Despite averaging under 5 points per game in his freshman season at USC and facing skepticism from scouts, Bronny James' NBA Draft prospects remain uncertain, with some predicting he may be undrafted or signed to a two-way contract.
Bronny James, the son of NBA legend LeBron James, has faced an uphill battle in his pursuit of an NBA career, and his prospects have taken a further hit after receiving some harsh critiques from NBA scouts.
James declared for the NBA Draft last month despite averaging a mere 4.8 points per game during his freshman season at USC. While some may have attributed his underwhelming performance to a cardiac arrest he suffered last summer, his outing at the NBA Scouting Combine did little to sway his skeptics.
During a scrimmage at the Combine, James scored 13 points, but it was not enough to impress the assembled scouts. ESPN's Marc Spears shared a list of notes sent to him by anonymous scouts, and the feedback was far from complimentary.
One scout bluntly stated, "If the Lakers don't draft him, I don't see anyone drafting him. Teams will want him on a two-way [contract], and I don't think [James' agency] Klutch will want that."
Another scout was even more scathing, saying, "Positional athlete. Doesn't function as an elite athlete. Tweener stuck between two positions. Should be a point guard based on his size, but he can't run an offense. He's handicapped as an undersized shooting guard because he can't shoot...His comp - a poor man's Davion Mitchell. He is not an NBA prospect in my opinion."
Mitchell, for comparison, is a backup point guard for the Sacramento Kings who averaged just 5.3 points per game this season.
James' stature, measured at 6 feet, 1.5 inches at the Combine, has also raised concerns. He was listed at 6 feet, 4 inches at USC, but his height may limit his effectiveness in the NBA, where size is a major advantage.
Despite the negative feedback, there are still those who believe James could find a place in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers, where his father currently plays, are rumored to be considering drafting him in order to keep LeBron on the team. The draft is scheduled for two days before LeBron's deadline to opt out of his contract.
While James has the potential to follow in his father's footsteps, he will need to prove that he can overcome his limitations and become a productive player in the NBA. Only time will tell if he can fulfill his lofty aspirations and join the ranks of the NBA's elite.
