While the NBA Draft is still taking a backseat due to the playoffs that is still going on, there are already plenty of compelling narratives surrounding one of the most polarizing players in this year’s draft class.
After Bronny James got the go-ahead to enter the 2024 Draft, plenty of people have been talking nonstop about how the younger James’ future in the league will pan out. There are even direct comparisons to how Bronny play once he’s in the big leagues.
However, it’s almost clear to everyone that the eldest of King James’ children won’t see an NBA court immediately in his rookie season. Due to this, one analyst made a bold claim on how Bronny’s first season would pan out.
His wild prediction was met with ire from college hoops fans who paid attention to the USC Trojans, though.
Fans laugh at Adrian Wojnarowski’s prediction on Bronny James’ future after the NBA Draft
Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that Bronny would provide decent value to the league outside of his on-court contributions. He believes that the younger James would put people in seats when the team that drafts him sends him to their G League affiliate. He also believes merch sales will increase simply because of his name.
Fans immediately rebuked Woj’s claim, saying that Bronny’s presence wouldn’t amount to anything major in the G League.
“Bronny isn’t going to pack G League arenas lol. He didn’t pack LA arenas this year at USC,” said The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie. “Team had an average attendance of 6300 in an arena that supports 10K+. The merchandising probably has some potential.”
“Come on. USC ranked eighth in the PAC-12 in home attendance this season,” added Vecenie’s colleague Kyle Tucker.
“To watch what exactly?” a fan asked.
“Bronny isn’t packing anyone’s G-League building. Stop,” said GulfLive.com Texas beat writer Josh Newman.
The criticism is harsh, but it’s easy to understand why they’re thinking that way. While Bronny was scouted early on due to his talent and his obvious lineage, he didn’t exactly set the NCAA alight with his play.
He finished his lone season as a Trojan with averages of 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 36.6% shooting and 26.7% from deep. It’s hard to tell where you can pin the blame on his health condition or in his overall condition as a player.
However, it’s also hard to deny that he’s become the topic of conversation for his impressive showing at the Draft Combine. He displayed excellent athleticism that is partly a blessing from his father.
Whether he manages to leverage the pre-NBA Draft proceedings to his advantage is entirely up to him. If he shows that he wants it enough and has the potential to thrive, there’s no reason why he wouldn’t sneak into the first round.
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