Bronny James, the son of NBA celebrity LeBron James, will enter the 2024 NBA Draft whereas sustaining his faculty eligibility, he introduced in a publish on Instagram on Friday. The 19-year-old guard, who performed his freshman season at USC, can even enter the transfer portal to have flexibility as he works out for NBA groups earlier than making a last determination based mostly on groups’ evaluations.

The draft is Bronny’s precedence if he and Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports Group, really feel comfy along with his standing, sources near Bronny mentioned.

Bronny’s determination to pursue the draft and transfer portal concurrently concludes a season at USC that started with a severe well being scare and ended along with his outstanding return to the court docket in a bench function. During a group exercise in July, Bronny collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest, an incident a James household spokesperson later mentioned was brought on by a congenital coronary heart defect.

Four months later, docs cleared him to return to follow. He made his collegiate debut in an extra time loss to Long Beach State on Dec. 10, scoring 4 factors in 16 minutes. Bronny appeared in USC’s last 25 video games, beginning six and averaging 4.8 factors, 2.8 rebounds and a pair of.1 assists in 19.3 minutes.

“I’ve had a year with some ups and downs but all added to growth for me as a man, student and athlete,” Bronny wrote in his announcement Friday.

Bronny, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard, was not included in The Athletic’s most up-to-date mock draft in mid-March.

Questions about Bronny’s future picked up after his coach at USC, Andy Enfield, left for the head-coaching emptiness at SMU on Monday. On Tuesday, LeBron mentioned Bronny had “some tough decisions to make.”

“At the end of the day, Bronny’s his own man,” LeBron mentioned after the Lakers’ win over the Raptors in Toronto, when requested about Bronny and the transfer portal.

“He has some tough decisions to make, and when he’s ready to make those decisions, he’ll let us all know. But as his family, we’re going to support whatever he does.”

LeBron, 39, has repeatedly expressed his need to play within the NBA along with his son earlier than his Hall of Fame profession ends.

“My last year will be played with my son,” James informed The Athletic in February 2022. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”

The elder James has a $51.4 million participant choice with the Lakers subsequent season, which he can decline this offseason to turn into a free agent. On Sunday, he mentioned his personal future, saying he’s unsure when he’s retiring but it surely’s approaching quickly.

“Not very long,” James mentioned when requested how lengthy he plans to proceed taking part in within the NBA. “Not very long. I’m on the other side, obviously, of the hill. I’m not gonna play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure. But not very long. I don’t know when that door will close as far as when I’ll retire. But I don’t have much time left.”

This story will probably be up to date.

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(Photo: David Becker / Getty Images)