Tiktukno, 15.3/Sport1
Brony James' debut collegiate season came to an end last night (Thursday) with his USC's 70:49 defeat against the mighty Arizona.
With a record of 18:15, USC failed to get the ticket to the NCAA tournament, and now everyone is waiting to see if the son of LeBron James will declare registration for the 2024 draft, or if he will stay in college for another year.
As you may remember, 19-year-old Bruni suffered a heart attack during a college training session on July 24, 2023, but managed to recover, return to training and, after five months, to games as well.
He finished the season with modest averages of 4.8 points (36.6 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from 3, 67.6 percent from the free), 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 25 appearances (and 19.4 minutes) off the bench, and while these are not statistics that characterize draft picks, his case may be different.
The reason, of course, is clear: LeBron has already stated that he wants to cooperate with his son in the NBA, so that any team that selects Bruni in the draft may improve its chances of landing one of the greatest players ever, who proves even this season that his strength is still in his waist.
LeBron has to decide by June 29 whether he uses his player option ($51.4 million) and stays with the Lakers, or gives it up and becomes a free agent, perhaps on the way to reuniting with his son.
"I need to be together with my son on the same floor," LeBron said at the beginning of 2023. "It has to happen, whether in the same outfit or as an opposing player."
Bruni will have to make a decision on whether to register for the draft by April 23rd, and then he can regret it until May 31st.
"It's his decision," LeBron said during last All-Star weekend.
"We will consider all the options, and let the child decide."
Rich Paul, who represents both the father and the son, added: "For me, the point is not to be selected in the lottery, but to reach the most appropriate situation in order to develop."
It should be noted that as of this writing, LeBron's son does not appear in any of the 2024 mock drafts (a cycle considered to be one of the weakest in the 2000s, according to estimates) - either because he is not good enough, or because the American media is not yet convinced that he will sign up or that he will wait to 2025.
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"I didn't have high expectations of him," admitted one of the managers in the NBA.
"I know that some of the mock drafts expected him to be a top 20 pick, but as far as I'm concerned, he's not of that caliber. I don't think teams will really keep him tight, because he's not a good scorer. Choosing him might be more of a defensive bet, but he'll have a hard time against fast guards."
The same manager added and admitted that the health risks are also a concern, but "I don't think LeBron would have put his son in such a situation, if it really was a risk. They don't need the money. I would recommend that LeBron go back to college, because he didn't start there on the right foot. Let him continue to polish his game. I know some teams will consider picking him, hoping they can get LeBron as well. Right now, all teams are preparing for him to enter the draft, and I think a lot of them would take him even if it meant they only had a 1% chance of getting LeBron I'll be surprised if Broni doesn't sign up."
LeBron's eldest son is 1.93 tall and plays both guard positions, while according to some scouts, the most optimistic scenario for him would be to be a complementary player in the NBA.
"The expectations for him are a little too high," another manager added to ESPN.
"He's a good player, but if the situation wasn't the same, I'm not sure how much attention he would get. I have some good qualities but also a lot of weaknesses."
In the United States, Bruni was compared, among others, to defensive players such as Gary Harris, Jaylen Suggs and Deanthony Melton.
"When I saw him I thought he would be a smart complementary player with a future in the NBA, especially as a guard," analyzed a third manager.
"He's not very big, so he'll have to make up for it with IQ and skills. I feel a little sorry for him, he's constantly under the microscope, and it's not his fault. He hasn't done anything bad to anyone."
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