LeBron James' son Bronny James locked in to join the Lakers with No. 55 pick: Report
Despite being projected to go in the second round, Bronny James has been one of the most talked-about prospects in the upcoming class. As draft night gets closer, he continues to be linked to the LA Lakers.
From the moment he officially declared for the draft, the Lakers have been the most common team connected to Bronny. This is in large part due to LeBron James, who has spoken about his desire to play alongside his son.
In his latest mock draft for HoopsHype, insider Michael Scotto touched on the latest intel regarding each prospect. He cited that Bronny is assumably locked in to join the Lakers at No. 55.
"Bronny James is entrenched to the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 55 overall selection," Scotto wrote. "James has a strong physique and is more athletic than the average point guard. He can hit NBA three-pointers. Defensively, he’s constantly engaged as a physical on-ball defender who creates steals as an off-ball defender."
Before entering the draft, Bronny spent the past year playing in college at USC. Things got off to a shaky start following a scary medical incident, but the young guard managed to make a healthy return. Bronny played in 25 games and averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 36/26/67 shooting splits.
Bronny James receives high praise from Paul George
Even though Bronny James didn't put up big numbers in college, many have still praised his game and what he can become later down the road. Ahead of the NBA draft, one current star compared him to a former All-Star and multi-time champion.
While on his "Podcast P" show, Paul George had high praise for Bronny James ahead of the draft. He compared his skill set to the likes of Boston Celtics guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.
"I compare him to the Jrue Holiday, the Derrick Whites," George said. "Guys that are glue guys that can go do everything on the floor and help you win. That's kind of how I see him."
During the draft combine, Bronny saw his stock rise a great deal. Among the things scouts and analysts praised about him were his IQ and defensive prowess. Bronny isn't projected to become a star at the NBA level but has the potential to be a solid three-and-D guard.
Standing at 6-foot-2, Bronny is slightly undersized compared to the players mentioned. However, he makes up for it with a long wingspan and great athleticism.
If Bronny can become a player similar to those George mentioned, he'll have a long career in the NBA. Holiday and White have proven on numerous occasions how impactful they are to winning basketball.