Could Bronny James be going from the City of Angels to the Steel City? A recent social media post certainly hinted at the possibility.
The son of NBA superstar LeBron James has had an eventful nine months. After committing to play at USC for the 2023-24 season, the guard experienced cardiac rest during an on-campus workout in July 2023. After life-saving efforts were made in the moment, James recovered from the incident and returned to competition five months later, debuting for the Trojans in the fall.
However, James is writing a new chapter in 2024. The USC guard elected to enter the transfer portal earlier in April, while also keeping the option of declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft open. He is coming off a season where he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, but his health history most certainly played a factor.
With James looking for a new beginning, Duquesne head coach Dru Joyce may have hinted at the next destination for the son of the most notable name in basketball.
Here is what to make about James' potential transfer to Duquesne.
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Is Bronny James transferring to Duquesne?
Nothing is official yet, but Duquesne coach Dru Joyce got people excited with a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The newly promoted head coach of the Dukes posted a GIF of himself recreating LeBron James' infamous powder throw in the air, a ritual he does before the start of every game.
@DuqMBB 🚨🚨🚨👀 pic.twitter.com/QGSBCTlYnw
— Dru Joyce (@DruOnDemand) April 24, 2024
While there is nothing specific in the post about James' son, why else would Joyce be tweeting that out to the masses, tagging Duquesne basketball in the process?
Why Bronny James would transfer to Duquesne
For the casual college basketball fan, hearing that James is considering going from a high-profile program like USC to a place in Pittsburgh called Duquesne may cause some head-scratching. But there is a perfectly good reason why the son of the NBA star would consider a transfer to the Dukes.
Networking is a major part of any industry. The same applies in college basketball, and Joyce already has a connection to the James family. The Duquesne head coach was teammates with LeBron back in high school, as the two played together at St. Vincent–St. Mary under Keith Dambrot, the former head coach at Duquesne who retired this spring.
The PERFECT GUY!!!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 https://t.co/MM0l80nt4a
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 1, 2024
I’m proud to announce! As the unquestioned source I am confirming that Dru Joyce is the new HC at Duquesne University and is meeting with the team right now! So damn happy and proud of you my brother!!! @DruOnDemand @DuqMBB 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 #GoDukes❤️💙🤍
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 28, 2024
"Even since I was 12 and 13 years old, [Dambrot] has been building me for an opportunity to be a head coach," Joyce said per The Duquesne Duke's Spencer Thomas. "He’s always understood that it was a dream of mine to do it, so I think he took full advantage of knowing what I wanted to do."
Joyce and James have remained close throughout the years, and the Lakers forward was cheering on the Dukes during their conference tournament run and appearance in March Madness. What better way for Joyce to start his time as the head coach of the program than to bring in one of the biggest names in college basketball?
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Yessir!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 Best of luck guys!! https://t.co/ngxGghmCd7
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024
From a basketball standpoint, the move could work in Bronny's favor as well. The guard mostly came off the bench for the Trojans in 2023-24, although it would be unfair not to point out that his cardiac arrest episode during the summer certainly impacted the way he was used throughout the season.
Still, a move from the Pac-12 to the Atlantic 10 would allow James to take on a larger role, while also benefiting from a full summer for workouts and preparation for the season.
