NCAA basketball coaches on why LeBron James' son Bronny James may not be a top recruit: "He is not a force like Zion or a unicorn like Chet Holmgren"
While LeBron James is very likely in the final phase of his NBA career, Bronny James, LeBron's son, is just at the beginning. And if certain college coaches are to be believed, the outlook is grim for the 18-year old as it stands.
LeBron and Bronny James were seen at the Ohio State game, something LeBron talked about on his show, "The Shop," however, his son has suitors in California (UCLA, USC), Oregon, Michigan and Kentucky.
However, according to Dana O'Neil of The Athletic, of the eight college coaches that The Athletic has interviewed, the consensus on Bronny's talent is that there is a dissonance between the expectations and his abilities:
"While Bronny is talented, he is not so talented that the expectations and the circus that will accompany him to any college campus are warranted. He is not a force like Zion or a unicorn like Chet Holmgren."
"The expectation doesn’t match the talent level, or at least not yet. And that’s where it gets messy.’’ @TheAthletic theathletic.com/3740911/2022/1…
"He’s not DJ Wagner, the top-rated player in Bronny’s graduating class, or even Amari Bailey, his former Sierra Canyon teammate and five-star recruit who is now at UCLA. Not even close." (via) The Athletic
Not being touted as a five-star recruit is the least of James' problems, with coaches viewing Bronny as a project and not a "one-and-done" situation:
"Most coaches and scouts who spoke to The Athletic say Bronny might not be NBA-ready after two or even three years. He might develop into an NBA player, but the consensus is that it will take time.
"That was how Jalen Brunson (Villanova), Corey Kispert (Gonzaga), Malcolm Brogdon (Virginia), Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) and many others got to the NBA, but they question whether that pathway would sit well with Bronny and his family.
While Bronny's talent is appreciated, it is clearly not at par with top-college recruits in his class and classes before.
O'Neil also noted in the piece that James' family has a level-headed view when it comes to realizing exactly how talented Bronny is, and that they want him to be treated as an ordinary recruit.
LeBron's assertion about playing in the NBA with Bronny is consequential
Earlier this year in February, LeBron James made his feelings on playing with his son in the NBA extremely clear, and also added that going back to Cleveland is not an entirely outlandish premise.
"My last year will be played with my son," LeBron told the outlet. "Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."
This has consequences both in terms of the contracts and also in terms of when Bronny comes out of college, something mentioned in The Athletic.
James' latest two-year, ~$100 million-deal with the Lakers, which kicks in during the 2023-24 season, will see him through to the 2024-25 NBA season, which implies that if LeBron plans to retire after the completion of this contract and play with his son, Bronny will have to be a one-and-done prospect.
How feasible that is remains to be seen.