, also is entering NCAA transfer portal to maintain flexibility. The combo guard will work out for and visit NBA teams and make a draft decision based on evaluation.” Several fans and analysts have been taken aback by Bronny’s decision to enlist for the draft, especially after ESPN projected him to be a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Rich Paul would certainly have a huge impact on Bronny James’ decision to enroll for the draft, given that he represents both Bronny and LeBron James. During a recent interview, Paul stated that he doesn’t “value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation.” Even LeBron spoke about Bronny’s future during the All-Star Game press conference. He said, “It’s up to the kid. Obviously we gonna go through the whole process… We gonna weigh our options, and we gonna let the kid make the decision.”

While both Rich Paul and Bronny have publicly spoken about his future, Bronny himself has never done so. However, Bronny’s decision to leave USC makes a little more sense when considering the fact that Andy Enfield, the coach who recruited Bronny, decided to leave the program and take a job at SMU.

Which team might choose Bronny James in the NBA Drafts 2024?

Bronny failed to live up to expectations in his freshman season with USC, averaging just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games for the Trojans. The USC Trojans even missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in five seasons. So, it comes as no surprise that Bronny decided to leave USC. However, what was surprising was his decision to enlist in the 2024 NBA Draft.

As a result, Bronny James will need to be evaluated and approved by the NBA’s fit-to-play panel. Given that Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2023, this process is of utmost importance. If Bronny passes the evaluation, he will become eligible to participate in team workouts or the draft combine, which takes place in May. However, teams can conduct interviews with Bronny without the need for a medical clearance.

Nonetheless, the most likely destination for Bronny would be the Los Angeles Lakers, who hold the 55th pick in the 2024 Draft. The Lakers could also sign Bronny to a two-way contract, which would enable him to get valuable playing time in the G-League. Which, the agents suggest, would prove agreeable if the youngster remains undrafted and returns with well-honed skills. Another likely destination for Bronny could be the New York Knicks. Recent reports have indicated that the Knicks are considering drafting Bronny in an effort to attract LeBron to sign with them as a free agent.

While Bronny James has decided to declare for the draft, he still maintains college eligibility. Before he decided to enlist for the NBA draft, Bronny also entered the college transfer portal. If Bronny goes undrafted, the most likely college destinations for him are Duquesne and Ohio State. Dru Joyce, who’s LeBron’s high school teammate, recently became the head coach of the Duquesne Dukes, which offers speculations.

The 2024 draft is scheduled to be held on June 26-27 and awaits to unfold the eager future for the 19-year-old.

Read More: Bronny James Is Channeling Father LeBron’s ‘Quitting Mentality’ in USC Transfer Saga, Claims Veteran Journalist