LeBron James’ son Bronny predicted to go undrafted, sparks wild theory

LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in basketball history but it appears that not all of his dreams will come true.

Maybe LeBron can't get what he wants. Photo: Getty Images

Bronny James’ freshman season at USC has gotten off to a slow start, and a recent mock draft has left NBA fans talking.

ESPN released its 2024 NBA mock draft of the players who are expected to be selected in the two rounds, and the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is projected to go undrafted.

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The latest two-round NBA mock draft from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo had Bronny missing the cut.

The article provided context to their reasoning for leaving James out of the top 60 players for the draft but highlighted that he has “been excellent defensively.”

“A month into his college career, James is still finding his footing at USC, having some strong offensive performances (15 points in 20 minutes at Oregon State) and some lacklustre ones (two points vs. Stanford, zero points vs. Washington State).

“He is not the type of player who will consistently carry a team with his scoring.

“He’s been excellent defensively, though, locking up in one-on-ones with his quick feet and strong frame, and flying around off the ball generating turnovers in bunches.”

Bronny James hasn't set the world on fire. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

Despite Bronny being listed as a potential undrafted candidate, the ESPN draft experts expressed the Lakers star’s kid still has a ton of room to grow if he picks up his aggressiveness.

“Mostly a spot-up shooter and transition finisher, James has plenty of room to grow as a ball handler to become more of a true combo guard than an undersized 3-and-D wing like he currently appears.

“Finding another notch with his aggressiveness and scoring proficiency would make James a more clear-cut candidate for this year’s draft.

“It’s not clear what his outlook will be if he doesn’t break out in the coming months,” per ESPN’s mock draft.

NBA fans flooded social media with reactions to the Mock draft, while many felt LeBron would have a plan if his son doesn’t get drafted since it is documented that he wants to play alongside him.

“He’ll get drafted just based on the fact LeBron might go wherever his son is drafted,” this fan suggested.

LeBron has long said he wants to play in the NBA with his son. Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

“Clickbait, plain and simple. He’ll get drafted in the first round (and pretty high) on economic impact alone. We’re talking billions,” another voiced.

Meanwhile, other fans took to X and agreed that Bronny wasn’t ready for the NBA.

“He’s a solid defender off the bench for a pretty mediocre PAC 12 team. He has very little impact on the offensive end. Not sure how he makes an NBA roster without some kind of nepotism,” this fan expressed.

“He will never play in the NBA. He’s not good at all,” a second declared.

“He needs at least another year in college. But we know that won’t happen because LeBron wants to play in the NBA at the same time as him. Some team will take him in the late 2nd, knowing LeBron will sign there.” a third projected.

Bronny suffered a medical emergency last year when his heart stopped during a workout on USC’s campus on July 24.

He collapsed on the floor, sparking worries among the entire team, but was able to return to stable condition with the help of trainers in the room.

The five-star recruit would then spend weeks attending appointments at the Mayo Clinic and other top medical institutions to hear whether he could keep following his father’s footsteps.

He was diagnosed with a treatable congenital heart defect, and the James family shared they feel confident that he can safely return to the court.

Bronny returned to play on December 10 for USC against Long Beach State, averaging 5.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists through 13 college appearances.

This story first appeared in The US Sun and was republished with permission.