NBA
When would Bronny James be eligible to play in the NBA? How old is he?
LeBron “Bronny” James Jr. is causing a lot of buzz as an NBA prospect, even though he hasn’t started his classes at the University of Southern California.
With the news that the NBA is seriously considering eliminating the one-and-done requirement for the NBA, there could be a return to the high school to a pro pathway.
Bronny James recently signed his National Letter of Intent to play basketball at the University of Southern California. This commitment marks a significant step towards achieving his NBA goals. As the 21st top recruit in the high school class of 2023, according to 247Sports, James is expected to have a strong debut season with the Trojans and make a meaningful contribution to the team.
LeBron Sr was drafted straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, but two years later, the NBA raised the minimum age to 19, banning high school draftees.
ESPN wrote about him, “Bronny has earned his spot in lottery conversations with the significant jump he has made at Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, California this season. Developing into arguably the best perimeter defender in his high school class while making strides in his perimeter shooting and playmaking ability.”
It is worth noting that Bronny James will be eligible to compete in the NBA as early as the 2024-25 season.
According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NBA and its NBLPA, a player must have turned 19 years old in the calendar year of the draft and must have completed at least one year since graduating from high school.
Since Bronny belongs to the high school class of 2023, he will have to wait until 2024 to become eligible for the NBA Draft.
Another wrinkle in the story is that LeBron Sr has gone on record saying his goal is to play alongside his son in an NBA game. It would be the 2024-25 season, taking Senior into his 22nd year in the NBA to make that possible. That would tie Vince Carter’s record for the longest NBA career ever.
Even more complicated is that the NBA team with the most interest in drafting Bronny is the Orlando Magic. We will have to wait and see how this one turns out, but it will surely be a nail-biter.