BRONNY JAMES SCOUTING REPORT | 2024 NBA Draft | Los Angeles Lakers | USC Trojans

I have been evaluating Bronny James over multiple contexts, often in person, since he was a high school freshman - and I'm still high on Bronny.
This is THE deepest dive you'll find into the new #Lakers prospect's game, context, strengths, and improvement points as he enters the 2024 #NBADraft and prepares for his #NBA career.
Make sure to leave a COMMENT… and, if you enjoyed the video, LEAVE A LIKE and SUBSCRIBE! FOLLOW ME on Twitter @wilkomcv and TikTok @floornceiling for more content!
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Credit:
- "Benz" - Yung Kartz
- "Warzone" - Anno Domini Beats
- ESPN
- CBS
- FOX
- The CW Network
- NCAA
- Sierra Canyon
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Chapters:
00:15 Prospect overview
1:52 Three-point shooting
4:35 Finishing & Decisions off the catch
7:45 Self-creation
8:45 Pull-up shooting
10:49 Passing and playmaking
13:45 Defense
16:26 NBA Draft projection and Takeaway

[@JustThinkingAboutIt]

You know the game of basketball. This is probably the most honest and accurate description of James.

[@FloorandCeiling]

Much appreciated. I've been watching him for a long time, so I trust what I've seen and I remain confident in his NBA future.

[@Gamingwithdes23]

Bronny will prove people wrong. At the draft combine, especially the second game I can sense he has a chip on his shoulders

[@FloorandCeiling]

I've been a fan of his game for a long time, and I'm confident he will have a nice NBA career. That doesn't have to mean being an all-star.

[@Gamingwithdes23]

@@FloorandCeilinghonestly I can see him being an all star because of how his game is. But if he does become an allstar it’ll require a lot of work and development

[@silencedogood5631]

This is S-tier riding. His dad can get him into the league, but he can’t make him an all-star. He’s 6’1 with average ball handling skills. His 3pt shot is average at best.

[@Gamingwithdes23]

@@silencedogood5631 you assumed I’m a Lebron fan. But I’m not. I just love basketball, I’ve been watching Bronny play since high school. He has the work ethic. And again he’s 6’1.5 without shoes. And 6’3 with shoes. He has room to improve. His ball handling isn’t as bad as people make it. But like @floorandceiling said he has the ability to return a 1st round value. Because bronnys potential is that good. If he didn’t get the heart issue and went to a different college we could legit see him as a top ten. But all those things happened and he’s still working hard to get to the nba. He works hard. He’s not a quitter. I can honestly say, since I’ve been watching Bronny play, he’s improved yearly

[@begonacachero5910]

Great analysis as always!

[@FloorandCeiling]

Thanks!

[@JustThinkingAboutIt]

Bronny is a pro. He just needs more on ball reps. He also needs to improve his offensive bag. He struggles to score in isolation. But outside of that he's figured out most things that most people his age haven't. I think the late second round is perfect for him because he doesn't have the pressures of a first-round draft pick but he has the security knowing that he's being developed. Could be the All-Star level point guard one day. He has all the physical attributes

[@FloorandCeiling]

You hit at something very important when you mentioned that he's figured out things that most people his age haven't. For me, how that's looked like for Bronny is that he's always understood how to play his role to the best of his ability and never do too much. That might be a bit of a double edged sword, since he never got to the "the guy" on a team for a long time. Plus, he's not the type of player to go out there and freelance. Sometimes, it'd actually benefit Bronny to play more carelessly and try things out in real time without trying to make the most efficient decision. However, I also think there's very real value in defining what type of player you are, which is something James has done really well imo.

[@Gamingwithdes23]

He isn’t as bad at iso scoring. He showed glimpses of it in high school. Just was watching some of his high school games. I’d say at usc their spacing sucked

[@alvaromartinez-cachero1231]

I'm going to get a beer and sit back and wait for the comments from the haters.

[@blacksuede]

They're loading up

[@coachdeechtv]

Great break down on him!

