Bronny James is one of the most-talked-about prospects in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft, and Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins admitted that they are monitoring the USC guard.
During an interview on FanDuel’s Run It Back TV, Dawkins said that Bronny James is draftable not only because of his famous last name but also because he is actually a good basketball player.
“I would say if his name was Johnny James, the media and fans wouldn’t care as much. But he’d still be on our radar. He’s a guy that did his work in high school, was a high school All-American,” Dawkins said.
“He obviously showed a massive resilience to come back from everything he went through. So you didn’t expect him to start the year off the way he did. So he finished the year strong and finished in the combine strong. So as evaluators, we have to look at him but at the end of the day he’s just like everyone else in the draft process.” he emphasized.
ESPN released their latest mock draft on Wednesday and had the Boston Celtics taking him in the second round with the No. 54 overall pick which they’ve acquired in a three-team deal with the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs last offseason that saw them part ways with Grant Williams.
Will the Washington Wizards pull the trigger on Bronny James?
The Washington Wizards will be busy because they hold the 2nd, 26th, 32nd, and 51st picks of the 2024 NBA Draft and are looking to add more to their draft capital.
Selecting Bronny James with the No. 51 overall pick isn’t exactly a bad idea because a rebuild is on the horizon for the Washington Wizards anyway.
Although he’s a bit undersized at 6’2″, Bronny James has the potential to be a serviceable NBA player with his good playmaking and defensive skills. If he can only become a more consistent three-point shooter, his draft stock would be even higher.
The Washington Wizards are coming off a dismal 2023-24 campaign, finishing with a 15-67 record, good for second-worst in the NBA.