The nationwide highlight on Bronny James’ basketball future began earlier than he entered highschool. The oldest son of LeBron James started drawing consideration taking part in on the grassroots circuit weeks after his well-known father left the Cleveland Cavaliers to signal with the Los Angeles Lakers in the summertime of 2018. On the time, Bronny was a 13-year-old guard standing 5’10 who abruptly turned the topic of intense curiosity as LeBron and his buddies adopted him from fitness center to fitness center.
James has now completed his junior season as Sierra Canyon, the LA-based powerhouse the place he’s spent his complete highschool profession. As his father returned to Cleveland for the 2022 NBA All-Star Sport, he added a brand new stage of scrutiny to Bronny’s recreation when he confirmed his long-rumored want to play together with his son earlier than he retires.
“My final 12 months shall be performed with my son,” James instructed The Athletic. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s the place I’ll be. I might do no matter it takes to play with my son for one 12 months. It’s not in regards to the cash at that time.”
How good is LeBron James Jr.? That query stays up for debate earlier than he’s set to begin a crucial last season taking part in on Nike’s EYBL circuit. Whereas the long-term imaginative and prescient for his recreation has crystalized since he first got here beneath the microscope, he stays a polarizing prospect whose recreation is commonly misconstrued by followers who make huge assumptions primarily based on his final identify.
Bronny James peak, age, and scouting necessities
Right here’s what we learn about Bronny proper now:
There are 23 gamers within the class rated as 5-star prospects proper now, making James one of many highest ranked four-star recruits. He has firmly established himself as a high-major faculty prospect, however the actuality is that he’s removed from a typical recruit because the son of one of many best basketball gamers ever.
James has performed on stacked groups at Sierra Canyon crammed with present and future NBA gamers. He shared the ground with Zairie Williams and B.J. Boston early in highschool profession earlier than each have been chosen within the 2021 NBA Draft. This 12 months he was teammates with Amari Bailey, the UCLA-bound guard rated because the No. 2 participant within the senior class. Sierra Canyon had two different top-100 seniors on the roster in USC-bound huge man Kijani Wright and Nebraska signee Ramel Lloyd Jr.
James took the ground for Sierra Canyon this season lower than a 12 months since he tore his meniscus in Feb. 2021. With a lot expertise round him, Bronny has basically been requested to be a task participant. Add within the pandemic drastically altering the highschool schedule in California, and there merely isn’t a lot tape on Bronny but.
“To me he’s at all times been roughly one of many 20 greatest youngsters within the class,” stated PD Net, director of analysis & growth at Cerebro Sports activities. “It’s simply not the best way we consider stars, and particularly NBA infants.”
Whereas Bronny is definitely an intriguing expertise, he hasn’t at all times had the manufacturing to match it. His greatest video games — like a 18-point efficiency in opposition to suburban Chicago titan Glenbard West — are sometimes adopted quieter performances. As Sierra Canyon was upset by Harvard-Westlake through the CIF Southern Part Open semifinal recreation, James solely completed with 4 factors. His junior season ended with a blowout loss to an elite Centennial Excessive College group in a recreation the place James was held scoreless whereas slowed by a hip damage.
What’s Bronny’s recreation actually like? Listed below are our impressions after watching him as a junior at Sierra Canyon.
Bronny James scouting report
LeBron James began the second act of his profession by surrounding himself with gifted teammates, and his son is doing the identical factor. Because it’s occurred, the youthful James has basically been slotted into low utilization roles the place he’s been counted on to do the little issues that assist his groups win fairly than single-handedly carry them to victory.
Proper now, James is at his greatest defending opposing level guards whereas taking part in in an off-ball function offensively. He’s proven promising flashes as a shooter, making pictures from NBA vary off spot-ups and even displaying the flexibility to hit three-pointers off motion.
Whereas he’s the scale of a degree guard, he doesn’t play the place in a standard sense. As a substitute of initiating offense with the ball in his palms, Bronny excels at spacing the ground, making fast choices as a passer, and serving to his group get out in transition by turning protection into offense.
