Nearly every top basketball recruit has committed to a school for the fall or expressed their intent to join the G League. However, there is one recruit who hasn’t expressed his future plans in any real capacity. That recruit is none other than Bronny James.
Is Bronny James Going to College?
What We Know
Bronny James is one of the most sought-after recruits of recent memory. James is listed as a 6’3″ combo guard that significantly improved his scoring ability in his senior season. He’s not a consensus top 20 or even a consensus top 30 recruit, but this is bigger than basketball. He is the son of arguably the greatest player in NBA history, Lebron James. Schools understand the amount of value and recognition (and money) that Bronny James (and the entire James family) can bring to their program. Combining those factors with his skillset makes him a very desired recruit.
It was confirmed a few months ago that James’ top three schools were USC, Oregon, and Ohio State. All three have special ties to the James family. USC is the current hometown school, as the family lives in Los Angeles. Additionally, Lebron signed an extension with the Lakers. Ohio State is the former in-state school from the family’s time in Cleveland. Oregon works closely with Phil Knight and Nike, who Lebron has a lifetime contract with.
Bronny James was named a McDonald’s All-American and participated in the annual showcase in late March. He was the only player there that wasn’t committed yet. Earlier this month, he participated in the Nike Hoops Summit. Again, he was the only player not committed. The initial signing date was April 12th, and James didn’t make an announcement. The final signing date is upcoming on May 17th, which is the latest date a player can sign with a school.
What to Expect
Bronny James is the only top recruit not to commit in any fashion. Recently, Mackenzie Mgbako de-committed from Duke, and Silas Demary Jr de-committed from USC. They now join James as the top remaining undecided recruits. Does Demary Jr de-committing from USC increase the Trojans’ chances of landing James?
James’ prolonged recruitment is odd, to say the least. It is very uncommon for a player to wait this long to commit. Could the new transfer rules indirectly lead to new recruiting trends? More players than ever entered the transfer portal this year, which could trickle down to the way high schoolers are recruited. The moving of current college players can affect the amount of NIL the school has available and the amount of playing time available. It is possible that James is waiting for the dust to fully settle before announcing his decision.
One other option for Bronny James would be to join the G League. He could follow the path previously taken by Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga. This would allow James to forgo college and play against older players, some with NBA experience. However, this decision would be less likely.
Prediction
My official prediction is that Bronny James will commit to USC and receive a massive NIL deal in the process. This would allow Lebron to attend a significant amount of USC home games while Bronny also stays close to home, joining a very talented team. If this were to happen, USC would instantly become must-watch TV for seven months with James on the court and with Heisman Trophy-winning QB Caleb Williams on the football field.
