WATCH: Bronny James embraces mom Savannah ahead of national anthem at USC-Arizona matchup

Modified Mar 15, 2024 01:31 GMT

As Bronny James and the USC Trojans lost to No. 6 Arizona 70-49 in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday, cheering the freshman guard from courtside was his mother Savannah James. The two shared a hug as Bronny and his teammates warmed up before tipoff.

LeBron James has also attended USC games to show his support for his son but did not attend the tournament in Las Vegas. The LA Lakers lost 120-107 at the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

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With the loss, USC (15-18) exited the tourney and likely wrapped its 2023-24 season. Although they have no chance at the Big Dance, the Trojans could be invited to a lesser postseason tournament.

As it is, questions will arise about the future of Bronny James.

Will Bronny James return to USC next season?

There has been no announcement on if Bronny James will return to USC next season. He averaged 4.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in his freshman season, which didn't start until Dec. 10 in the wake of his cardiac arrest in July. These numbers do not put him anywhere near the top NBA draft prospects for 2024.

James is no longer in ESPN's 2024 mock draft but was included for 2025 as a second-round pick. Speaking to Malika Andrews on "NBA Today," draft analyst Jonathan Givony said:

"The fact of the matter is that Bronny James has not produced like a one-and-done player this season. He's been playing hot potato with his teammates, moving the ball left and right, really has lacked assertiveness.

"He has missed opportunities to really put himself into the game when they've had injuries, and they've needed him to step up and show that he's an NBA player."

At the same time, Givony praised James for his skills on the defensive end, calling him "one of the best defenders in this freshman class."

"He is physical (and) competitive," Givony said. "He's got a great feel for the game. I think if Bronny James comes back for his sophomore season, we're going to see a completely different guy. We're going to see someone that really could be a lottery pick."

Regarding the snub from the mock draft, Bronny James's father LeBron defended the guard in a since-deleted tweet as he demanded people back and stop pressuring his son. LeBron added that mock drafts do not matter.

At the same time, LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, revealed that Bronny's move to the NBA was not based on draft stock but rather team interest.