NBA GM: Bronny James Handling Draft Hype 'Really Well' amid Lakers, LeBron Rumors
USC guard Bronny James garnered praise from an NBA general manager for his poise and on-court IQ during the predraft combine this week.
At the 3:00 mark on the newest episode of The Woj Pod, ESPN's Jonathan Givony cited a GM who said James "handles it really, really well."
"He's obviously a great teammate. He looks like a great kid," Givony said. "I mean, he's having a lot of fun out there and he's just very positive. Really knows how to play basketball. He brings a high level of intensity.
"This is a guy that I could see having on my roster. Now, will I be making a trade to do it? Probably not. And is he probably gonna need to start his career on a two-way contract? I would assume so. But it was good to see that Bronny James is actually a basketball player; he's not just a sideshow act."
The 19-year-old probably didn't catapult himself up draft boards with his showing in Chicago, but simply stabilizing his stock was important following a freshman campaign in which he didn't fully showcase his skills.
Givony said Thursday on NBA Today that James solidified his status as a second-round talent and "legitimized himself as a real NBA prospect."
Before the combine, you would've put good money on James getting selected in 2024 NBA draft but more so for factors off the court than what he put on tape with the Trojans. He's the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and there has long been the question of whether picking Bronny is a way to appease LeBron—if you're the Lakers and trying to re-sign him—or entice him away from Southern California.
As Givony explained, the combine was an opportunity for Bronny to demonstrate he's worthy of being chosen on his own merits.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman provided some NBA parallels for James and threw out the Sacramento Kings' Davion Mitchell and the Orlando Magic's Gary Harris, among others.
Once you concede the almost impossible task ahead for Bronny in terms of matching his dad's legacy, carving out a role as a three-and-D guard or a standout perimeter defender would represent a nice career path.