[@FloorandCeiling]

Thank you!

[@dedicated1228]

I do not understand how he literally has no handle at all, it’s going to be hard to develop at this stage. His game is limited to making threes or not. He makes threes he looks like a player, misses threes he stinks…the handles are not only for scoring but it will help him create shots for others

[@FloorandCeiling]

Handle and self-creation as a whole is the biggest improvement point.

[@olimercer835]

It would be great for him to train with trae young this summer. I think trae's not flying to the olympics. To work on finishes that work against NBA bigs Trae might be smaller than bronny and has every finish to be productive

[@Tain950]

The fact that Bronny is rushing to enter the draft tells me that Lebron is a lot closer to the end than most people realize.

[@FloorandCeiling]

I think he was always going to be a one and done honestly, but the consensus seems to be that LeBron has 2-3 seasons left.

[@kennybegeske8824]

Prince

[@triggerbogarin9702]

I feel he should aim to be a Gary Payton Jr type player, hopefully with better 3... Be high energy, poa defender and make the open 3.

[@FloorandCeiling]

Yep, I think that's broadly how connective players in the NBA right now are shaping up - guys who understand their role, have two-way athleticism, can make quick decisions, defend hard, and can shoot the three.

[@QUAN81880]

I laughed out loud @ 0:31 and 1:22 and 1:45 😂 His 3:26 for a reason. He wasn't good at that level.

[@FloorandCeiling]

It's like I said in the video, his production at USC wasn't good at all. There's no way to sugarcoat shooting 27% from three despite the rough context around his freshman season. At the same time, I really do not think Bronny's percentage reflects where his shot is truly at. His great numbers off the dribble in college were encouraging. Of course, he will have to find other ways to score, especially in the half court, but spacing the floor is not a long-term concern imo.

[@QUAN81880]

@@FloorandCeiling I respect your analysis.

[@TheRodster21]

In an alternate universe where he isn’t James I think he would have been a nice raw undrafted pickup for a team

[@FloorandCeiling]

Touching on this idea, I've said all along that having the James last name might have actually hurt his reputation/coverage at times. Most of the mainstream analysis on Bronny has been pretty surface level. However, let's not forget that he was blossoming into a really good player during his senior year of high school. I think all of the following things are relevant, and they came completely on Bronny's own merits rather than anything to do with his family: Bronny was mocked as a top 10 pick in 2024 by ESPN last February, he was named a McDonald's All American, he was selected to the Nike Hoop Summit USA team, he was ascended to 5-star status by On3, and I have direct knowledge that NBA teams had interest in James way before his freshman year at USC.

[@willr1080]

He's 6'2. There's no use for him in the nba. Why have a "connected piece" who is 6'2 (get one that's 6'6+)? He can't shoot. Can't drive or beat people off the dribble. He's a defender who is a defensive liability in the nba. Not a real pg. He's half as good as Davion Mitchell--who won the title, and is a much better defender, can shoot, and who is now a slightly below average nba player. Make it make sense.

[@FloorandCeiling]

