LeBron: NBA scouts blatantly blame USC for Bronny James' underwhelming NCAA season

Bronny James entered the transfer portal and NBA draft earlier this month. He will go through the draft process and the NCAA transfer recruiting process simultaneously as he makes his next decision on where to continue his basketball career. James had a rough freshman season at USC, as he did not see much playing time with the Trojans, who struggled in their final season in the Pac-12.

Some mock drafts project Bronny James to be a late-round pick if he stays in the draft. NBA insider Brian Windhorst, noted for his LeBron James coverage, reported Bronny could have better draft prospects than many expect. He said USC was to blame for Bronny’s poor season.

“When I talk to NBA scouts about Bronny, they don’t think he was able to put his best foot forward because USC wasn’t able to play him at his position,” Windhorst said.

Windhorst said Bronny was out of position and a bad fit on the USC roster. Per the ESPN reporter, the scouts want to see him play point guard.

“He played sort of on the wing. (Scouts) say he should play point guard which is where he played when he excelled in high school,” Windhorst said. “He should go somewhere where he can play point guard and build up his skills and that may not be USC.”

Although many scouts believe Bronny was not allowed to see his true potential, many still think he should play another season in college. Windhorst agrees with the sentiment.

“The people I talk to are saying, they didn’t get to see him play his real position,” Windhorst said. “I think he would really benefit from another year in college, especially as he is one of the highest paid NIL guys in all of college sports.”

Bronny is represented by Rich Paul, who is also famously LeBron James’ agent. The group will have a tough choice to make in the coming months to see where Bronny will land.

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USC’s roster construction was not the only reason Bronny had a slow start to his college career.

Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest during a preseason workout. His recovery from the heart incident delayed the start of his freshman season, as Bronny missed the first portion of the schedule before being medically cleared.

Will Bronny James play with his dad, LeBron?

LeBron James has made it clear that it is his dream to play with his son. Bronny has not said he shares the same aspirations, so the speculation continues.

NBA insider Brian Windhorst told ESPN host Pat MacAfee that no one has confirmed if Bronny James is also seeking an NBA role to play with his dad. Windhorst said that LeBron has walked back a bit of that pressure and emphasized that the decision lies with his son.

It will be interesting to see how the potential of them playing together weighs on Bronny’s decision. His father has a $50 million player option he could decline next season, making him a free agent to sign where Bronny is drafted, if selected.