“What simping looks like”: College hoops world disagrees with analyst's comments on Bronny James' rising draft stock amid NBA Draft Combine

From being labeled as a potential bust, Bronny James is slowly climbing the draft ranks. Draft expert Jonathan Givony believes Bronny has pushed his stock up in the current draft pool.

Givony pointed out that the 19-year-old has "legitimized himself as a real NBA prospect" among NBA scouts and representatives and highlighted Bronny's potential leap.

"He's moved in to the late second round of our latest projections," Givony said. "We're going to have him at 54 in our next update. That's all the way from the back-end of our Top 100. They feel like he has legitimized himself as a real NBA prospect."

However, college basketball fans are reluctant to bestow the same praise on the defensive guard.

A fan immediately reacted:

"Bahahahaha 😂😂🤡🤡 👇🏼What simping looks like."

"He’s only 6’ 1 !? I thought he was like 6’5. Where the hell is he gonna play," a fan wrote.

While few college ball enthusiasts rooted for Bronny James and his perseverance, a majority of fans questioned his prospects:

"Nothing about his skills or ability though..?," another fan posed against Givony's remarks.

"So he'll be drafted to smile and say positive things, and be happy go merry guy...," a follower sarcastically added.

"Givony on the payroll. Losing credibility with every Bronny post," another fan said.

Bronny James began the combine by registering a 40.5-inch vertical despite being listed at 6-foot-1.5, a much lower mark than the 6-4 listed on the USC website.

LeBron James' son put up a shooting clinic. Bronny went 19/25 in the 3-point drill, mustering the second-best record from the 78-player lot. He also poured in 13 points (team-high) in his second scrimmage.

While his numbers still have room for improvement, he displayed increased confidence and strength on offense alongside his pesky on-ball defense.

Bronny James' updated projection aligns him with his father's dreams

NBA: Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James has a long-standing desire to share the NBA court with Bronny James. The Lakers have the No. 17 and No. 55 pick in the 2024 Draft. However, the Pelicans have the rights to the 17th pick through the trade that sent Anthony Davis to LA and must decide whether to keep it or forego it in favor of the 2025 first-round pick instead.

As such, the Lakers' best chance to draft Bronny is with the late-second-round pick, which aligns with Givony's projection.

Nevertheless, three more days remain in the Combine before the focus shifts to the NBA drafts on June 26-27. Given Bronny's steady improvements, there is a possibility of further fluctuations in his overall projection.