3 most improved aspects of Bronny James’ game since high school day

It's been a challenging freshman season at Southern Cal for Bronny James, but he is improving. The McDonald's All-American and son of LeBron James came to college with designs on a one-and-done jaunt to the NBA. But a scary cardiac arrest incident kept Bronny off the court and delayed his season.

Since then, he and USC have struggled, but here are three areas of significant improvement.

3 most improved aspects of Bronny James' game

Bronny James prepares to score. Despite a difficult season, James is showing improvement.

#1. Passing

In high school, James didn't have to pass much. But at Southern Cal, he's had more opportunities to work as a distributor of the ball. In his last four games, Bronny James had 17 assists to just three turnovers. It took James 10 games to total that many assists to open his season. A teammate who can pass is always a valued commodity, and James has improved his value.

#2. Defense

One of the biggest issues in transitioning from high school to college is learning to amp up the defensive intensity. Particularly without a summer and fall camp to work his way into the collegiate game, James's defense is an area of concern. His struggles at the defensive end likely led to early limitations on minutes for James, who came off the bench for his first eight games.

A few games into James's season, USC coach Andy Enfield singled out James's defensive improvement, praising his efforts and four deflections. Indeed, James moved into the starting lineup on Jan. 13, starting six of eight games since. If James can continue to improve defensively, his NBA stock will certainly improve.

#3. Leadership

Nothing in sports shapes a story like adversity. For everyone, even great athletes, the question is not whether a difficult situation or an unfortunate event will occur, it's merely a question of when. For Bronny James, he had avoided most instances of adversity. The son of a talented athlete and businessman, he had succeded in basketball and was anointed the next NBA star.

The cardiac event was an unfortunate turn, and Southern Cal's difficult season is yet another surprising downfall. Notably, James is learning to handle adversity. He's gone from reserve to starter, from raw freshman to contributing player. James's progress is a sign of character and leadership. When teammates struggle, James can rely on his experiences to help. Hard to quantify, but important nonetheless.

How do you think Bronny James will do over the rest of the season? Will he end up in the NBA? Let us hear your thoughts below in the comment section.

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