The next step in the 2024 NBA Draft cycle is here.
The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery is set to take place on Sunday, May 12, with the 2024 NBA Draft Combine kicking off the same day. NBA executives, scouts, and key decision-makers will flock to Chicago to get eyes on the world's best prospects who are eligible for this year's draft.
Among those prospects is former USC guard Bronny James, who shocked some with his decision a month ago.
"I've had a year with some ups and downs but all added to growth for me as a man, student and athlete. I've made the decision to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility, and will also be entering the NCAA transfer portal," LeBron's son wrote on Instagram back in April.
James isn't a projected lottery pick, but there is no denying he has more to offer than he showed during one up-and-down season with the Trojans.
The 19-year-old began his college career behind the 8-ball after suffering cardiac arrest in an offseason workout over the summer. That put his freshman season on hold for four months and limited his playing time in his first few games back. Upon his return, James averaged just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game off the bench.
Those are not typical NBA Draft prospect numbers, but James is not a typical NBA Draft prospect. As the eldest heir of arguably the greatest player of all time, James is viewed with a higher ceiling than most.
Will that lead to an opportunity to join his father on an NBA court — as a teammate or an opponent — next season? The Sporting News looks at his upcoming pre-draft process and a few key dates to know.
MORE: 2024 NBA Draft Big Board: Where does Bronny rank going into the NBA Combine?
Will Bronny James participate in 2024 NBA Draft Combine?
James was one of the 78 prospects to receive an invite to the 2024 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
The combine will begin on Sunday, May 12 and run through Sunday, May 19 at Wintrust Arena, the home of the WNBA's Chicago Sky.
Under the NBA's new Collective Bargaining Agreement, all invited players are now required to attend and participate in the NBA Draft Combine. That means James will undergo measurement testing and drills and play in scrimmages in front of NBA scouts and executives. He will also field questions from the media.
In the past, select prospects and projected top picks would skip out on the combine events, saving themselves for private team workouts and interviews. This year will be the first that it is mandatory for prospects invited to attend and participate in the combine.
James is also likely to have individual team workouts and interviews set up during his time in Chicago.
Bronny James 2024 NBA Draft decision deadline
The NCAA's early-entry withdrawal deadline for the 2024 NBA Draft is Wednesday, May 29.
That means James will have roughly 10 days to assess the feedback he receives in Chicago and decide to remain in the 2024 NBA Draft or return to college and weigh his options in the transfer portal.
MORE: Bronny James transfer portal landing spots: Ohio State, Duquesne among destinations
Bronny James 2024 NBA Draft projection
Draft projection: No. 55 overall, Los Angeles Lakers (via LAC)
I have James projected to go in the second round, No. 55 overall, to the Lakers in The Sporting News' latest 2024 NBA Mock Draft.
As you might assume, that selection isn't a coincidence. The Lakers are already said to be "very open to the prospect of helping LeBron fulfill his dream of playing with his son Bronny by potentially drafting him," according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
DECOURCY: Teams would spend a second-round pick on Bronny James, but LeBron James must know better
In a lot of ways, Bronny projects as a better NBA player than a college player because of his ability to catch-and-shoot, defend, and make the right reads as a ball-handler in a low-maintenance role.
He has an NBA build, listed at 6-4, 210 pounds. He's still a plus-athlete, even if he doesn't match his father's one-of-a-kind explosiveness. In limited court time, James flashed pro-level skill. He's a smart and tenacious point-of-attack defender with a smooth shooting stroke, even if he had streaky numbers this past season. He's a connective playmaker who can play on or off the ball, making him a potential fit on any roster.