“He’s a degree of assault defender who can scale on- and off-ball,” Net stated. “He is a great passer however doesn’t must have the ball in his palms to make it occur. He has taking pictures versatility and he’s additionally a defensive playmaker who can get out in transition. It’s the proper scalable small wing or guard.
“I feel Bronny will find yourself being taller than no matter he’s listed at now. However that’s basically describing a participant nearer to Danny Inexperienced than LeBron James. I feel that’s the place loads of the misunderstanding of his recreation comes from.”
Bronny James has a promising taking pictures projection
Whereas his dad has performed with the ball in his palms his complete life, Bronny is most comfy recognizing up from three proper now. His outdoors jumper initially appeared shaky on the EYBL as he returned from the meniscus tear, however he proved he’s a reliable shooter as a junior at Sierra Canyon.
Bronny will deliver reputable worthwhile as a ground spacer. He’s a assured shooter with deep vary who doesn’t hesitate to fireplace within the face of a closeout. Right here’s a spot-up taking pictures compilation from his junior 12 months.
One of many first stuff you’ll discover in regards to the shot is his launch is fairly gradual. He’ll must work on rushing it up within the coming years, however he shoots a tender ball with good contact. His potential to unfold the ground and hearth threes at quantity shall be a giant a part of his recreation.
Bronny isn’t only a stationary shooter, both. He’s proven the flexibility to come back off pindowns, get his toes set, and hit pictures. Listed below are a pair examples of Bronny’s motion taking pictures potential.
Sierra Canyon will often run actions to get Bronny darting round screens to get open from three. From there, he’s at his greatest as a menace to shoot or transfer the ball rapidly with a go.
There are indicators of a creating pull-up recreation, too. No, Bronny isn’t going to launch threes off the dribble the second the opposing protection goes beneath a display simply but. However he’s proven a consolation stage stepping into his one dribble pull-up when the protection tries to run him off the road.
This can be a good basis for a 17-year-old, and positively one thing he can construct off from right here. Bronny’s ground spacing potential goes to be a crucial a part of his recreation shifting ahead, and he confirmed sufficient as a junior at Sierra Canyon to imagine it will likely be a reliable asset for him.
Bronny James is a great passer who can act because the connective tissue of an offense
The worth of Bronny’s ground spacing is boosted by his potential to rapidly acknowledge when he wants to maneuver the ball. If a teammate creates the preliminary benefit and the ball swings to Bronny, he may be counted on to both hearth a 3 or swing the rock to a teammate in a extra advantageous place.
Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams has helped popularize the thought of ‘0.5 basketball’ — basically that gamers have half a second to both shoot, go, or dribble as soon as they contact the ball. Whereas Bronny isn’t totally shaped on this regard simply but, it’s clear he is an efficient processor who needs to make the suitable play. Right here’s a compilation of Bronny as a passer.
Gamers who can discover the open man with out creating the benefit off the dribble have been labeled as ‘connectors’ on this period of NBA basketball, with Tyrese Haliburton and Lonzo Ball standing out as two examples. Bronny may definitely match that archetype sooner or later even with out their measurement. Gamers like De’Anthony Melton and Miles ‘Deuce’ McBride provide an identical talent set as shorter guards.
Bronny James’ protection needs to be his calling card
It’s unusual to suppose that the son of one of many largest stars in historical past does his greatest work on the defensive finish, however that’s the kind of participant Bronny is true now. Whereas he might not be tremendous tall or lengthy but, he has fast toes and a powerful physique that ought to make him a high quality defensive guard all through his profession.
Watch Bronny slide his toes, change instructions, and keep away from fouling on this clip.
Just a few issues stand out about Bronny’s protection. He has good lateral quickness with a formidable potential to maintain his stability whereas altering instructions. He takes delight in locking down his man, and he’s attentive off the ball. He had a number of situations of giving up his physique for a cost this season.
