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The 2024 NBA Draft is getting closer every day, and with it the potential NBA destination for Bronny James -- the eldest son of LeBron James. Bronny declared for the draft after one season with the USC Trojans, and speculation is rampant as to where he will head on June 26 -- or if he will be drafted at all.
At several points over the past year, LeBron has attempted to tie his own NBA future to that of his son -- basically, if a team selects Bronny in the draft, that team would have a decent shot to sign LeBron once he declines his player option with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer. But Bronny might have other plans, if his recent comments about Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry are any indication.
Bronny: Meeting Steph left me star-struck
In a recent conversation with Bleacher Report, Bronny reminisced on when he met Curry after Game 3 of last season's Western Conference semifinals. Even though LeBron and the Lakers won that game 127-97 to take a 2-1 lead in the series, Bronny was most star-struck by meeting Curry after the rout.
"He came up to me and dapped me up," Bronny said about meeting Steph. "I feel like that was really cool."
Curry, a four-time NBA champion and the game's all-time leader in 3-pointers made, inspired an entire generation of aspiring NBA stars with a fearless style of play despite his smaller stature (by NBA standards). Curry's impact can be felt even in the WNBA, where Caitlin Clark has begun her professional journey after lighting up the NCAA and breaking scoring records with Steph-like range.
Bronny's own three-point range is coming on as a strength in his game. Shooting is the most important skill in the modern NBA, and if teams feel that the 19-year-old can sling it from deep at an above-average level, then he will likely find a home in the draft.
But Bronny will have to combat the growing perception that he doesn't have the kind of multifaceted game that makes an NBA star. Pure shooters have more of a shelf life in the NBA than they once did, but Bronny's single season at USC demonstrated that he has a long way to go -- even after being cleared medically following his heart problems last summer -- to demonstrate to front offices that he has an NBA-ready game.