Getty Image / Michael Hickey
With this year’s NBA Draft having come and gone on Thursday, it looks like it is already time to begin thinking about what could happen in next year’s draft.
Although we haven’t even had the chance to see many of the players who will end up at the top of the draft play a second of college basketball, there are already expected to be plenty of big names being called early on.
While he isn’t expected to end up being one of the draft’s top picks, arguably the biggest name we could see taken in round 1 is Bronny James.
Yesterday, ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony appeared on Sportscenter and revealed that he currently has Bronny projected to be the 17th pick in next year’s draft.
Went on Sportscenter to preview our 2024 mock draft, with preliminary thoughts on projected No. 1 pick Ron Holland and No. 17 pick Bronny James. https://t.co/uzfBWznuLY pic.twitter.com/2fMtrSUBgR
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 24, 2023
“Bronny James is the No. 17-projected player in our draft class,” Givony said. “He has a very high floor because of his frame, his defensive instincts, the way he can make spot-up jumpers, his feel for the game, his competitiveness, his versatility.”
Bronny has shot up the recruiting rankings over the course of the last year and now it looks like he is moving up draft boards as well.
There will be plenty of eyes on Bronny during what will likely be his only season at USC as he teams up with a potential top 5 pick in Isaiah Collier.
His draft stock will be interesting to monitor as he will be the only player in the draft who could end up bringing a veteran with him wherever he goes.
Where Bronny James is drafted could end up determining where LeBron James finishes out his NBA career.
It looks like the chance to pair the father and son could end up costing some team a pick just outside of next year’s NBA Draft lottery.