I think this is a really valid concern to have. I'm sure a lot of people share this, as well, so I'm glad that you brought this up. I mentioned it in the video because it's a big question surrounding Bronny's NBA prospects. This will be a longer comment... In theory, NBA teams want 6-6 connective pieces. In practice, those are not so easy to find. Plus, I'm increasingly finding that most of the connective pieces I like in the league right now are/were guards. I'm thinking of guys like Bruce Brown, Deuce McBride, Jose Alvarado, Derrick White, Mike Conley right now, Gary Payton II, even Dennis Smith on the Hornets and Charlotte, Dante Exum or Josh Green who both grew up as guards, Russell Westbrook at times, Kyle Lowry in these playoffs... Broadly, I think this is part of a bigger shift in American basketball moving away from the "traditional" point guard who organizes the team in the half-court, keeps the pace slow, runs lots of pick-and-rolls, etc. Right now, and moving forward, the primary initiators are going to be wings or bigs. However, those wings or bigs need steady decision makers and floor spacers around them. Right now, guards can both shoot and pass off the catch. NBA teams are catching on and drafting/signing guys like Jalen Suggs, Jevon Carter, Craig Porter, Jaden Hardy to an extent, Nick Smith Jr, Reed Sheppard, Jared McCain, Devin Carter, etc. to play around bigger players. On the flip side, I'm, not sure NBA teams have had as much success finding connective wings. Of course, there are counterexamples but I don't think organizations would be thrilled with the contributions from the likes of Hamidou Diallo, Isaac Bonga, Dylan Windler, Kessler Edwards, Ziaire Williams, Nikola Jovic (TBD to an extent), MarJon Beauchamp, Dalen Terry, Jeremy Sochan (maybe TBD), Ousmane Dieng (TBD but year 3 is approaching), Dyson Daniels (TBD to an extent, but expected more probably)... The wings who have panned out or look encouraging are scorers/creators. I'm referring to GG Jackson, Shaedon Sharpe, Ben Mathurin, Jalen Williams, Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Kuminga, even Mikal Bridges who eventually became an on-ball player... I'm betting on Bronny fulfilling this connective guard trend, but that's not only based on tools. It's because I've seen him over years consistently make his teams better, outplay higher ranked players, and genuinely make big improvements to his overall game. I think he will continue to do so in the NBA after a derailed freshman season at USC - in which I thought he still showed flashes.

[@samxyx]

Everyones gonna take this kids lunch money in the NBA

[@emmanuel8692]

When yall gon do Tristan da silva?

[@FloorandCeiling]

Very soon. Stay tuned!

[@robertj8451]

Bronny is super tough to predict. Cause on one hand his overall production is so bad . But also every time he does succeed its when his team is running actual offense. Plus he has the same height, wingspan and vert as prime Derrick rose. With 20+ pounds of muscle .

[@mbwell]

@F&C - You got Bronny top 5?

[@FloorandCeiling]

He’s in my 29-39 range right now.

[@samxyx]

You're gonna draft a guy who averaged 4.8 ppg in college?

[@FloorandCeiling]

Definitely. One recent example is Peyton Watson.

[@michalkoutny1752]

bro and bronny is out of draft unless LA

[@michalkoutny1752]

Is he not 6;1

[@FloorandCeiling]

He's between 6-2 and 6-3 in shoes, which is what he was listed at in high school by Sierra Canyon so I wasn't surprised about not being the 6-4 USC had him as. Colleges inflate height and weight too often (Kentucky comes to mind) and it needs to stop.

[@michalkoutny1752]

@@FloorandCeiling gotcha

[@bourgoziejones6108]

He was shit from 3 in College and we overlook it, and we're simultaneously being told he's a 3&D guy ... So what did he shoot from 3 in highschool? What were his percentages in AAU?? What is anyone basing their evaluation of Bronny on??? The fact that "some of his misses are very makable"??? TF does that even mean?????

[@FloorandCeiling]

Shot around 39% from three in his last year of high school, when he was a top 20 prospect by ESPN, also mocked in the top 10 by ESPN, a McDonald’s All American, a Nike Hoop Summit selection, elevated to a five star status by some reputable outlets, and already being monitored by NBA teams.

[@bourgoziejones6108]

@@FloorandCeiling you have a link to these statistics, because I've looked and haven't been able to find anything

[@SpaceLikeAwareness]

These Bronny hype videos have shown me which channels are getting paid from outside sources to give him good reviews. Many senior NCAA players deserve more attention because they are more skilled and experienced than Bronny James.

[@FloorandCeiling]

This is 100% false. Take this comment elsewhere.

[@yomanleavemealone9815]

Bro will not be good

[@FloorandCeiling]

I disagree, but time is the greatest judge of all.

[@Gamingwithdes23]

@@FloorandCeilingvery classy reply to those who has immense amount of unwarranted hate towards him

[@dg9265]

BAJ