Why isn’t there a thread on Bronny?

[babyjax13]

yea, talent wise more 3 star than 4, only a 4 star because of his name at this point.

I actually disagree with this. I think 4 star is very appropriate for him (for now). We will know more by the time he's a senior, but for a junior he is impressive. But, he either needs to get bigger, or he needs to develop into an elite ball-handler to be more than a solid 2-guard at the college level.

Bronny is like the 4th best player on his own HS team lol

And just like that wouldn't be an issue at IMG it shouldn't be an issue at Sierra Canyon (obviously to a lesser extent). Rotation level college (D1) players to NBA players from Sierra Canyon 15-16 to 19-20 (and there are a lot more players in this span who played college basketball but weren't major rotation pieces any year they did play).

15-16:
Marvin Bagley
Remy Martin
Cody Riley
Joe Wallace
Terrance McBride
DeVearl Ramsey

16-17:
Marvin Bagley
Marcus Bagley
Cassius Stanley
Remy Martin
Cody Riley
Joe Wallace
Terrance McBride

17-18:
Duane Washington Jr.
Scottie Pippen Jr.
Kenyon Martin Jr.
Cassius Stanley

18-19:
Duane Washington Jr.
Scottie Pippen Jr.
Kenyon Martin Jr.
Cassius Stanley
Christian Koloko
(Amari Bailey)

19-20:
Ziaire Williams
BJ Boston
(Amari Bailey)
(Shy Odom)
(Bronny James)
(Zaire Wade)

[Duke4life831]

Even I said he was borderline 3-4 star. I'll admit that was too extreme. Most places don't star giving 3 stars out until like 125 or so in their rankings. Bronny is better than that.

But I think without his name, he's probably somewhere between 70-90 in his class. And in all honesty someone who really isn't someone we talk about on here. Because the majority of those guys ranked in that area don't make NBA and the ones that do, most are 3-4 year college guys.

Like I stated before I don't see anything stand out about his game at the moment.

[babyjax13]

Even I said he was borderline 3-4 star. I'll admit that was too extreme. Most places don't star giving 3 stars out until like 125 or so in their rankings. Bronny is better than that.

But I think without his name, he's probably somewhere between 70-90 in his class. And in all honesty someone who really isn't someone we talk about on here. Because the majority of those guys ranked in that area don't make NBA and the ones that do, most are 3-4 year college guys.

Like I stated before I don't see anything stand out about his game at the moment.

Yes, I think this is an issue of expectation. 5-star prospects should be looked at as likely NBA draft picks. 4-star prospects should be looked at as kids that have a more than even chance of being solid starters in college. If you told me Bronny wasn't going to grow, and only developed the parts of his game that he's strong in now, but went on to be a solid but unspectacular starter for ...UCLA... for four years (absent any relation to LeBron) that wouldn't seem preposterous to me at all.

[Duke4life831]

being rated as a four star right now, but imo, he's a three star talent as of now.

yea, talent wise more 3 star than 4, only a 4 star because of his name at this point.

i think it's interesting how great players almost NEVER produce sons that can play bball at a high level for some reason.

by contrast, the best prospect in this class (Bari) is the son of what was a mediocre player, the best prospect in the 2024 draft class is DJ Wagner, another son of what was a pretty mediocre player.

just weird how that works.

If it’s like football their parents know exactly what kind of training they need to excel to the league and they won the genetic lottery. It sounds like if Bronny was taller he would also be a higher level recruit.

The issue with this thinking though is it can pretty much be applied to every recruit. For example if Jaden Schutt was 3-4 inches taller he wouldn't be considered a guy ranked in the 60s, he's be viewed as a top 10 guy.

We see plenty of guys Bronny's size be considered top tier prospects. It's just that Bronny for being 6'3 isn't a stand out prospect. Again to be clear I'm not saying he's not a D1 level player. But ya when talking about the level of prospects on here, he's not a standout player. He's a 6'3 guard with solid athleticism (but nothing wow), solid handle (but not dynamic), solid shooting form (but not known as a knock down shooter), he's also not known to be done defensive dynamo either. The thing is, we see plenty of players like that every year. Those are just usually the kind of players that either go to small colleges or go to power conference schools and not get too many minutes their first couple years in college.

