USC guard Bronny James is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft, but he will also retain his college eligibility and enter the transfer portal.
A coaching change, such as the one USC experienced with Andy Enfield leaving for SMU, is bound to have players examining their futures. If James does stay in college, a change of scenery might be what he needs to bounce back from a disappointing freshman season.
Once rumors surfaced in early April linking James to the portal, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said his son would have some “tough decisions” ahead.
Being the son of a 20-time NBA All-Star meant Bronny was a household name before he ever stepped onto a college court.
He also built a strong profile for himself independent of his family name, sitting 22nd overall in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2023 class.
James had to wait to make his Trojans debut until mid-December, though, after suffering cardiac arrest during an offseason workout.
In 25 games, he averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 assists while shooting 26.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Attempting to work his way into the rotation in the middle of the season was made more difficult by USC falling well short of expectations.
However, USC was already 5-3 by the time James suited up, and things didn’t get better from there. The Trojans went 15-18 overall and were tied for the second-worst record (8-12) in the Pac-12.