Bronny has additionally had some fairly shot blocking flashes. Right here’s one:
James’ robust protection typically results in huge performs going the opposite method. Listed below are two clips that present his potential to show protection into offense.
Within the first clip, Bronny slides his toes to pressure his man right into a contact midrange floater, pushes the ball down ground after receiving the go, and assaults the basket for a layup. Within the second clip, James traps the ball handler on the alternative baseline after a full courtroom press, cuts off one other driving lane after a go, then runs down courtroom to complete the defensive possession with a block. Sierra Canyon recovers the ball, kicks it to Bronny to steer the break, and it pushes it down the ground earlier than discovering an open shooter for 3.
James’ lack of measurement will restrict him some, however his robust chest, fast toes, and spectacular hand-eye coordination will assist him deal with a wide range of assignments defensively.
Bettering as a driver is the following step for Bronny
One space the place James Jr. can enhance is by turning into a extra versatile and explosive driver. It’s essential to do not forget that he’s nonetheless recovering from a meniscus tear at such a younger age, and that his function on Sierra Canyon has typically been extra about spacing the ground, shifting the ball, and taking part in protection round Bailey because the offense’s first possibility. However discovering an avenue to towards rim strain would go a protracted solution to enhancing his inventory as a prospect given his measurement.
There are encouraging flashes. Right here’s drive by Bronny to his left regardless that he couldn’t get the end to go down:
Right here’s an instance of a drive James truly transformed. He splits the pick-and-roll, explodes to the basket, and exhibits good physique management on the end:
Bronny James has all of the makings of a reliable NBA function participant if he can preserve enhancing
James’ junior season at Sierra Canyon appears like successful whenever you think about all of the missed time coming off a meniscus tear and Covid restrictions. He’s somebody who performs a successful model of basketball and has the flexibility to enrich the extra ball dominant stars round him.
So far, James Jr. has by no means been requested to be the first offensive possibility on his highschool groups. It could be good to see him assume that function in his last EYBL tour this spring and summer time even when has some rising pains.
“One of many points with him is he sort of blends in,” Net stated. “I don’t know what his limitations actually are as a result of he’s at all times been on these actually stacked groups. He’s at all times performed in environments the place he’s not requested to do issues he’s uncomfortable with. The expertise may be constructive even when the outcomes are medium.”
As James continues to flesh out his offensive creation potential, he has a excessive ground as a participant who areas the ground, hits pictures, and makes an impression on the defensive finish. That’s a extremely helpful participant in at the moment’s recreation subsequent to the rising development of outsized ball handlers.
“We’re speaking about an archetype that matches subsequent to heliocentric or heavy choice making wings fairly seamlessly,” Net stated. “After we consider the Luka Doncic or Cade Cunninghams of the world, you don’t essentially suppose you need to put a degree guard subsequent to them. You simply load up on choice makers who could make pictures and are versatile defenders who can provide you as many appears to be like as attainable whereas having your world centered round a giant do-it-all wing. Gamers like Bronny match completely in a world the place there are increasingly wings making increasingly playmaking choices. As a result of they’ll at all times want athletic, energetic defenders who can take a number of assignments.”
There’s a sure veteran who shall be on the finish of his profession when Bronny is ready to enter the league who matches that description, too.
“Bronny is in loads of methods the proper participant to play subsequent to LeBron,” Net stated. “That’s the additional participant that LeBron wanted in Miami to go in opposition to the Spurs. He type of appears crafted in a lab to be the proper teammate for LeBron James.”
As Bronny enters his last season of grassroots ball after which his senior 12 months at Sierra Canyon, he’s prone to step into a task he hasn’t identified but: main man for his groups. It’s a chance to discover the boundaries of his recreation and take a look at himself in opposition to the perfect of his friends. The subsequent 12 months shall be a very powerful of his prep profession.
It’s simple to mislabel the skills of a participant whose authorities identify is LeBron James Jr. He doesn’t play something like this dad simply but, however he’s nonetheless displaying some foundational expertise that may in the end result in a profitable NBA profession.
