As the son of NBA all-time scoring champion LeBron James, Bronny has carried huge expectations and pressure since he was a child, but he did not back down because of this, but chose his own basketball path.
First, Bronny's decision to enter the NBA Draft despite not being as impressive as his first season in college showed his confidence in his abilities and his desire to go to the next level. At the same time, his decision to retain his university qualifications and enter the transfer market also reflects his maturity and rationality, leaving more possibilities for his future.
However, judging by the match stats and scouting reports, Bronny's performance on the offensive end does have quite a few problems. His shooting percentage is low, especially when it comes to three-point shooting, which is a big concern for a guard. In addition, his dribbling and break-through abilities need to be further improved to better adapt to NBA-level matchups. However, his performance on the defensive end is commendable, with excellent physicality and keen defensive awareness, which is an important foundation for his foothold in the NBA.
If James were just Bronny James, not the son of the greatest NBA star of the last 30 years, what would NBA teams think of him?
To put it bluntly: we're not going to talk about him as an NBA player this season. NBA teams aren't interested in small, defensive-oriented guards unless they're offensive good enough to play their role effectively.
Five industry insiders working on NBA teams — two scouts and three team executives — were asked by the media: "Regardless of James' last name, how many picks would he have been drafted in 2024 based on his style of play?" Four of the five said he would be lost, and the fifth said they would be willing to treat him as a two-way contract option late in the second round because they liked his high basketball IQ and defensive potential. When asked why they didn't pick him, 2 out of 4 thought he was basically that. The other two believe that he has a chance to get better in the future, but it takes too much time and resources to develop him, and they prefer to wait until other teams have trained him.
Providence University guard Devin Carter is expected to be a quasi-first-round pick this summer, and his career trajectory could be instructive for James. Like James, Carter is a 1.88-metre-tall defensive defender with an excellent game feel and ball handling ability. He's also the son of a former NBA player, even if his dad isn't as well-known as James' dad (longtime backup point guard Anthony Carter).
For Bronny's future, I think he needs to improve on a number of fronts. First of all, he needs to strengthen his shooting training on the offensive end to improve his shooting percentage and consistency. Secondly, he needs to improve his dribbling and break-through ability to better break through the opponent's defense. In addition, he will need to strengthen his physical training to cope with more intense competitions.
As for the expectations and pressure on Bronny, I think he should keep his peace of mind and focus on his basketball career. As the son of LeBron James, he does receive more attention and expectations, but that doesn't mean he has to reach his father's heights. He just needs to do his best and enjoy the fun and sense of accomplishment that basketball brings.
I would say that basketball is a sport that takes time and effort to succeed. For Bronny, he still needs to go through more games and training before he can gradually improve his abilities and become a true NBA player. I believe that as long as he can keep working hard and focused, he will be able to achieve his basketball dream.