The NBA’s new two-day draft begins Wednesday with the announcement of the first round.
While the No. 1 pick is still somewhat up in the air, much of the attention in this draft revolves around the selection of guard Bronny James.
LeBron James’ son, Bronny, had a difficult freshman season at USC after suffering cardiac arrest in July and having to undergo surgery to repair a congenital heart defect.
Bronny didn’t make his USC debut until Dec. 10 and in 25 games he appeared in he averaged 4.8 points while shooting 36.6% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range.
For most players, that profile will see them spend a second season in college before entering the draft.
Still, his reputation as LeBron’s son certainly adds some value to his draft prospects.
This is especially true considering the possibility that LeBron will accompany the team that drafted Bronny.
So where will Bronny James land in the draft?
Let’s analyze it in detail and give some betting recommendations.
Is he destined to join LeBron in Los Angeles?
BetMGM lists the Lakers as the favorites to draft Bronny at +160.
According to data and communications director John Ewing, the Lakers have a 32% chance of drafting Bronny.
FanDuel has the Lakers odds even shorter at +135.
A recent mock draft published by ESPN had Bronny selected by the Lakers in the second round (55th overall).
Other teams remained interested in scouting James in a different context than his time at USC, but weren’t able to do so.
His agent, Rich Paul, is on record as saying he won’t offer a two-way contract, which is highly restrictive for a rookie.
Bronny will only be able to play 50 games on his NBA team’s active roster, playing the rest of his time in the G League and earning half the rookie minimum salary.
And the idea that LeBron should play alongside his son is overblown, Paul says. He told ESPN Even if the Lakers were to draft LeBron’s son at 55 years old, there’s no guarantee LeBron would sign with the Lakers again.
“If that’s the case, I’ll force them to get him at 17,” Paul said. “We don’t need leverage.”
Teams of interest: Suns, Timberwolves, Raptors, Mavericks
The only teams that have invited Bronny to train are the Lakers and the Suns.
Phoenix has the 22nd overall pick.
FanDuel lists him as the No. 2 favorite to draft Bronny at +550.
The Timberwolves, Raptors and Mavericks (all +750) are vying for the next spot on the odds board.
Minnesota has picks 27th and 37th, Toronto 19th and 31st, and Dallas’ only choice is the final pick in the draft, 58th overall.
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Paul told ESPN that Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison is “like an uncle to Bronny” and that if the Lakers don’t draft him at 55th, Dallas would select him at 58th and give him a guaranteed contract.
Paul also said Raptors president Masai Ujiri likes Bronny and could potentially acquire the 31-year-old without individual workouts.
Betting Recommendations
There has been a big movement in Bronny’s draft odds, dropping from an over/under of 54.5 to 40.5 on FanDuel.
Looking ahead, Bronny’s two possible landing spots for the under on the draft position prop are the Raptors at 31st and the Timberwolves at 37th.
Still, I would recommend getting 40.5 or higher.
If you are looking to bet on a specific team, I think betting on the Mavericks at +750 is a good bet.
Even if he is available, there’s no guarantee the Lakers would actually take him at No. 55, and Paul’s relationship with the Dallas front office could play a big role.
