Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is undecided on his next career move. His plan will undoubtedly play into the path his son, Bronny James, pursues. Bronny James recently entered college basketball’s transfer portal after his freshman season at USC while also submitting his name into the NBA Draft. Lebron James did not answer if Monday night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs was his final game in Los Angeles.
“I just want to get home to the family honestly. … One of my boys is deciding if he’s going to enter the draft or go back to school,” James said, via the New York Post. “I got another kid [Bryce James] that’s playing AAU ball right now and my daughter [Zhuri James] is playing volleyball — and my wife [Savanah James] is doing so many great things, so it’s about family right now… so that’s kind of the initial thoughts.”
Bronny James has not yet decided on his next school or remaining in the draft, but Duquesne coach Dru Joyce hinted at a possible portal acquisition earlier this month. Joyce III, a high school teammate and long-time friend of LeBron James, tweeted an image of NBA’s star’s trademark chalk toss with several siren emojis.
How 247Sports experts see Bronny panning out in college and the NBA
Could Joyce and Duquesne land Bronny James? Director of scouting for 247Sports, Adam Finkelstein previously suggested Duquesne as a James landing spot.
“Another variable to note is that LeBron’s very close friend Dru Joyce was just named the new head coach at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where LeBron’s high school coach Keith Dambrot just announced his retirement,” Finkelstein said, via CBS Sports HQ. “If the NBA and the Lakers are not an option, does Duquesne become something that the James family is willing to consider? Will they be willing to send him there to play more of a highlighted role and show people what he’s capable of doing?”
Bronny earned a 93 transfer rating, making him one of the top players available in the portal. The former four-star recruit played in 24 games for USC as a true freshman last season, averaging 4.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 19.3 minutes per contest. He shot 37.4% from the floor and 27.3% from 3-point range. The deadline for early entry into the 2024 NBA Draft is April 27.
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“I expect Bronny will play with LeBron next year,” Finkelstein said. “There’s still some variables and hurdles to cross. He has to be declared eligible to compete because of the cardiac arrest he suffered over the summer. The NBA still needs to clear him before he’s able to participate in workouts and in the NBA Combine. LeBron has been very clear that he intends to play with his son. He wants to be day-to-day with his son. The Lakers want to keep LeBron happy.
“LeBron is eligible for an extension this year, and it looks like it’s going to be a multi-year extension. He has more leverage than ever. It is a big ask, but he’s got the leverage to pull it off. He’s LeBron James. He’s dictated front office moves for a long, long time. This one is not some max contract. This is your 15th spot on the roster.”
