IT'S LIKELY: Bronny James is 18 and short (about 6'1/2" barefoot) so his size+skills won't make him a real nba player

[Memories]

Um, we had Isiash Thomas and Nate Robinson play and were under 5'9. 6'3 is small now? **** outta here.

[Pelly24]

I think Bronny might be close to 6'-3" in shoes...it's just a guess on my part though. The problem isn't his height. The problem is that he plays like a wing. He doesn't have the handle or craftiness of an NBA playmaker although he's a pretty good passer. He competes defensively but who is he going to guard in the NBA if he he's not defending PG size players. He is also a bit robotic on the court. He has athleticism but not the flexibility or handle to get by defenders. He would likely need to grow another 3" to defend many NBA wing players but he's almost 18 at this point. If you check this year's NBA draft no players under 6'-4" were even drafted in the first round this year. I believe TyTy was the shortest. Meanwhile Bronny's younger brother just turned 15 and already towers over him.

We've seen some undersized wing type players scratch and claw and make it in the NBA. Patrick Beverley is a name that comes to mind. Delonte West is another guy who had a decent career in the NBA before his life careened off path. I would never say that a kid can't make it because we don't know someone's heart or work ethic. I will say that his name obviously opens doors but he will need to put in a ton of work in order to have a chance to stick.

Look at the draft the year before though and you will see that Davion Mitchell was drafted at #9 and he’s 6’1 and is a great perimeter defender. GP2 is 6’3 and was one of the best defenders last season and even guarded 6’10 Jayson Tatum in the finals. Hell, the Nets played 6’3 Bruce Brown at power forward during stretches.

Davion Mitchell is actually incredibly explosive and has a guard's handle, so i don't see the comparison per se. Here's what I'll say about Bruce Brown and GP2: Bronny is far more skilled than either of them, but maybe a notch or so less athletic (at this point). I think one of Bronny's best-case scenarios is that he's a version of Brown or GP2 wit elite IQ. Imagine how much better either of those guys would be if they could thread the needle/always made the right play. Bronny has two years to evolve as a ballhandler, and I think that's the swing step. He was noticeably improved on that end and his lower body flexibility also looked better. I'm not saying it's a guarantee Bronny will be in the NBA for any reason other than LeBron, but he's played with elite competition at all times the last three years, has had high-end NBA training and essentially gets better every year he's healthy. We know how he looks next to high-level talent. He's got great role player skills that lend themselves very well to NBA teams. He has great form on his jumper, great vision and delivery as a passer, plays with pace, is an elite defender and can lowkey make a variety of shots. In the NBA, if you can be *not a liability* on defense *and* make three-pointers *and* take care of the ball, you're probably worth like a $10 million per year contract at least. Every team gets better with one of those guys. It's early, and I'm not saying it will all happen, but that is absolutely in the realm of players Bronny can become. He's the type to continually improve, and with his elite IQ and jumper and still developing physical abilities, I wouldn't rule him out. It doesn't seem like it immediately, but he's got some things you can't teach, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up better than a lot of people ranked ahead of him 3 years from now.

[michaelm]

He was doomed from the start.

Children born with a golden spoon in their mouths inherit their path from birth. LeBron struggled as a lower class kid. So that fueled his rise to greatness. Bronny has never and will never struggle a day in his life.

What about guys like Larry Nance Jr, Tim Hardaway Jr, Gary Payton Jr, Austin Rivers, Klay Thompson, Gary Trent Jr, Steph and Seth Curry. List goes on and on. I bet all of those guys grew up with a silver spoon and still manged to have solid careers at worst.

And I can name more players who had sons that didn't even sniff the NBA. What's your point?

The point is that your statement is wrong as a blanket statement. Of course there are many players who have sons who try basketball and don't make it to the NBA, but there are more than a few who do, including two consensus top 20 all time players in Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry with fathers who were decent NBA players and who would hence have grown up in some comfort. The most recent title winning team had 3 starters who were the sons of former players in Curry, Thompson and Wiggins and another player who was an important bench player in GPII. OPJ also came from a whole family of basketball players and coaches if not at NBA level.

[DrCoach]

Bronny James is no worse a prospect than Donovan Mitchel

that’s a debate that can be had in a year or so.

We can have it now.

mitchell wasnt better than Bronny at this age

[Pelly24]

Bronny James is no worse a prospect than Donovan Mitchel

that’s a debate that can be had in a year or so.

We can have it now.

mitchell wasnt better than Bronny at this age

This is actually very funny, because it's 100% true he really wasn't lol.

The one thing is though, D. Mitch always had a level of burst and change of direction ability Bronny didn't.

But at the same age, Bronny was a lot better. Mitchell would'n't have played more than him on SC

[oversteerdawg]

Everytime I see this thread Bronny shrinks an inch. He'll be Muggsy James soon.

[The-Power]

He was doomed from the start.

Children born with a golden spoon in their mouths inherit their path from birth. LeBron struggled as a lower class kid. So that fueled his rise to greatness. Bronny has never and will never struggle a day in his life.

What about guys like Larry Nance Jr, Tim Hardaway Jr, Gary Payton Jr, Austin Rivers, Klay Thompson, Gary Trent Jr, Steph and Seth Curry. List goes on and on. I bet all of those guys grew up with a silver spoon and still manged to have solid careers at worst.

And I can name more players who had sons that didn't even sniff the NBA. What's your point?

Yeah, because it's incredibly hard to make it to the NBA. How many ‘lower class kids’ wanted to be NBA players and didn't make it? The list is endless. So your argument is just pointless. Not only are there numerous current and former NBA players who didn't struggle as kids, but there are millions of players from all kinds of backgrounds who don't make it to the NBA despite trying. That's just obvious and a list of people who didn't make it serves no purpose whatsoever.

