When I was an assistant basketball coach at Ohio State, we recruited LeBron James until we knew his fate was the NBA. His elite skills, alpha mentality and basketball IQ were obvious.
His son Bronny, who announced Saturday he will attend USC, has developed in a more gradual way, even under the microscope of social media. I have followed and evaluated Bronny James since he was a rising freshman at Sierra Canyon High School through his last game as a senior and to this year's McDonald's All American Game. Most times his improvement was incremental and steady but at other times, it was eye-popping. Bronny had good speed, lateral quickness, and you could see his explosiveness, but as a rising senior it accelerated.
I always respected that he never allowed outside voices or the enormous pressure of being LeBron's son to weigh him down. Even more impressive is that he was dialed into each game, solely focused on his coaches, teammates and the opposition. With boisterous crowds and opponents who wanted a piece of him, he never lost his cool while keeping his intensity and a team-first approach.
Let's take a look at five things to know about Bronny's game and what kind of player USC is getting.
Strengths
Check out Bronny James' top moments from high school as he prepares to play at USC.
When Bronny James first stepped on the floor as a freshman, the first thing I noticed was his jump shot. He had promising shot mechanics including proper footwork, body balance and form. His shooting improved each high school season, and it will be his main weapon going forward.
According to Synergy.com, James made 38% of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers as a senior. In the McDonald's All American Game, which was close and competitive, he went 5-for-8 from distance.
Much like his dad, facilitating is a big part of Bronny's game. He will see a play before it unfolds, read a defense and make an assist. He is an excellent lob passer, pocket passer and astute at the drive-and-kick game. As a rising senior, his vertical bounce became more explosive, and he used it to make strong finishes, which at times turned into highlight dunks or chase-down blocks. His on-ball defense and off-ball instincts are constantly at work.
James is easy to play alongside and is a great teammate. He is a student of the game with a teachable spirit. At the McDonald's practices, he was focused and picked up concepts quickly. With all the attention he will receive at USC, he will keep the team and winning first. That is part of what makes him an effective and at times impactful player.
Weaknesses
As much as there was growth in Bronny's game, there are pieces that need to be addressed as he makes the jump from high school to college basketball.
An area in need of development is his handle and drive game. Both are dependable and competent, but if he is to play at point guard, he will need to manage intense pressure while getting his team into its offense and simultaneously reading the defense. Control and speed with his left hand will need extra reps. Skillful players can drive in either direction and finish jumping off one foot or use a jump stop with two feet. A dribble move that will need to be developed to release pressure, center the ball and reattack is the retreat dribble: two drag dribbles backwards and then beginning forward motion.
From a live dribble, to help score when there is space in a one-on-one situation requires a simple dribble move such as a crossover or an inside out move with a change of speed and direction to throw defenders off balance. Bronny is a terrific straight-line driver but needs to be better at creating his own drive when tightly guarded in open space.
Shooting off the dribble behind a two-man game will be important as he plays in ball screens. When a defender decides to go under the screen, he must be ready and confident to stop and shoot it. When it comes to shooting off the dribble from behind the arc and the midrange, he is not consistent. It will take a whole offseason of drill work, reading his defender and additional leg strength to rhythm dribble into his shot, enhancing a quick release in a split second to take advantage of the space given.
He is particularly good at keeping his opponent out of the lane and taking charges. The next step for Bronny defensively is to be a more complete defender, which would require him to learn the techniques to get over ball screens efficiently and how to chase shooters from off-ball screening actions. These two specific defensive concepts take time and practice.
The fit at USC
Bronny has an ideal situation. He can stay close to home. His parents and family can see him play and he has as strong roster to play alongside. He and Isaiah Collier practiced and played on the same team at the McDonald's All American Game and demonstrated excellent chemistry. Collier finished No. 1 in the ESPN 100 and will be the main ball handler and has fifth-year senior Boogie Ellis, who averaged 17.7 points per game last season, to focus on scoring. That will allow Bronny to come off the bench, see the flow of the game and fit in where needed. His scoring will come in transition from USC's defense, which has been strong under Andy Enfield, and open shot-making as defenses load up on Ellis, Collier and ESPN 100 big man Arrinten Page. Expect Bronny to play anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes per game early and more as the season goes on.
Bronny's ceiling
Bronny already has displayed the ability to produce and make major strides over time. Part of reaching your ceiling is having strong work habits and being a student of the game. Bronny hits those two markers. One potential roadblock is the mindset of resting on your gifts versus raising your talent. I do not see that happening with Bronny James. Another growth spurt could help him in terms of physical measurables. He is 6-foot-3, but if he measures 6-5 or taller in the future, it changes the narrative.
LeBron has made it clear he wants to be on an NBA floor with both Bronny and his son Bryce if possible -- Bryce will turn 16 in June. If Bronny leaves USC after one season, he is on a path to being a first-round draft pick. The NBA is an extremely competitive and unforgiving business. Getting drafted is only half the battle. Eventually he could work his way to a role or rotational player with the goal of one day being a starter. He opened the eyes of NBA scouts at the postseason all-star events.
Like father, like son?
It's unfair to compare LeBron James with most any NBA player, let alone his teenage son. Recruiting and evaluating LeBron James in high school was like recruiting any other high-profile recruit, until he became a rising junior. That's when it all changed. He was a powerful personality, a dominating player and an athlete with unmatched strength, power and explosiveness. He decided when and how he wanted to take over a game and he had the skills and mentality to do so.
Bronny has been different. He was on the varsity team as a freshman but came off the bench and at times played well and at other times struggled. Pretty normal for a freshman. Bronny had the undue pressure of being the son of LeBron James, who will go down in history as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Bronny made progress at his pace and worked in the offseason. He moved into a starting spot at Sierra Canyon and became the main option while emerging as a second or third option on the grassroots circuit.
One area where Bronny was better, in my eyes, as a freshman and now as a senior graduating from high school, is as a catch-and-shoot threat. His shooting mechanics are polished thanks to his dad, and his accuracy and range win out. Bronny passes really well and has his dad's vision and mindset to get others involved and hit the open man.
Bronny has made his own name in the game. He will continue to improve. That's why he has been so impressive to this point.
Here's a look back at my comparison of LeBron and Bronny from 2020.