Bronny James is taking his talents to the University of Southern California.
James' highly anticipated college decision was finally announced on Saturday, May 6 when he took to Instagram to announce his commitment to USC.
James will be staying home in Los Angeles, playing his college ball right down the road from his father, LeBron, with the Lakers, and his younger brother, Bryce, at Sierra Canyon.
James chose USC over offers from heavily considered schools like Ohio State and Oregon, along with others such as Kentucky, Memphis and Michigan.
James is coming off a strong senior season at Sierra Canyon, where he saw his recruiting ranking rise from 45th to 33rd in his class, per 247 Sports' composite rankings. The four-star prospect continued to prove doubters wrong after the season, parlaying a breakout showing at the McDonald's All-American Game with an impressive weekend at the Nike Hoop Summit — two events for elite high school prospects with no shortage of NBA scouts on hand.
MORE: Bronny James scouting report: Why LeBron's son is better than you think
What did James have to say about his decision and what will next year's USC squad look like? The Sporting News takes a closer look below.
Why did Bronny James choose USC?
In his Instagram post, James kept things fairly simple, sharing USC's trademark "Fight On" slogan along with the hashtag #committed.
Proximity to his family and familiarity with head coach Andy Enfield likely had a hand in the decision.
How does Bronny James fit with USC?
USC's 2023 recruiting class
James will join a strong USC recruiting class that includes the class of 2023 No. 1 player in combo guard Isaiah Collier, as well as four-star prospects in combo guard Silas Demary Jr. and center Arrinten Page.
At the McDonald's All-American Game, Collier spoke highly of his future teammate, laying down a recruiting pitch that, apparently, worked.
“Stay home, that’s all I’ve got to say. Stay home," Collier said he told James at the McDonald's All-American Game practices.
"He’s a great shooter. I feel like he’s one of the best all-around players in the country. He’s a great player. He knows how to play the game, he’s not going to overdo anything. I’m trying to recruit him.”
USC 2023-24 roster
The newcomers will join a USC squad that went 22-11 overall and 14-6 in Pac-12 play last season, finishing tied for second in the conference. The Trojans qualified for the NCAA Tournament, falling to Michigan State in the first round.
USC will return fifth-year senior guard Boogie Ellis, who led the team in scoring with 17.7 points per game.
Other key returners include junior forward Kobe Johnson and junior center Joshua Morgan. James will also rejoin his former Sierra Canyon teammate, sophomore forward Kijani Wright.
Ellis started all 33 games for the Trojans and he's a safe bet to remain a starter alongside Collier in the backcourt. Head coach Andy Enfield will also likely elect to start James, running a three-guard starting five for the 2023-24 season.
