LeBron James spoke about his son, Bronny, possibly entering the transfer portal and leaving USC in the offseason after a rough freshman campaign. James and the family have said they'll support Bronny through whatever decision he makes.
"I don't know where that came from... At the end of the day, Bronny is his own man. I guess it's a tough decision to make, and when he's ready to make his decisions, he'll let us all know. But as a family, we're going to support whatever he does."
Bronny ended his freshman season averaging 4.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 37.4% field goal percentage in a bad year for the USC Trojans, who went 15-18 this season and weren't even invited to March Madness.
Bronny didn't look well-adjusted on the court all season, clearly being out of rhythm after missing the entirety of pre-season prep due to his cardiac arrest. A change of scenery might be exactly what he needs, but if it's a change from just USC or playing college ball as a whole remains to be seen.
What Should Bronny Do Next?
Bronny has two very interesting options ahead of him now that it's expected his name will be in the transfer portal. The USC Tigers was a strong program for Bronny but after his health issues, he completely fell out of the picture and rarely played big minutes as a freshman. A smaller school could have a bigger opportunity for Bronny to showcase his skills, which would help his Draft stock in 2025 if needed.
The more lucrative option for Bronny has to be to declare for the NBA Draft, regardless of how he played this season. Many teams and executives are sold on Bronny's ability to develop into a solid NBA payer, given his fundamental skills project him to be a gritty 3-and-D guard or swingman.
If Bronny entered the Draft this season, he'd still likely be a significant pick, as teams will be willing to gamble not only on Bronny's long-term potential but also entice LeBron into joining him to live out his dream of playing with his son on an NBA court.
That dream of LeBron can't be factored in here, as Bronny needs to do what's best for his career. James could play multiple more seasons, but it's clear he's waiting for his son to join him in the NBA, which will give him the room he needs to retire and step away from the game, a concept he's been discussing more often than ever before.
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