• Loading stock data...
Sunday, June 15, 2025

Bronny James Declares for NBA Draft and Enters Transfer Portal

  • LeBron pumped the brakes on a report that Bronny was entering the portal days ago.
  • Bronny played in 24 games for USC as a freshman, mainly as a reserve.
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Bronny James is exploring all of his options. 

The oldest son of Lakers star LeBron James is declaring for the NBA draft while retaining his college eligibility and entering the transfer portal. He announced the decision in an Instagram post Friday.

Bronny just finished his freshman year at Southern Cal in which he mostly played as a reserve after coming back from a cardiac arrest and subsequent heart surgery in the summer. Earlier this week, Trojans coach Andy Enfield left Los Angeles for Southern Methodist. On Thursday, the school hired Arkansas coach Eric Musselman to replace him. 

Despite averaging just 4.8 points per game at USC, James is one of college basketball’s most noteworthy players. A five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American out of high school, James has appeared in multiple commercials and is one of the country’s top name, image, and likeness earners with estimates putting him over $5 million. 

His future has been of great interest to fans and media alike after his father said he hoped to play in the NBA with his son before retiring. On Tuesday, the elder James said a report that his son was entering the transfer portal was premature. According to ESPN, Bronny will be repped by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, the same agent as his father. 

“I don’t value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation,” Paul told ESPN in March about Bronny’s draft prospects.

Should he continue to play college basketball, ESPN reported Friday Duquesne could be an option for the younger James. The Dukes are coached by Dru Joyce III, LeBron’s high school teammate and close friend. Joyce just took over for Keith Dambrot, who coached both James and Joyce their first two years of high school. Dambrot retired last month after leading the school to its first NCAA tournament since 1977, where the Dukes upset BYU in the first round.

In his first recruiting go-around, Bronny James also considered Ohio State and Oregon.

Should the younger James jump to the NBA, the draft would instantly be an enormous story because of the connection to his father, despite a relatively shallow pool in this year’s draft. Due to his heart condition, Bronny James would need to be cleared by the NBA’s Fitness to Play panel before he could participate in workouts or May’s draft combine or even be drafted. The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement requires players to participate in the event and submit a physical for teams. 

The deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft is June 16.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Caitlin Clark Return Draws Sellout 15 Hours After Pacers Finals Game

Fever TV ratings dropped significantly while Clark was out.

Thunder Win Sets Up First 6-Game NBA Finals in 4 Years

It will be the first Finals series of at least six games since 2022.
Tennessee wide receiver Grant Frerking (0) drills during fall practice at Haslam Field in Knoxville, Tenn. on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.

Ex-Tennessee Football Player, On3 Staffer Accused of Financial Scams

Grant Frerking parted ways with On3 amid “allegations of criminal misconduct.”
Hilary Knight

The PWHL Badly Wants Parity. At What Cost?

The expansion draft has turned Seattle and Vancouver into instant title contenders. 

Featured Today

Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Goodyear blimp flies over Ohio Stadium during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Akron Zips and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
June 6, 2025

Why the Goodyear Blimp Is at Every Major Sports Event

The airship wasn’t built to cover sports. Now it’s a regular presence.
UT

Zakai Zeigler Denied Injunction for Fifth Year at Tennessee

The former Tennessee guard sued the NCAA over potential lost NIL earnings.
Mar 7, 2025; Greenville, SC, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Leilani Kapinus (5) looks to pass against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second half at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
June 11, 2025

Group of Women Athletes Files Appeal of House v. NCAA Settlement Approval

It’s the first appeal of the landmark settlement, which was approved Friday.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks guard Zach Kraft (1) shoots the ball on Friday, March 7, 2025, at Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.
June 12, 2025

House v. NCAA Settlement Is Here. Non-Power Conference Schools Still Have Questions

D-I administrators still have questions they haven’t gotten answered.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
Ohio State
June 10, 2025

Men’s College Basketball Adds Coach’s Challenge, but No Quarters—Yet

The NBA adopted the challenge rule before the 2019–20 season. 
U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) asks a question during at a House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education hearing on antisemitism in K-12 schools on May 8, 2024 in Washington.
June 10, 2025

House Reps Introduce Two Drafts of Pro-NCAA College Sports Legislation

Both bills would satisfy the NCAA and power conferences’ congressional wishlist.
Angela Suggs
June 10, 2025

Florida A&M Athletic Director Arrested For Credit Card Fraud 

Angela Suggs turned herself into authorities Monday.
Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boise State Broncos wide receiver Latrell Caples (3) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
exclusive
June 9, 2025

Boise State Expects Private-Equity Investment ‘Within the Next Six Months’

The Broncos are “actively considering” PE investment.