Bronny James announced that he will declare for the 2024 NBA Draft and will enter the transfer portal.
Even after a scattered year with the Trojans, James has elected to test the NBA Draft waters. If he elects to return to college, he will be a hot commodity in the NCAA's version of free agency. The 19-year-old still projects to be a future NBA prospect with the potential and tools to succeed at the next level.
James was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and received high-major offers from some of the biggest programs in the country.
As LeBron's son mulls over his future options, take a look back at why he moved on from USC after one season.
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Why did Bronny James transfer from USC?
James' lone season with USC was thrown off from the start. The 19-year-old suffered cardiac arrest during a workout in July, putting his freshman campaign on hold for four months. He missed the entire preseason and the Trojans' first eight games, then was put on a minutes restriction for his first four games.
Once he returned, James was stuck behind senior guard Boogie Ellis and star freshman Isaiah Collier on the depth chart.
James played in 25 of 33 available games for USC, only cracking the starting lineup six times. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, playing more than 20 minutes in just 10 contests.
The Trojans underwhelmed as a whole, going 15-18 overall while finishing ninth in the Pac-12 with an 8-12 record. After ranking as high as No. 16 in the AP poll during the season, USC missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2020.
On top of that, head coach Andy Enfield — whose staff played a role in recruiting James — left to take the SMU job after the season. USC hired former Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman in his place.
Between James' unorthodox start to the year, the medical minutes restriction and the logjam in the Trojans' backcourt upon his return, USC didn't end up being a great fit for LeBron's eldest son.
Declaring for the NBA Draft allows James to familiarize himself with the pre-draft process and get feedback from pro scouts. If the evaluations are positive and he gets a draft promise, he can forgo his remaining eligibility and take the next step in his career.
If the returns say he should take another year to develop in college, the transfer portal will allow James to reassess his offers by looking for the right head coach and roster to maximize his strengths.
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Bronny James USC highlights
Bronny James USC stats
- 19.4 minutes per game
- 4.8 points per game
- 2.8 rebounds per game
- 2.1 assists per game
- 0.8 steals per game
- 0.2 blocks per game
- 36.6 percent field goal shooting
- 26.7 percent 3-point shooting
- 67.6 percent free throw shooting