Bronny James stock for the 2024 NBA Draft has plummeted, with ESPN removing him from their draft board amidst a tough freshman season with the USC Tigers. With there still being a chance of Bronny declaring at the end of this season, Stephon Marbury has shared his thoughts and said Bronny should develop his game in college for another season.
“Bronny (James) is a pro. He’s playing 20 minutes, which is half the game in college. I think he needs to play more to make more mistakes and have an opportunity to show his ability. Him staying in school for two years is not a bad thing. Allen Iverson played for two years in college… His ability to get to the basket, shoot the basketball, and pass the ball. One of the most important things is his shot-blocking, which I think is Grade A. You can’t go by the statistics with him.
Marbury clearly rates Bronny’s potential highly, believing he’s an NBA-caliber player and will only get better due to the resources he has access to.
“When I look at him as an NBA player, he has all the qualities. He’s 6’4″, 210, he’s strong and he will get stronger and better. His dad is one of the greatest players to ever play. He has the equipment and he has the tools. Once he puts it together, I think he’ll be fine.”
"Bronny James is a pro. You can't go by stats with him right now because he's only playing half the game. His ability to shoot, get to the rim, pass and block shots is grade A. One more year of college will help."
– Stephon Marbury on Bronny pic.twitter.com/DlOlVJHiAs
— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) March 4, 2024
Bronny has had a disrupted freshman season which had to have an impact on his development. He suffered a cardiac arrest in the summer and missed nearly all of pre-season, making his college debut in January, two months after the season had started.
He’s averaging 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists this season for the Tigers, putting up unimpressive stats on 37.0% from the field. But the intangibles in Bronny’s game look solid, as he is an active and engaged defender who can wreak havoc on the perimeter while being able to stretch the floor.
Those skills may not translate immediately to the NBA, so Bronny could use more seasoning by staying another year in college. On the other hand, many current NBA players have had similarly unimpressive seasons in college before finding utility in the NBA.
Will LeBron James Control Bronny’s Decision?
People have seen this coming since Bronny was in high school, but LeBron James will not retire without playing with or against Bronny in the NBA. James looks motivated to continue playing even after his 21st season this year, so he could want to see Bronny make the NBA next year to maximize his chances of playing with him.
Bronny will get drafted or signed just on the fringe hope it lures LeBron as a free agent, so is it better for Bronny to stay in college when he has a guaranteed NBA spot?
James shouldn’t overrule a decision Bronny wants to make, as Bronny’s career has to last decades after LeBron retires. If he feels his game needs to develop more, another year in a bigger role with the Tigers could be what he needs. Conversely, another bad season could hurt his stock even more, with people possibly not even believing he’s NBA quality.
Bronny has a future in the NBA, but does he need another college season to best prepare himself for the pros? It might be worth it, but the non-basketball factors behind Bronny declaring in the weak 2024 class might run supreme.
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