We can hold out hope that Bronny James will come back for a second season at USC, but we certainly shouldn’t expect that outcome. LeBron James will want to play with his son in the NBA, and with the clock ticking on LeBron’s career, he will want to make that a reality sooner rather than later. The odds suggest — if not flatly indicate — that Bronny will be a one-and-done player at USC, even if he isn’t a lottery pick.
If we accept that one likelihood as the eventual outcome, USC will have three top-50 picks at the 2024 NBA draft, barring any injuries.
Bronny James — currently projected to be a late-first-round selection — would be joined by projected top-five pick Isaiah Collier and returning star Boogie Ellis. In a Pac-12 loaded with quality draft talent, USC should have a bundle of good players for NBA teams to choose from.
Boogie Ellis is not currently projected to be a first-round pick, but he has a situation at USC in which he will get every possible opportunity to develop his game and display his skills in one-on-one matchups. He won’t get double-teamed very often with Collier and/or Bronny on the floor at the same time.
This accumulation of draft talent is precisely why USC is Pac-12 analyst Jon Wilner’s choice as the preseason No. 8 team in college basketball. USC has a real chance to win a first conference championship since 1985 and make its first Final Four since 1954.
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