In what’s considered to be a historically weak 2024 NBA Draft class, much of the conversation has understandably revolved around Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers forward and NBA legend LeBron James. You’ve likely heard voices on both sides of the prospect fence — some insisting that he wouldn’t even be on the draft radar were it not for his last name and others touting him as a high-upside, high-floor sleeper whom teams will regret passing up.
The truth, as it usually does, probably falls somewhere in the middle. The question of, “where does Bronny best fit?” is a difficult one, since the Occam’s Razor answer is paradoxical: He fits both everywhere and nowhere simultaneously.
If presented with a 19-year-old, high-character, high-IQ, skilled power guard with significant defensive upside, which organization would pass that up? But then offer that same franchise a prospect who measured under 6-foot-2 at the NBA Draft Combine, averaged fewer than five points in 25 college games and will require significant development time despite turning 20 before his rookie season. Hmm, maybe not as quick to swipe right.
James hasn’t displayed the playmaking or self-creation acumen to be a lead ball-handler at the NBA level, and he’s a bit small to be an off guard or a wing (though his 6-7 wingspan helps immensely). His shooting form is impeccable, as you might expect given a lifetime of coaching and practice, but he shot just 27% in his only season at USC. So at this point, it’s hard to envision a surefire NBA role for James outside of being a smart player who can contribute to winning in short bursts — many players have made a great career out of doing just that. That being said, the potential is clearly tantalizing given all of the intangibles, the pedigree, and his considerable physical gifts.
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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/ranking-bronny-james-10-best-nba-draft-landing-spots-and-why-lebrons-lakers-arent-one-of-them/
Author : Colin Ward-Henninger
Publish date : 2024-05-23 13:53:14
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