"If Bronny James' father was not LeBron, would anybody care": Mad Dog fumes at latest NBA Draft buildup around USC guard

The story of Bronny James is going to be one of the biggest heading into the first round of the 2024 NBA draft on Wednesday. He will be a major discussion point throughout the next 48 hours until it is figured out exactly where his pro career will begin.

On ESPN's "First Take" on Wednesday, 2022 Radio Hall of Famer Mike "Mad Dog" Russo shot down Stephen A. Smith's discussion about believing that James is the most intriguing draft prospect this year:

"If Bronny James' father was not LeBron James, would anybody care? His father is the reason there is intrigue."

This is one of the leading sentiments people have regarding Bronny James. He struggled in 25 games with the USC Trojans, shooting 36.6% from the field, 26.7% from behind the 3-point line and 67.6% from the charity stripe. He also averaged only 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.2 blocks and 0.8 steals in 19.4 minutes per game.

It will be interesting to see how Bronny James does in the NBA and exactly when he will hear his name during the 2024 draft.

Will Bronny James be selected in the 2024 NBA draft?

Bronny James is one of the most hyped prospects heading into the NBA draft, and it's almost a certainty that he will be drafted in one of the 60 picks over the next two days.

Drafting Bronny James could be something that teams also decide to do to call LeBron James and the LA Lakers' bluff. That would mean drafting him and either forcing the Lakers to use a draft pick to acquire Bronny in an attempt to keep LeBron happy or using him as a piece for a different team. The league-wide influence of the James family's agent, super agent Rich Paul, can't be discounted.

Either way, Bronny James' NBA career will be under the microscope and one that will be intriguing to watch unfurl.

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