Bronny James has a chance to be “great” in the NBA, according to one of his former teammates.
LeBron James’ son was taken with the 55th overall pick to play alongside him with the Lakers, and Bronny’s USC teammate Isaiah Collier — and now a member of the Jazz — gave a vote of confidence regarding the younger James’ NBA prospects.
Collier, who joined Utah as the 29th overall pick, said his former teammate will succeed in the NBA but likely will face some skepticism from league personnel.
“The NBA is going to be great for [Bronny],” Collier said during the NBA pre-draft camp. “People haven’t seen as much as what we’ve seen as a team. He’s going to be a great player. Little that people know, he’s really good …”
“It’s vibes just talking to him,” Collier said, referring to his talks with LeBron. “He told me to enjoy the process. It’s hard to make it even this far in your career.”
Collier also shared that LeBron had been a “great resource” for him as he prepared for the 2024 NBA draft.
“I’ve talked to LeBron a couple of times. He has definitely been a great resource for me. He is one of the greats — in my opinion, the greatest of all-time. It was crazy surreal to have met him. I’m blessed to be in this situation and I’m taking advantage of every moment.”
Bronny’s brother, Bryce, posted a video of his brother’s reaction after hearing his name called in the draft.
Bronny fought back tears as his family celebrated his being able to play alongside his father this season.
Bronny’s agent, Rich Paul, reportedly warned teams not to draft him, saying that he would instead play in Australia if they took him.
“Rich Paul’s calling teams and saying, ‘Don’t take Bronny James.’” former Warriors exec Bob Myers said Thursday afternoon on ESPN. “He’s telling them, ‘Do not take them.’ OK? He’s saying, ‘Don’t take him. If you take him he’s going to Australia. So he has a plan and he has a place.”
But now, Bronny will be still playing in Southern California, but this time with his dad in the NBA.