[clyde21]

saying he's a 4 star is meaningless either way, what percentage of 4 stars ever make it to the NBA, let alone a 4 star that's much closer to being a 3 star than a 5 star.

he really is not that good tbh, watch him play, he's positionless but in the worst way possible. i guess it's still super early (which is why there isn't a need for this thread) so you never know but yea, no one would be talking about this cat if his name was Joe Smith.

[Duke4life831]

saying he's a 4 star is meaningless either way, what percentage of 4 stars ever make it to the NBA, let alone a 4 star that's much closer to being a 3 star than a 5 star.

he really is not that good tbh, watch him play, he's positionless but in the worst way possible. i guess it's still super early (which is why there isn't a need for this thread) so you never know but yea, no one would be talking about this cat if his name was Joe Smith.

Yup. And say even his 52nd ranking is a legit ranking for him. If you go back and look at previous classes and guys ranked 50 and worse, you don't see too many NBA players. Hell you don't even see too many guys that had good college careers.

[GSWFan1994]

Here's my opinion about Bronny: he sucks for the hype he gets.

Hopefully he has a growth spurt waiting to happen, because his skills relative to his height won't cut it in the NBA.

Obviously we had the case of LaMelo recently... growing up to 6'7'' helped him immensely.

As of right now, Bronny is hardly a NBA prospect.

[SeattleJazzFan]

i still say bronny is a 3 star talent. he simply hasn't shown an ability to produce at a level 4 stars should be producing at. he's just kind of out there. he can shoot, but has trouble scoring. he can pass, but doesn't really make a ton of plays. he's a decent defender, but doesn't really ever shut anybody down. he can handle the ball, but can't beat kids off the bounce regularly. he has trouble finishing at the rim. he doesn't rebound very well at the HS level from his guard spot.

he's basically an opportunistic scorer - he'll get some open layups if they are presented, he'll get easy steals, he'll hit some open shots, but i just don't see enough from him to warrant giving him 4 stars. flame away

if he were 6'8" with the same skill set and athleticism, he might be a five star kid. but 6'2 - 6'3 kids have to be exceptional and i just don't see anything special about him.

[Slim Charlez]

No one is wasting lottery pick for a year of 40 year old LeBron. I am not saying Bronny will not be NBA prospect, but there is nothing there at this moment yet.

1000% somebody will

[Big J]

No one is wasting lottery pick for a year of 40 year old LeBron. I am not saying Bronny will not be NBA prospect, but there is nothing there at this moment yet.

1000% somebody will

Agreed, these owners didn't get rich without caring about the $$$. The Bron farewell tour is going to absolutely rake in the dough. I couldn't see virtually irrelevant franchises like Sac, OKC, or Orlando passing it up.

[Pelly24]

247 (I think the best recruiting rankings) has him 52nd overall and a 4 star (30th ranked guard prospect).

and that's about 25 ranks too high just by simply being LeBron's kid.

if his name was Joe Smith literally no one would be talking about him.

Yup. If we want to break down his game this is my take on it.

He's a 6'3 combo guard that doesnt excel at any aspect of the game at the moment. He's a solid athlete but no major plus in that department for his size. Solid handle but nothing dynamic. Solid form on his shot, but not considered a knock down shooter.

That's pretty much it. Just for my usual Duke comparison haha. What makes Bronny a better prospect than say Jaden Schutt who is the 66th ranked prospect for the upcoming class? Schutt is bigger, the far far better shooter. Can get his shot off much easier off the dribble than Bronny. Take names out of it, what makes Bronny a better prospect than Schutt? There really is nothing wow about Bronny's game at the moment.

Now ya he could have a growth spurt, we can see his athleticism improve, his shot can end up getting really good, his handle can end up getting really tight and dynamic. But again that's one of the reasons we dont have too many threads for guys that are 2 years out from being in college. A lot of things can change, this includes guys that are ranked below Bronny that can shoot by him in the rankings. This is why its pretty pointless to have dedicated threads to Sophomores and Juniors in high school, especially ones ranked as low as Bronny.

