Bronny James has a chance to be “great” in the NBA, according to one of his former teammates.
LeBron James’ son was selected 55th overall to play alongside him on the Lakers, and Isaiah Collier, Bronny’s teammate at USC and now a member of the Jazz, is a believer in James’ NBA future.
Collier, who went to Utah with the 29th overall pick, said his former teammate will be successful in the NBA but will likely be met with skepticism from those around the league.
“The N.B.A. [Bronny]”People haven’t seen as much as we’ve seen as a team. He’s going to be a great player. He’s not well known, but he’s a really good player…” Collier said during pre-NBA draft camp.
“You get the vibe when you talk to him,” Collier said of his conversations with LeBron. “He told me to just enjoy the process. It’s hard to even get to this point in your career.”
Collier also said LeBron has been a “great resource” as he prepares for the 2024 NBA Draft.
“I’ve spoken to LeBron a few times. He’s definitely been a big help to me. He’s one of the greats, the greatest of all time, in my opinion. Meeting him was a dream come true. I’m blessed to be in this situation and I’m cherishing every moment.”
Bronny’s older brother, Bryce, posted a video of his brother’s reaction when his name was called during the draft.
Bronny fought back tears as his family celebrated getting to play alongside his father this season.
Bronny’s agent, Rich Paul, reportedly warned teams not to draft him and said that if they did select him, he would play in Australia.
“Rich Paul is calling teams and saying, ‘Don’t pick Bronny James,'” former Warriors executive Bob Myers told ESPN on Thursday afternoon. “He’s saying, ‘Don’t pick him,’ OK? He’s saying, ‘Don’t pick him. If you pick him, he’s going to Australia. So he has a plan and he has a place.'”
But now, Bronny will continue playing in Southern California, but this time he’ll be playing in the NBA alongside his father.
