Bronny commits to USC! LeBron James’ son is staying in LA to play college hoops for Trojans

Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, has committed to play basketball at the University of Southern California.

The younger James announced his decision on Instagram, ending more than a year of speculation about his future. “Fight On,” he wrote, referencing a Trojans slogan and adding the hashtag “#committed.”

Unsurprisingly, Bronny chose a Nike school, aligning him with the clothing giant that helped make his father a billionaire. Unsurprisingly, Bronny chose a Nike school, aligning him with the clothing giant that helped make his father a billionaire.

Bronny’s tenure with the Trojans may not last long if all goes according to plan. His father has often expressed a desire to play on an NBA team with his son, and LeBron may be able to waive his current Lakers contract in 2024, when Bronny becomes eligible to be called up to the league.

“Man, Bronny is definitely better than some of these cats I watched on league pass today,” LeBron tweeted in March. “S*** lightweight hilarious.”

James tweeted in March that his oldest son is already superior to some NBA players

LeBron James holds his son Bronny after driving the Cavs to a playoff victory in 2007

The USC men’s basketball Twitter account responded mutely to the news with a single “eyeballs” emoji.

Bronny’s commitment is a major coup for a basketball program traditionally overshadowed by Trojan football.

Coach Andy Enfield’s team has reached the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive seasons, but has bounced in the first round each time in the last two years.

Enfield previously received commitments from Isaiah Collier, who is considered by many to be the top recruit in the class of 2023. The 6-foot-3 guard could team up with Bronny in the Trojan backcourt next season. Furthermore, four-star center Arrinten Page has also committed itself to USC.

The team also returns Reese Dixon-Waters, a six-foot guard who averaged 9.8 points per game last season.

Grandmother Gloria James, brother Bryce, LeBron and mother Savannah watch Bronny play

Bronny is six feet tall and is considered a “combo guard” who can play in either backcourt

A young Bronny looks at a photo of his father on the back of David Heritsch’s camera in 2007

Bronny, as he’s known, has been a celebrity for almost as long as LeBron, born in 2004 when the elder James began his illustrious NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

And as he’s gone from LeBron’s adorable sidekick to one of the nation’s most highly regarded college recruits, 18-year-old Bronny has become a product spokesperson, endorsing the same brands his dad already pays for: Nike, Beats by Dre.

Bronny’s production was deemed good enough to qualify for the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Game along with two other NBA scions: Andrej Stojakovic, the son of Peja, and DJ Wagner, the son of LeBron’s former teammate, Dajuan.

“His vert has improved as much as any other kid in the class,” McDonald’s voting committee member Brandon Clay told me. Josh Peter of USA Today.

“Every time I’ve seen him play live, he’s been really good, man,” Clay continued. “He played great competition. He always looks like he belongs at the table. He doesn’t look out of place.’

Bronny had 15 points in the game and showed off his improved shooting range as he lost 5 of 8 three-point attempts in the McDonald’s All-American Game. He followed that with another 15-point performance at the Nike Hoops Summit.

Scouting agencies have ranked Bronny anywhere from 34 (247 Sports) to 28 (ESPN) in the Class of 2023, but those numbers have more to do with current net worth than future projections.

Writing for ESPN with a view to the 2024 NBA Draft, Jonathan Givony sees Bronny as a top-10 pick given his recent growth, much of which cannot be measured by a box score. While his father may be the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, Bronny doesn’t need to score to win, according to 247 Sports’ Adam Finkelstein.

“What’s counterintuitive is that the son and namesake of LeBron James isn’t necessarily the guy who’s going to put 30 points on the board every night,” Finkelstein told USA Today. “That’s the part that I think surprises people at first glance who haven’t looked at him.

“What I find most impressive is given the microscope he’s been under his entire high school career, he’s always played the right way. It means he shared the basketball, didn’t force bad shots, didn’t push himself into starring, plays within the flow of the game, doesn’t dribble too much. It means he is defensively involved and competitive.

“Even though he might not go out and get your 30, he does things that affect winning, not just at this level, but at the next level.”