Bronny James made a big decision on Friday, deciding to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft while also entering the transfer portal and maintaining his eligibility. So as of now, just about every possibility is on the table for James when it comes to where he will be playing next season. Perhaps even a return to USC under a new head coach.
James struggled in his lone season at USC, averaging just 4.8 points per game to go along with 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists on a 36.6 field goal percentage.
While his defense was solid, these kinds of numbers simply aren’t enough to generate all that much buzz from NBA scouts. So it was a pretty peculiar decision to declare for the draft.
Despite the struggles, James does have some pretty obvious potential. So if he does opt to return to college, he will seemingly have a number of interested teams that could make a move for him in the transfer portal.
That includes from his former program at USC. The old coaching regime led by Andy Enfield is no longer at the program, leaving for the SMU head coaching gig. He was replaced by former Arkansas coach Eric Musselman this week. And it sounds like Musselman is interested in keeping Bronny around.
“I need to try and get a hold of Bronny,” Musselman told reporters on Friday. “I’ve texted him and certainly he’s got a lot of options. We respect those options. We just want him to know that this opportunity here, we’d love to have him. Such a talented young man. Again, he’s got a lot of opportunities, so it is just about connecting. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that soon.”
Musselman had some very bright moments at Arkansas. So returning to USC under him could very well be an excellent choice for Bronny if he does indeed want to stay in the Los Angeles area near his father.
Only time will tell whether Bronny is even interested in USC anymore. Entering the transfer portal in the first place is an indication that he may not be. Regardless, Bronny appears to have a home at USC should he want one.