Lower than 5 months after going into cardiac arrest throughout a preseason exercise in late July, USC star freshman Bronny James returned to the court docket Sunday vs. Lengthy Seashore State. In 16 minutes of motion resulting from restrictions by the medical employees on how a lot he may play, James completed with 4 factors, three rebounds, two assists and a block in an 84-79 extra time loss.
With Pac-12 convention play beginning on the finish of the month, the Trojans must get again on observe rapidly to fulfill preseason expectations. As soon as James has his minutes restrictions lifted by the USC medical employees, he’ll be capable to showcase the impression he could make on a bigger scale. The previous No. 28 total prospect within the 2023 cycle by 247Sports headlined USC’s No. 3 total class subsequent to five-star guard Isaiah Collier and final Sunday marked the primary time they performed collectively in an official recreation.
There’s purpose for optimism that it is not too late to show it round and it begins with James taking up an even bigger function. James will proceed to get acclimated to the faculty recreation with extra reps. Moreover, USC has the right mixture of veterans and younger expertise that may be the right recipe for a deep run within the NCAA Event.
Listed below are three issues we discovered throughout Bronny’s collegiate debut
Bronny could make an impression with out scoring
Inside seconds of checking into the sport, James made a key defensive play and practically pressured a turnover. Lengthy Seashore State was making an attempt to throw the ball within the publish and James used his size to disclaim the entry. LBSU was in a position to rating on the possession after a reset, but it surely got here with some resistance.
On USC’s subsequent defensive possession, James grabbed a defensive rebound and tried the primary shot of his faculty profession — a immediately 3-pointer from the highest of the important thing. He solely tried three pictures and all of them had been from past the arc. James did ultimately make his first shot within the second half.
Bronny is not going to have to attain a ton on this USC workforce to make his impression felt. The Trojans have already got one of many high scoring backcourts within the nation in Boogie Ellis and Collier, therefore why there ought to be minimal stress on James to contribute at a excessive stage on the offensive finish of the ground. When James performed at Sierra Canyon Excessive College in close by Chatsworth, California, he performed that very same function by taking part in protection, rebounding and facilitating. That is precisely what USC wants proper now.
“We recruited Bronny James as a result of he is an excellent basketball participant,” USC coach Andy Enfield stated after the loss to LBSU. “We count on him to maintain creating.”
When the time comes, James ought to play extra minutes
Down the stretch, James made an essential play on protection. James pressured a turnover, stole the ball and milked among the break day the clock earlier than going to the free-throw line. James went 1 of two from the charity stripe, but it surely speaks volumes that James was on the ground throughout crunch time in his first faculty motion.
Enfield talked about that James did not go over the minute restriction set by the USC medical employees. It was anticipated that James may play anyplace between 10-20 minutes off the bench and 16 minutes was deemed the right candy spot. James was subbed out on the 2:18 mark within the extra time interval and performed six consecutive minutes on the ground courting again to the top of regulation. James performed in three completely different three-minute spurts throughout the first half-hour of motion earlier than getting his longest run on the ground when it mattered most.
“We are going to proceed to watch that, that is not my determination,” Enfield stated. “He performed his restriction tonight, his minutes restriction, and I assumed he performed properly in these minutes.”
Bronny’s NBA Draft inventory will proceed to rise
If James retains making performs like this on the defensive finish of the ground, his draft inventory goes to soar.
Earlier than James suffered a well being scare over the summer season that put his taking part in profession doubtlessly in doubt, he was seen as a late-lottery/early first-round NBA Draft choice in numerous mock drafts by CBS Sports activities. In Kyle Boone’s newest NBA mock draft final month, James was not tabbed as a first-round choice.
One potential issue to take a look at when inspecting Bronny’s draft inventory is the state of the 2024 NBA Draft class. This upcoming draft is seen as one of many weaker courses on the high in practically a decade, which may result in chaos. Will a workforce take a swing at an upside prospect within the mid/late lottery (like in years previous) or will they draft for potential match? Basketball has grow to be a positionless recreation and 3-and-D gamers like Bronny are coveted.
The opposite apparent think about his draft inventory shifting ahead is his final title. Whereas Bronny is making an attempt to carve out his personal title within the basketball world, it is laborious to disregard who his father is. LeBron James has expressed quite a few instances over time about his need to play together with his son within the NBA. The elder James signed a two-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers final summer season that runs by way of the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
It is attainable a workforce could possibly be enticed to pick out the youthful James in the event that they knew his father would make his approach to that respective workforce. If James continues to develop throughout these ultimate few months of the season, there isn’t any purpose why he cannot put himself again into first spherical consideration.