Bronny James' NBA Draft Prospects and LeBron James' Ultimate Dream

• NBA
• LeBron James

In his remarkable 21-year NBA tenure, LeBron James has little to prove or achieve. Yet, one aspiration he has consistently voiced is the opportunity to share the court with his eldest son, Bronny James, before drawing the curtain on his illustrious career. Although Bronny was initially projected as a top-10 pick in ESPN's Jonathan Givony's 2024 NBA mock draft, he was omitted from the updated list. Despite a modest start to his collegiate career at USC, the allure of a potential package deal with his father has teams clamoring to draft the 19-year-old.

"The dream of a father and son sharing the court in the NBA is drawing closer. But will past alliances and rivalries sabotage LeBron James' biggest aspiration?"

James has been candid about his willingness to join whichever team drafts his son so they can play together, emphasizing that financial considerations are secondary. Recent odds suggest a return to one of his former teams may be on the cards for the 4x NBA Champion.

The Tussle for Draft Rights

Several teams are vying to secure the draft rights of Bronny, with three of the top four teams with the highest odds being James' current or former teams – the Lakers, Heat, and Cavaliers. Although the Lakers are frontrunners, this scenario might not come to fruition. Due to the Anthony Davis trade in 2019, the Lakers have lost control of their first-round pick in 2024. The following most favorable odds are tied between the Heat, Cavaliers, and Knicks, all with a +1100 tie.

However, according to Charles Oakley, LeBron has confided in him that he would never consider playing for the Knicks due to concerns about the team's controversial owner, James Dolan. This revelation narrows the potential destinations for the father-son duo to Miami and Cleveland. LeBron has a significant history with both teams, having started his career with the Cavaliers, won multiple championships with the Heat, and later returned to the Cavaliers to secure Cleveland's first-ever NBA title.

The Power to Thwart the Dream

Interestingly, if the Heat were to select Bronny in the draft, they could potentially sabotage James' NBA dream by choosing not to trade for him, given their tumultuous parting. The ideal scenario would be for the Cleveland Cavaliers to draft Bronny, setting the stage for LeBron to conclude his career where he started it – in his hometown of Ohio.

Regardless of the circumstances, LeBron, also known as the Akron Hammer, is prepared to go to any lengths to have the opportunity to play alongside his son. Ahead of the 2022–23 NBA season, he signed a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Lakers, which includes a player option for 2024–25. As a result, LeBron would become a free agent just as Bronny enters the league, granting him the flexibility to join any team that selects his son in the draft.