Bronny James announced Friday that he will declare for the 2024 NBA Draft and enter the transfer portal.
"I've had a year with some ups and downs but all added to growth for me as a man, student and athlete. I've made the decision to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility, and will also be entering the NCAA transfer portal," LeBron's son wrote on Instagram.
The decision made shockwaves across the basketball world, but it shouldn't come as a major surprise. James is doing what's best for his future after a tumultuous freshman season at USC.
The 19-year-old began his college career behind the 8-ball after suffering cardiac arrest in an offseason workout over the summer. That put his freshman season on hold for four months and limited his playing time in his first few games back. Upon his return, James averaged only 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game off the bench.
Those are not typical NBA Draft prospect numbers — but James is not a typical NBA Draft prospect. As the eldest heir of arguably the greatest player of all time, James is viewed with a higher ceiling than most.
MORE: Why did Bronny James leave USC?
James has an NBA build, listed at 6-4, 210 lbs. He's still a plus-athlete, even if he doesn't match his father's one-of-a-kind explosiveness. In limited court time, James flashed pro-level skill. He's a smart and tenacious point-of-attack defender with a smooth shooting stroke, even if he had streaky numbers this past season. He's a connective playmaker who can play on or off the ball, making him a potential fit on any roster.
In a lot of ways, he projects as a better NBA player than a college player because of his ability to catch and shoot, defend and make the right reads as a ball-handler in a low-maintenance role.
What's next for the star freshman as he prepares for the latest phase in his career? The Sporting News has you covered with some key dates and more to know below.
What's next for Bronny James?
Testing the NBA Draft waters
By declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility and entering the transfer portal, James is leaving both doors open for his future. That decision allows him to go through the pre-draft process and seek feedback before making his next move.
For most NBA prospects, the next step would be the NBA Draft Combine.
However, given James' history of exclusivity with limited access, it would not be a major surprise if his agent and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul elected to organize individual team interviews and workouts behind closed doors instead.
"I don't value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation," Paul told ESPN back in March.
If James does participate in the NBA Draft Combine, that will run from Sunday, May 12 to Sunday, May 19. Even if he does not take part in the combine, it is very common for individual draft workouts to occur that week with the majority of NBA prospects, scouts and teams in Chicago at the same time.
From there, the NCAA's early-entry withdrawal deadline is Wednesday, May 29, giving James over two weeks to assess his feedback and make a final decision to remain in the 2024 NBA Draft or return to college and hit the transfer portal.
Entering the transfer portal
James already announced he will enter the NCAA transfer portal, so he is no longer up against a deadline on that front. There will not be a next step in that process until after he decides to remain in the 2024 NBA Draft or return to college before May 29.
If James does decide to withdraw from the NBA Draft, he will likely have several schools hoping to land his talents. The Sporting News' Gilbert McGregor covered a handful of potential destinations, headlined by Ohio State and Oregon, two schools that were said to be finalists before James chose USC.
McGregor also mentioned Duquesne as a sleeper school to court James, given that LeBron's high school teammate and lifelong friend, Dru Joyce III, just took over as head coach.
Don't rule out a potential return to the Trojans, either, though. New USC head coach Eric Musselman already began his recruiting pitch for James after his first media availability in Los Angeles.
"I need to try to get a hold of Bronny. I’ve texted him," Musselman said.
"He's certainly got a lot of options and we respect those options. We just want him to know that this opportunity here, if you want to play at USC, we’d love to have him."
As a four-star recruit coming out of Sierra Canyon, James also had offers from Kentucky, Memphis and Michigan while drawing interest from Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, and UCLA.