Esteemed recruit Bronny James’s parents, LeBron and Savannah, aren’t interfering, according to USC head coach Andy Enfield, as he prepares for a busy season coaching the biggest celebrity in college basketball
- Bronny was highly acclaimed as a four-star recruit and ranked 19th in the Class of 2023
- He is expected to start for USC in what many believe will be his only NCAA season
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University of Southern California head basketball coach Andy Enfield recently stated that he doesn’t feel a “floating” presence from NBA superstar LeBron James as he prepares to coach his oldest son Bronny.
Bronny was highly praised as a four-star recruit ranked 19th in the class of 2023 by ESPN who recently committed to play his college ball for the Trojans next season.
According to Enfield, LeBron and his wife Savannah were both “extremely positive” about their son’s decision.
“Well, Savannah and LeBron have been very supportive of Bronny and his decision to come to USC,” Enfield said. “They have a good understanding of what it takes to be a great player.
“I think the expectations — there are certainly expectations — but the expectations are not unreasonable as parents. They want what most other parents want. They want their son to get an education, develop on the basketball court, play with other good players and have a coaching staff that can help them develop and help him become a better player.”
USC head coach Andy Enfield says Bronny James’s parents are not waiting out the season
Bronny’s dad LeBron James has arguably the highest celebrity factor of any NCAA parent
“We think LeBron and Savannah, as coaching staff, understand very well what it takes for Bronny to be a great college player and move to the next level.”
Bronny is expected to start at point guard alongside senior guard Boogie Ellis in the backcourt, along with Kobe Johnson who some say is ready for a breakaway season and DJ Rodman, the son of NBA legend Dennis.
The youngster Rodman is also set for his first season at USC after joining the team as a key transfer from Washington State.
Enfield expects Bronny’s high basketball IQ and defensive tools, in addition to his general skills, to play a key role in enabling him to earn a lot of playing time early on.
“All of our guards have a great opportunity to play for us because we don’t have many guards,” said Enfield.
The younger James announced his decision on Instagram, ending more than a year of speculation about his future. “Fight On,” he wrote, adding the hashtag “#committed.”
“We don’t have eight or nine. We have a chance for those guys to get them a nice part, and in Bronny’s case, we’re not promising starting spots, but the nice thing is that all our guards will play good minutes for us this year.”
LeBron has long talked about wanting to play in the NBA with Bronny and has also structured his contract to allow him to leave the Lakers to do so, leading many to believe that this will be Bronny’s only season of college basketball.
“It’s so refreshing to see a young man deal with his father’s celebrity status, yet be such a humble young man,” said Enfield.
“And when he gets on the basketball court, he’s a great teammate. We brought Bronny on because we think he’s a good fit for our basketball program as a player and the type of person he is.”