"It's up to him": LeBron James explains Bronny will make his decision regarding the upcoming NBA draft amid Lakers rumors

By Farouk Yusuf

Modified Feb 19, 2024 18:41 GMT

The potential of Bronny James making it to the NBA in the upcoming draft via the influence of his father, LeBron James, has been a hot talking point lately. It was reported that the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in drafting him to have his father exercise his one-year option.

However, it's not yet a certainty that Bronny will declare for the upcoming draft despite the frenzy out there. Speaking with the “Inside NBA” crew on TNT ahead of the All-Star game on Sunday, LeBron disclosed that Bronny will make his decision regarding the 2024 NBA Draft.

“It's up to him. It's up to the kid," James said. "Obviously we gonna go through the whole process. He's still in season now, has the Pac-12 tournament coming up. ... We going to weigh our options, and we going to let the kid make the decision.”

LeBron’s dream to play alongside Bronny in the NBA

LeBron James has been transparent about his desire to play in the NBA simultaneously with his son, Bronny James, expressing interest in being on the same team or competing against each other.

After having him in his rookie season in 2004, it will be iconic to play on the same court with his son in his final season in the NBA. LeBron notably explained his dream to Dave McMenamin of ESPN in January 2023, while Bronny was still at Sierra Canyon.

“I need to be on the floor with my boy,” James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I got to be on the floor with Bronny, Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him."

"I don't mean like [guarding one another all game]—because he's a point guard and I'm a—at this point now I'm playing center or whatever the team needs from me. But I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure."

Bronny warned against teaming up with LeBron James

The desire to keep LeBron James by the Los Angeles Lakers could earn Bronny James an NBA slot in 2024. However, the USC point guard has been warned against that by analyst Doug Gottlieb.

“I think it's a risky move for Bronny James. I just do," Gottlieb explained on the Doug Gottlieb Show. I believe Bronny can benefit from being a bench player, occasionally starting for a struggling USC team, and eventually becoming an all-league caliber player and making it to an NBA roster.”

All eyes will be on the LeBron James family in the next couple of months to see what decision will be made regarding Bronny's draft declaration. As it stands, returning to USC next season is an option on the table but we wait to see what the family decides on.