NBA
When will Bronny James be drafted? Prospect soars after NBA combine showing
The son of LeBron James now looks very likely to be drafted after opting to keep his name in for next month’s NBA Draft in New York.
Bronny James has seen his chances of being drafted next month soar after impressing at the NBA combine earlier this month. James has had cardiac issues in the past and looked, at one point, unlikely to made it to the NBA at all.
However he has improved during his college career with USC and made major strides forward during the combine. On the first day his scores for explosivity and speed ranked among the best of his cohort and his shooting impressed, hitting 78% of his efforts in the side-midside 3-point shooting drill.
Ahead of the draft combine ESPN ranked Bronny James as the 98th-best draft prospect of 2024. Over the course of those weeks in the spotlight he rose to No. 54 in the standings, a meteoric rise at this late stage.
This suggests that Bronny James will indeed join the NBA this year and his professional career will overlap with that of his father, LeBron James.
When will Bronny James play in the NBA?
After a dominant showing in the combine the 19-year-old looks set for a switch to the NBA. The only area of doubt was whether Bronny James would remain in contention for the 2024 draft, forgoing the remainder of his college eligibility.
Speaking on Wednesday his agent, Rich Paul, confirmed that his client would be in the mix next month: “He’s staying in the draft.”
“Bronny’s [draft] range is wide,” Paul continued. “He’s a really good prospect who has a lot of room for growth. It only takes one team. I don’t care where that team is - it can be No. 1 or 58. I do care about the plan, the development. The team’s strategy, the opportunity and the financial commitment. That’s why I’m not doing a two-way deal. Every team understands that.”
After years of anticipation, Bronny James looks increasingly likely to join an NBA team in 2024. This year’s draft will take place in New York City across 26-27 June and few would bet against him getting a pick. The schedule for the 2024/25 NBA season has not yet been confirmed but we know that the action will begin in October, running until the following April. Within five months, Bronny James may have played his first minutes in the NBA.