NORTH AUGUSTA, South Carolina — Last week, LeBron James often appeared to be in a state of agitation as he sat in a folding chair in the corner of the recreation center’s basketball court.
There was James who stepped onto the court many times to check the scoreboard and the clock overhead. Or devour an apple and dig a bag of gallon-sized nuts. Or, when the phone didn’t suit his taste, he begged, “Come on, ref.”
He stood and whispered instructions to his son, who nodded sharply as he was passing the ball inbounds along the baseline. James stepped onto the court at halftime — at first, It was to give advice to the coach of Strive for Greatness, the travel ball team he sponsors. Record your exercise.
For a few days at Peach Jam, Nike’s annual summer hiring showcase, James was just a basketball dad (albeit with security details). He was there watching over his eldest son, LeBron James Jr., who called himself Bronnie (father of the famous basketball superstar).
A 6-foot-2 guard, Bronnie is primarily characterized by having a sharp basketball IQ but lacking elite athleticism and a refined shot. This is an asset to almost any team, but perhaps a role player.
What Bronnie will do a year from now — go to college, play in the Development League, choose an unconventional path — like change the trajectory of Gonzaga’s or North Carolina’s championship ambitions, or be run by the NBA. These include the G League, a development league, and the Overtime Elite, an early development league that pays salaries to high school and college players.
Still, his next move is certain to generate interest far beyond the hyperactive fishbowl of college basketball recruitment: James, 37, Speaking athletic Just before the NBA All-Star Game in February, his last season was to play with his son. “No matter where Bronnie is, I’m there,” he said, replaying the childhood scenario that Ken Griffey and his son Ken Griffey Jr. played together for the Seattle Mariners. Did. “I do whatever it takes to play with my boy for a year. It’s not a matter of money at that point.”
(Bronnie turned 18 in October and is not eligible for the NBA Draft until 2024 under current rules. This rule requires athletes to be at least 19 years old and one year away from high school. there is.)
Just as Bronnie graduates from Sierra Canyon School, a private school in Chatsworth, Calif., James, whose contract with the Lakers expires next June, is working on Bronnie’s plans and the next steps in basketball. Refused to discuss the experience that prepared him. Life is like him and his wife, Savannah. Savannah sat beside him last week with her 7-year-old daughter, Zuri. (James’ second son, Bryce, 15, also plays for Sierra Canyon.)
James said he would have time to talk about Bronnie’s future later.
this is true. Many of Bronnie’s syncs will visit campuses, announce college commitments, and reach agreements with the Development League in the coming weeks, but Bronnie has more immediate plans. He will depart with his high school All-Star team on August 7th for exhibitions on ESPN in London, Paris and Rome.
Still, as he begins to complete his next step this fall, more than 20 college and travelball coaches, NBA scouts, television network officials, and teenagers who have played against Bronnie have hired him. I’m looking forward to it. Junior — Far from the norm.
“I don’t feel like I’m always on the phone with Mom and Dad, as I usually do,” said one head coach at the school who is interested in Bronnie. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because, like others, NCAA rules prohibit coaches from publicly commenting on available athletes.
Ed Estevan, coach of Strive for Greatness and assistant of Sierra Canyon, expects Bronnie to make a recruitment visit this fall.
“I understand he doesn’t live a normal life, but he’s a normal, normal kid,” Esteban said, noting that Bronnie would walk into a restaurant or walk through an airport without onlookers. “He wants to go through everything else that all other kids can go through.”
He added that college coaches weren’t very focused on hiring Bronnie until recently because he was skeptical about going to college. “Currently, many college coaches know that he’s interested in college and that he’ll probably go to college, so the phone sounds crazy.
A few things are certain, if Bronnie does go to college, it will be sponsored by Nike, which has invested heavily in his father since James entered the NBA as a generational prodigy in 2003. .James, you will be an enthusiastic partner. James’ longtime advisers, his Rich Paul and Maverick Carter, serve as conduits for anyone interested in recruiting Bronny. “Dad, you have to listen to Rich or Maverick,” said one school assistant who expressed interest in hiring him.
Finding the right place for Bronnie may not be as easy as choosing blue blood. For example, Kentucky and Duke have already earned a commitment from a five-star point guard and his future position. Is most likely. UCLA targets his Isaiah Collier, an elite point guard in Marietta, Georgia. (UCLA and his other hometown, Southern California School, showed no interest as of last week.)
If Bronnie isn’t playing a prominent role, what coach would want the headache of explaining to the fans, the media, James and his camp why?
“You become a normal person as a parent. You’re just looking for the best-case scenario for your child,” said Memphis coach Penny Hardaway. . “As a parent, you want to make sure they are supported wherever they go.”
Hardaway, who watched Bronnie play at least twice last week and spoke briefly with James, has leveraged his NBA connections with Mike Miller, Rasheed Wallace and Larry Brown on staff over the past few years. (Brown is debating whether to return; the others have left.) But Hardaway’s record is mixed. Emoni Bates was one of the nation’s top recruits last season, but he flopped in Memphis and then moved to East Michigan.
Michigan coach Juwan Howard, whose son Jett is a freshman this season, played three seasons with James for the Miami Heat and another season with him as an assistant coach. The Wolverines are also interested, but it would be something if James, a lifelong Ohio State fan, sent his son to a Buckeyes rivalry.
Still, Bronnie can get to Columbus. The Ohio State University is the place most likely to have played if James had gone to college, informing James that he was interested in hiring his son, coach Chris Holtmann and his assistant Jake. Diebler saw Bronnie play with Peach Jam.
But when Keith Dambrot, James’ high school coach in Akron, calls, he tests the limits of family ties. He is a Duquene coach.
One of the schools that unexpectedly pushed James to recruit was basketball aficionados Rutgers. Outlandish as it may seem, Rutgers believes his coach Steve Pikiell’s strong development record (turning underrepresented recruits like Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr., and Myles Johnson into decorated Big Ten players) makes him a better player. hopes to bring some charm to James.
Just as Piscataway’s Bronnie might be interesting, Peach Jam provided a window about what it would look like. Since he first played in the tournament before he started high school, the crowd awaiting Bronnie’s play filled the corridors outside each court an hour before chip-off. Even if you see the prospect of high-major coaches being more highly regarded on other courts. This year, 32-year-old Ramel Drake came from Graniteville, South Carolina with his son Mark 5. They are grateful to be able to squeeze into the full bleachers. (Mark pointed out Bronnie who was wearing number 6.)
In this particular game, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul were sitting by James in the corner of the gym. He entered through the side door from the parking lot.
“Oh, the environment was amazing,” said Josh Hubbard, a security guard in Madison, Mississippi. He played with his father and then took a picture with James and his son. “Before we waited to see our game, there were people outside the door, attending the game.”
In this year’s head-to-head evaluation season, which just ended this week, college coaches saw a different side of Bronnie, who has often played supporting roles on high school and travel ball teams. Constantly changing, the team rarely won, and Bronny was left behind to lead the team. This is a familiar role at home.
“He’s solid as hell,” said Thaddeus Young, fresh off his 15th NBA season. “Obviously, he’s probably not the elite of the elite. But he’s athletic, he’s strong, he plays defensively, he shoots the ball well, he can run the point guard position, he can make the ball play off. increase.”
“I love the way he plays,” added Young.
Over time, a larger audience will make their own decisions.
