Bronny James Goes Entire First Round Of 2024 NBA Draft Without Being Selected

Bronny James was one of the biggest topics heading into the 2024 NBA Draft, especially with his father, LeBron James, expressing his desire to play with him when he reached the league. His playing future is still uncertain, as he went the entire first round without being selected.

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This was not a complete shock as, despite the visibility he would bring to a team and the possibility of his father jumping ship, he was ranked the No. 54 prospect by Yahoo Sports and considered not up to the NBA standard by many pundits. He was impressive at the draft combine but was often cited as being undersized or lacking the ability to contribute to a team.

His one year as a USC Trojan was less than steller, as he recorded 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 36.6% from the field, 26.7% from the three-point line, and 67.6% from the free throw line in 25 games played. It is worth noting that he was not a starter at USC and he was coming off of a congenital heart defect .

The Los Angeles Lakers, where LeBron James currently plays, were regularly mentioned as the top landing spot for the young guard, as he only worked out for them and the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers had the 17th pick in the first round of the NBA Draft and selected Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, whom many are calling the “biggest steal” of the draft.

The Lakers have the 55th pick also, and given where Bronny was initially projected, it is possible that he could still end up with the team, which would allow them to add another historic milestone to their franchise: the first father-son on-court duo in NBA history. He previously spoke about his dream simply being to make it to the NBA, rather than playing with his father.

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“I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad,” he said. “That’s not my mindset or not at all. I’m just trying to put in the work and see where it takes me from there.”

Lil Durk is hoping that the Chicago Bulls select Bronny James, and can thus court LeBron to the team. He DM’d the four-time NBA Champion on Instagram, writing “You and Bronny come to the Chicago Bulls.” He even offered to fork over some cash, saying “Shid I’ll pay you if I got to.” The Voice’s pursuit is seemingly over with, as the Bulls had just one pick in the first round and selected the G League Ignite’s Matas Buzelis.

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