Why Was Bronny James not select for the First Round of 2024 NBA Draft?

Many people didn’t think Bronny James was a first-round pick for the 2024 NBA Draft. It turns out that some of those people were also working in NBA front offices.

LeBron James eldest son Bronny James ranked as the No. 54 prospect in the draft by Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. On Wednesday, he not picked in the first round. This wasn’t a big surprise, considering most talent evaluators ranked him similarly.

However, there was some speculation that a team might pick him to attract his famous father, making it seem like anything could happen.

Bronny James is now the biggest name in Thursday’s second round. The Los Angeles Lakers, who have the 55th pick. Although LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, has said that LeBron and Bronny are not package deal. So, the Lakers have connected to Bronny throughout the draft process.

Drafting Bronny and keeping LeBron, who might soon opt out of his contract. He would let the Lakers have the first father-son duo playing together in NBA history. The Lakers already used their other pick at No. 17 to draft Dalton Knecht from Tennessee, who might be the biggest steal of the draft.

Bronny James’ Unusual Predraft Journey:

Interestingly, Bronny only worked out for the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns before the draft. The Suns don’t have a second-round pick because they lost it due to a tampering violation, but they could still potentially trade to get back into the round.

According to Peek, several teams have shown interest in the 6-foot-2 combo guard Bronny James. The Toronto Raptors have the 31st pick while the Minnesota Timberwolves have the 37th pick, and the Dallas Mavericks have the 58th pick in the draft.

Adding to the complexity, Paul has stated that he prefers Bronny to be picked only by teams offering a guaranteed contract. Bronny James is currently viewed as a developmental prospect at best. Which having averaged just 4.8 points per game during a shortened one-season stint at USC due to cardiac arrest. This might deter teams from taking a chance on him.

Given these conditions, it’s unlikely that a team other than the Lakers would choose Bronny. Many believe it’s almost certain the Lakers will select him. Now, we wait to see if any team will disrupt this expected outcome.