NBA scouts blame USC for tanking Bronny James draft stock, and there's only 1 place he can restore it

Bronny James declared for the 2024 NBA Draft despite an underwhelming freshman season at USC. He also entered the transfer portal, maintaining college eligibility and keeping the door open for a change in team following Andy Enfield's departure for SMU. New Trojans head coach Eric Musselman could try to lure James back to Southern Cal, but frankly, Bronny is due for a fresh start.

It's hard to imagine Bronny getting drafted unless his father pulls a few levers behind the scenes. The 19-year-old averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on .366/.267/.676 splits in 19.3 minutes. James is a talented defender and plus athlete for his size, but 6-foot-4 guards (potentially shorter without shoes) who can't shoot, score at the rim, or create off the dribble tend to have, er, limited value.

Now, James didn't necessarily get to put his best foot forward as a freshman. The shooting slump was uncharacteristic based on James' high school performance. He did begin the season recovering from a cardiac arrest, which can't be easy. James was also thrust into a bad situation on a bad team, surrounded by poor spacing and lackluster decision-makers. The fit with Isaiah Collier was great on paper, but it never manifested into a consistent connection.

Apparently, NBA scouts also believe James could improve his stock in a better situation. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, scouts are of the opinion that USC didn't allow James to play his natural position, point guard, which prevented him from "[putting] his best foot forward."

There is one obvious fix for Bronny James' cratering NBA Draft stock

Now, frankly, James is not a natural point guard. Of course Bronny handled more point guard responsibilities in high school, but his skill set is that of an undersized wing. In theory, James thrives on spot-up 3s, backdoor cuts, and connective passes. Obviously the jumper didn't fall enough as a freshman.

While James has a high I.Q. player who can rifle advanced passes, he doesn't have the burst or ball-handling craft to consistently generate advantages one-on-one. James can pick up momentum and use his strength to finish at the rim, but he's not a shifty shot creator who is working side-to-side, mixing speeds, and applying consistent pressure on-ball. That is not James' skill set.

One could argue that James would benefit from workshopping those skills more, especially if he's not going to hit 3s. If James can improve his handle and look the part of a setup man, that would certainly assuage many of the concerns that scouts currently have. One could also argue that James should remain in an off-ball role, perhaps with a better team that can generate more open looks and insulate James' weaknesses.

Either way, the biggest hurdle for Bronny — assuming he returns to school — is going to be playing time. He needs a coach to buy into the talent and give him a long leash to learn on the fly. Maybe Bronny can find that at a high-major school, but a move to Duquesne, where a recruit of James' caliber is virtually guaranteed a more sizable role, would be more reasonable. The Dukes also happen to be coached by Dru Joyce III, LeBron's former high school teammate at St. Vincent-St. Mary. The family connection could help Bronny a great deal in terms of trust and prominence in the rotation.

Maybe Bronny opts to stick with the NBA Draft and work his way through the G League. It's not a bad path, and it gets him in the professional ecosystem sooner than later. But, if James wants to get drafted properly and avoid the risk of G League purgatory, he would benefit from at least another year in school. Removing the father-son LeBron dynamic from the picture, that is probably Bronny's wisest move. To return to school, land with a team that believes in him, and look to showcase more of his skill set.