Is Bronny James really destined for NBA? Looking at USC guard's performance in 2023-24 season 

As long as America has known Bronny James, it has known that he was bound for the NBA, in the tradition of his famous father. But a funny thing happened on the way to certainty. Despite being a McDonald's All-American and a highly touted recruit, it hasn't gone so well.

Sidelined by a heart ailment, late to start the season, Bronny James has looked like a typical college freshman. Not like a superhero.

Given the woeful Southern California team (9-14, 3-9 in the Pac-12) for which Bronny James plays, it's easy to blame his team. But the team hasn't put up underwhelming numbers and established James's sluggish pace so far. Bronny is a humble eighth on the team in scoring, at 5.8 points per game. It's safe to wonder: is Bronny destined for the NBA?

The case FOR Bronny James in the NBA

LeBron and Savannah James watch their son, Bronny, play against California.

It's plausible to dismiss this season as an unending nightmare that's painting an unfairly negative picture of Bronny James. After all, James was a remarkably solid player at Sierra Canyon High School near Los Angeles. He won accolades, was a part of team successes and was ranked as high as the No. 19 player in his class (by ESPN.com) or the No. 28 player in his class (by 247sports.com).

Had Bronny James been able to enter the draft directly out of his school, as his father did, he would have likely been taken by a team. Between the intrigue over his bloodlines, his developing skills and his ability to hang with top-flight competition, James would have been seen as something of a risk, but a risk worth taking.

The Case AGAINST Bronny James in the NBA

Simply stated, he just hasn't been good in college. Yes, he had the cardiac scare in July which both postponed the start of his season and was a massive distraction from his on-court development. But it's February, and James has rarely been remarkable on the hardwood.

His 36% shooting percentage isn't great and a 27% 3-point percentage hasn't shown the NBA much either. His 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio is fine, but not earth-shattering. Not only are Bronny's overall stats poor, they're poor even when measured by a per 40-minute metric (just 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per 40 minutes played).

More than the numbers, more than the losing, Bronny has lacked the sizzle that has always been a nightly facet of his father's game. His shooting has been unexceptional, his athleticism has been unimpressive and he's looked like just another college freshman.

Bronny's future in the NBA – The verdict

Of course, it's only February. The next four to six weeks will tell much of the story moving forward. Unless Bronny shows a tremendous increase in upside, it's hard to imagine the NBA being too interested right now. A sophomore season might be less of a desire and more of a necessity.

As things stand now, that seems likely, but Bronny will have a chance to flip the script over the next month.

Is Bronny James a one-and-done? Or will he miss the NBA altogether? Share your thoughts below in our comment section.