Today (April 5), Bronny James announced his decision to enter the 2024 NBA Draft while retaining college eligibility. The 19-year-old also plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, which will offer him the flexibility to explore his options based on NBA team evaluations.
“I’ve had a year with some ups and downs, but all added to growth for me as a man, student, and athlete,” Bronny wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. “Thank you to USC for an amazing freshman year, and as always, [I’m] thankful for my family, friends, doctors, athletic trainers, and fans for their support.”
Bronny’s dad, LeBron James, reposted the declaration on his Instagram Story with brown heart emojis. USC players Brandon Gardner and Isaiah Collier also showed love in the comment section.
Social media responded to the news with enthusiasm. Some people saw it as an opportunity for the father-son duo to play on the court together professionally, while others dubbed it a “smart move” for him to leap to another college. Skepticism also surrounded whether he’s ready for the league.
“Bronny is just meeting with NBA teams, getting evaluated, and then will pick his school off the evaluation. I think it’s brilliant. If it doesn’t hurt, it helps,” commented one user on Twitter. Another person joked, “Bronny said, ‘My dad [is] a legend, f**k the grind’”
The internet had a similar response to LSU’s Angel Reese announcing her plans to join the WNBA. In the meantime, check out more reactions to Bronny’s declaration below.
Despite his health challenges and past performance — averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists over 25 games — Bronny’s draft prospects and future decisions became a focal point after USC’s head coach Andy Enfield departed for Southern Methodist University.
“At the end of the day, Bronny’s his own man,” LeBron said in a post-game conference on Tuesday (April 2) night. “He has some tough decisions to make, and when he’s ready to make those decisions, he’ll let us all know. But as his family, we’re going to support whatever he does.”