What’s next for Bronny James, and will he even play with LeBron?

History was made after the son of basketball superstar LeBron James was taken by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the NBA Draft on Thursday night.

Following a single season at the University of South Carolina, Bronny James was selected 55th overall by the Lakers, becoming the first father-son teammates in NBA history.

James has been on the record for years now saying how he would love the opportunity to play with his son in the NBA before he retires. He got his wish.

The James name carries significant weight in the NBA. LeBron is a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and 20-time All-Star, just to name a few of his extensive awards.

Sure, we have all heard of Bronny James. His name has been plastered all over mock draft boards and debated on talk shows since he committed to USC. But how did he get here?

In 25 games with the Trojans, Bronny averaged just 4.8 points per game, primarily as a rotation piece off the bench. Over 19.3 minutes per game, he shot the ball inefficiently, posting the worst 3-point shooting percentage of any player on the team.

His career high came in a conference matchup against Oregon State, posting 15 points along with three assists and one rebound, but he struggled to establish himself as a solid option for the team.

His college career almost ended before it began. Prior to his first and only season at USC, Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest and his career was in jeopardy. There was talk that he would never play again, and when he did return, he spoke openly about how it affected his game.

The Trojans failed to secure a March Madness bid after finishing an underwhelming 15-18 despite entering the season with the 20th best championship odds – but that is hardly the fault of Bronny.

After declaring for the draft, rumors circulated around the league of the possibility that he could go as high as the first round, with teams gushing at the prospect of taking him and securing his father in the same move.

However, it was reported on draft night that the family’s agent, Rich Paul, had made calls to all but two teams in the league telling them if they took Bronny, he would leave the US to play professionally in Australia instead. The two exempt teams were the Lakers, and the Phoenix Suns, who had been widely reported as targeting James this offseason.

It will be near impossible to follow in his father’s footsteps, whom many regard to be the greatest basketball player of all time.

Would Bronny have been drafted if not for his father or his father’s name? Probably not, but the prospect was always too tantalizing to pass up on.

Many have accused the Lakers and LeBron of nepotism. NBA fans have argued for years that James is the de facto GM. Just last week, his podcast cohost and former NBA player, JJ Reddick, was announced as the newest head coach of the Lakers.

Yet, ESPN NBA media insider Adrian Wojnarowski countered the nepotism claims, saying the league is rife with familial connections. Just look no further than Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose brother, Thanasis, has shared a locker room with him since 2019.

Under the tutelage of his father, Bronny will be able to learn what it takes to be a pro: strength and condition, recovery, nutrition, film study, practise. He is a raw prospect with plenty of room to grow and learn, but who better than the greatest player of a generation to teach you?

He won’t be the same player as his father. LeBron is an imposing 6’ 9”, 250lbs forward who has carved up defenses across his career with his terrific finishes at the rim.

Bronny, by comparison, is much smaller than his father, regardless of age. Listed at 6’ 2” and just 210lbs, he is on the smaller end of the spectrum in terms of NBA players.

There is a possibility that Bronny does not even begin the season on the Lakers roster this year, or even all appear for the team at all should the team decide to send him to develop at its G-League affiliate South Bay Lakers.

It would be incredulous not to see Bronny and his father on the court at the same time given the historical significance, but fans may have to wait longer than they would like for that historical moment.

History tells us the 55th overall pick often has little to no impact in the league. Last year’s 55th overall pick, Isaiah Wong, had an excellent college season, winning ACC Player of the Year in 2023 while leading the University of Miami to its first ever Final Four appearance.

However, Wong played in just one game for the Indiana Pacers this season, a mere four minutes in a blowout win over the freefalling Brooklyn Nets.

Despite this fans can look to Oklahoma City Thunder’s guard Aaron Wiggins, a shining light of the second round.

Wiggins was taken out of Maryland with 55th overall in the 2021 NBA draft and has risen the ranks to become a regular rotation piece for a Thunder team which finished last season with the best record in the Western Conference.

It’s incredibly rare to see someone of his draft position become an NBA superstar. Only twice in league history has a second-round pick won an MVP award (Nikola Jokic and Willis Reed) and never as low as 55.

Fans could see Bronny play for the first time as a Lakers uniform as early as next week when the Lakers face the Sacramento Kings as part of the California Classic Summer League in San Francisco.

Needless to say, the moment he dons the purple and gold for the first time, history will be made.