[ATRAIN53]

Isn't that the same size as Brunson?
Looks like a similar build too.

He'll still get an invite to someones G-League if LeBron does't get someone to draft him.
Like Pip and Shaq Jr who are in LA

Bron make make it known to NOT draft him so he can just have Jeannie sign him.

Maybe he'll be a late bloomer like Payton II.

[dhsilv2]

What about guys like Larry Nance Jr, Tim Hardaway Jr, Gary Payton Jr, Austin Rivers, Klay Thompson, Gary Trent Jr, Steph and Seth Curry. List goes on and on. I bet all of those guys grew up with a silver spoon and still manged to have solid careers at worst.

And I can name more players who had sons that didn't even sniff the NBA. What's your point?

Yeah, because it's incredibly hard to make it to the NBA. How many ‘lower class kids’ wanted to be NBA players and didn't make it? The list is endless. So your argument is just pointless. Not only are there numerous current and former NBA players who didn't struggle as kids, but there are millions of players from all kinds of backgrounds who don't make it to the NBA despite trying. That's just obvious and a list of people who didn't make it serves no purpose whatsoever.

48.8% of NBA players are related to an "elite" athlete per a 2016 wall street journal study. Anyone who thinks being born into a family with a sports history makes it harder or that those player lack the whatever are simply wrong. The reality is there are only about 400 spots in the NBA. It's really freaking hard to make it.

[og15]

Bronny James is no worse a prospect than Donovan Mitchel

that’s a debate that can be had in a year or so.

We can have it now.

mitchell wasnt better than Bronny at this age

I think people forget that there are players who take big leaps in college as well as others who after playing a year in college look underwhelming. People seem to like to make final predictions all the time, but sometimes we just simply don't know. Bronny is at an age where there are still a lot of "if he does this, if he improves here, if this happens, then ____".

[Ruma85]

that’s a debate that can be had in a year or so.

We can have it now.

mitchell wasnt better than Bronny at this age

I think people forget that there are players who take big leaps in college as well as others who after playing a year in college look underwhelming. People seem to like to make final predictions all the time, but sometimes we just simply don't know. Bronny is at an age where there are still a lot of "if he does this, if he improves here, if this happens, then ____".

Very true

[michaelm]

And I can name more players who had sons that didn't even sniff the NBA. What's your point?

Yeah, because it's incredibly hard to make it to the NBA. How many ‘lower class kids’ wanted to be NBA players and didn't make it? The list is endless. So your argument is just pointless. Not only are there numerous current and former NBA players who didn't struggle as kids, but there are millions of players from all kinds of backgrounds who don't make it to the NBA despite trying. That's just obvious and a list of people who didn't make it serves no purpose whatsoever.

48.8% of NBA players are related to an "elite" athlete per a 2016 wall street journal study. Anyone who thinks being born into a family with a sports history makes it harder or that those player lack the whatever are simply wrong. The reality is there are only about 400 spots in the NBA. It's really freaking hard to make it.

Exactly this.

[ChuckChilly]

He was doomed from the start.

Children born with a golden spoon in their mouths inherit their path from birth. LeBron struggled as a lower class kid. So that fueled his rise to greatness. Bronny has never and will never struggle a day in his life.

What about guys like Larry Nance Jr, Tim Hardaway Jr, Gary Payton Jr, Austin Rivers, Klay Thompson, Gary Trent Jr, Steph and Seth Curry. List goes on and on. I bet all of those guys grew up with a silver spoon and still manged to have solid careers at worst.

And I can name more players who had sons that didn't even sniff the NBA. What's your point?

The point was that the silver spoon "inherit their path from birth" notion you had wasn't always true. And there have only been 4500 men that have played in the NBA. So the pool of people who didn't make it will always be large, bloodline or not.

[Grits n Gravy]

TLDR but some guys can have growth spurts up until 20-21...

Exactly this. Lots of males are not done growing at 17.

And so what. Let the guy be. Nobody needs to be pressuring a 17 year old kid to live up to the greatest player of all-time.

Except his own father pressuring him talking about when he's in the nba like it's a foregone conclusion.

[Ruma85]

TLDR but some guys can have growth spurts up until 20-21...

Exactly this. Lots of males are not done growing at 17.

And so what. Let the guy be. Nobody needs to be pressuring a 17 year old kid to live up to the greatest player of all-time.

Except his own father pressuring him talking about when he's in the nba like it's a foregone conclusion.

So his wrong to believe in his son??

[kombayn]

Let him play some college Ball.

[mg]

Um, we had Isiash Thomas and Nate Robinson play and were under 5'9. 6'3 is small now? **** outta here.

Those guys didn't play like wings though.
6'-3" (assuming that's his real height) is fine for a PG or combo scoring guard but Bronny doesn't have guard skills. Of course he could develop in those areas. He will only be 18 entering his senior season of HS.

[zimpy27]

LeBron grew 4.5 inches from the age of 17 until now.. So it's probably too early to right off a growth spurt.

[Pelly24]

LeBron grew 4.5 inches from the age of 17 until now.. So it's probably too early to right off a growth spurt.

I have to say, he really didn't. He was like 6'3" beginning of his freshman year and he grew to 6'7.25" by the time he was drafted. Now he apparently measured at 6'8.5" without shoes.

[zimpy27]

LeBron grew 4.5 inches from the age of 17 until now.. So it's probably too early to right off a growth spurt.

I have to say, he really didn't. He was like 6'3" beginning of his freshman year and he grew to 6'7.25" by the time he was drafted. Now he apparently measured at 6'8.5" without shoes.

He was drafted at 18 and he was 6'4 at 17. We are talking without shoes.