Bronny's biggest issue to me are his movement skills with the ball and his lack of burst and change direction ability off the dribble. I've watched him play one on one when guarded by Amari Bailey, and it just struck me how it seemed like his feet were in cement. Like he knew he had zero chance to get by him, so he just took a step back three, clanked it. That was a year and change ago. When he dribbles and when he moves out of a cross over, it's as if he has to drag his legs to the rest of his body. Very upright, he moves like a big lumbering big man, but he's really only 6'2" without shoes, and his frame is very compact so he seems even smaller sometimes. He's bouncy af — definitely has a 40+ inch vertical— and he's very strong and has a good reach, great reflexes and is one of the best defenders in high school basketball. He's a smart passer, rarely makes mistakes and plays within himself, but he simply lacks the dynamic athleticism and skillset to be dominant. If he somehow grows two inches, fills out and gets a passable off the dribble game I guarantee he'll be a good NBA player though.

[Pelly24]

he's the same size as DJ Wagner and Wagner is ranked #1 in his entire class right now.

not gonna chalk it up to height, you can say that about pretty much every prospect.

True but at his skill level the height would definitely help. Not defending him just explaining why these kids of NBA stars excel. Look at Pippen’s kid. He has skill just not his father’s height.

if he had the skill he'd be in the NBA right now - he clearly doesn't. you don't need to be 6-8 to contribute in the NBA.

DJ Wagner has great quick twitch quickness with a great handle and a perfect jumper and the ability to shoot from all over the floor. He can get by anyone and is just as good a passer as Bronny, but because he knows how to dribble and he's a great shooter, he's a much better player. Bronny's near-inability to create is damning. He's basically a 6'2" small forward.

Scotty Pippen Jr. is actually somebody I've been thinking will be a good NBA player. Definitely a rotation guy. He's only 6'1," but he's got a strong frame and a good 8'3" standing reach, so that's the reach of a 6'3" guy. He can handle the ball, shoot, get to the line, pass and play defense.

[BostonCouchGM]

I’m 100% positive the more vocal haters haven’t even watched him play. He’s playing with friends and actively takes a back seat so they can shine. He has effortless bounce. He’s a very active defender, has a very good jumper and handle plus elite BBIQ. He’s absolutely a 1st round talent and if he has a growth spurt will be in the high lottery

[shotsquatch]

Seems like he hit a growth spurt recently. Looking more athletic.

[azcatz11]

The Bronny movement is picking up steam after his performance at the Peach Jam.

Anyone have any new opinions? He’s apparently one of the best shooters in the class?

[Duke4life831]

The Bronny movement is picking up steam after his performance at the Peach Jam.

Anyone have any new opinions? He’s apparently one of the best shooters in the class?

He had a hell of a week. Definitely looked the part.

[BostonCouchGM]

The Bronny movement is picking up steam after his performance at the Peach Jam.

Anyone have any new opinions? He’s apparently one of the best shooters in the class?

there have been some laughably bad takes about Bronny for years it seems. I feel like I've been alone defending him against the onslaught. The kid has a billionaire father who has instilled unselfishness in him. Meaning, he knows how good he is so he allowed others to shine so they could get seen. He knew his day would come when he was a senior and he'd need to ball out and show scouts what he's made of. That's why you're seeing him more aggressive and balling out. He's a blue chip prospect. Well above average athlete, extremely high potential on the defensive side of the ball, elite BBIQ, good playmaker, adequate handle and a very nice looking jumper. In a league full of guys his size or smaller who all went in the first round (Trae, Mitchell, Rozier, Kemba, Pritchard, Conley, etc) you'd think people would give the 17 y/o the benefit of the doubt but not on here. I honestly don't know why people hate on the kid so much. He will 100% get offers from multiple big programs and he'll be a one and done if he so chooses. If he gets any type of growth spurt we might see lottery.

[MemphisX]

Yeah, this thread will be golden. Always liked Bronny and never understood how people had Amari as a better pro prospect.

[SeattleJazzFan]

i would love to eat crow regarding bronny. rooting hard for him. the high school season will tell us a lot about where he is.

[Big J]

I’ve actually come around to Clyde’s opinion on this kid the more I watch him. He sucks, and we wouldn’t be talking about him if he weren’t Brons kid.