One of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft is Bronny James, the son of LeBron James. The 19-year-old guard spent a year with the USC Trojans before declaring for the pros, and now, he’s less than one week away from hearing his name called at the NBA Draft.
Whether or not he’ll play with or against his father is up in the air. At the time of writing, James has only had individual workouts with two teams — the Lakers and Suns — and it’s been reported that LeBron is no longer considered to be a package deal with his son.
Regardless, it’s intriguing to consider Bronny’s future and where he might end up. Below, we’ll take a look at Bronny James’ NBA Draft projection and identity a few teams who could select him.
All NBA odds are current as of Friday, June 21, and courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Bronny James NBA Draft Projection
Bronny James is projected to be an early second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, according to FanDuel. The Over/Under for his draft position is currently set at 41.5, with the Over favored at (-130). This means James is more likely to be selected at or after pick No. 42.
As it stands, the Philadelphia 76ers own the No. 41 pick in the NBA Draft, while the Charlotte Hornets own pick No. 42. The second round of the NBA Draft is especially trade-heavy though, so that doesn’t necessarily mean we should expect Bronny to end up with the Sixers or Hornets.
James is (+500) to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft and (+5000) to be a top-10 selection.
Bronny James NBA Draft Odds
Below are the teams that are most likely to select Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft.
- Los Angeles Lakers (+100)
- Phoenix Suns (+650)
- Dallas Mavericks (+750)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (+750)
- Toronto Raptors (+750)
- New York Knicks (+3000)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (+3000)
- Utah Jazz (+3000)
- Philadelphia 76ers (+3000)
All other teams have (+3500) odds or longer.
Who Will Draft Bronny James?
Los Angeles Lakers (+100)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The most obvious landing spot for James is in Los Angeles with the Lakers. The franchise has had a clear a look at him as one could hope to get — Bronny went to school at Southern California, after all — and despite what LeBron has said, the front office has to feel that bringing in his son would increase his chances of staying.
The Lakers are also one of two teams that Bronny has had an individual workout with, so it’s no surprise that this bet comes with the shortest odds at (+100).
Los Angeles currently owns the Nos. 17 and 55 picks in the NBA Draft, but again, there’s always the potential for trades. If the Lakers are dead-set on bringing in Bronny, they could package their No. 55 pick with another player in an attempt to move up. They could also trade back from No. 17.
Ultimately, it feels more likely than not that James ends up with the Lakers. The odds are this short for a reason — make this your NBA prop bet of the day.
Phoenix Suns (+650)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Units
The Suns are the only other team that James has held an individual workout with, giving them the second-best odds of drafting him at (+650). Phoenix is in desperate need of depth, and Bronny — a defensive-minded guard — looks like a potential target.
Executive James Jones also has a long history with LeBron James, so there is a personal connection at play here. Jones was James’ teammate in Miami and Cleveland from 2010 through 2017, with LeBron calling him “the greatest teammate I’ve ever had" in 2015.
Bronny likely wouldn’t get much playing time with the Suns, but it could be a great destination for him to grow and develop. Between Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, James could learn from some of this generation’s greatest players and potentially blossom into something more than a role player.
Cleveland Cavaliers (+3000)
FanDuel Sportsbook
The Cavaliers introduced LeBron James to the NBA in 2003, so it would be fitting for them to take a chance on his son as well. It’s also worth noting that Cleveland has drafted USC players in two of the last three years — brothers Evan and Isaiah Mobley — and added another highly-touted recruit in Emoni Bates in 2023.
One potential problem? The Cavaliers only have one pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and it’s No. 20. Unless they’re motivated to trade down from that position, it’s unlikely that they’d add Bronny with such an early choice.
- See our 2024 NBA Mock Draft for a breakdown of the lottery picks.
Still, this at least seems to be worth some consideration. Cleveland is a defensive-minded team, and Bronny would undoubtedly be a big draw for fans. I’m not willing to bet on them making the pick, but keep an eye on the Cavs.
Miami Heat (+3500)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.1 Unit
Miami is more of a longshot at (+3500), but this seems like a fairly plausible outcome. The Heat have a tendency to get the most out of their role players — some of whom are either unknown or went undrafted — so they may give Bronny the best chance to tap into his potential.
Of course, LeBron spent four seasons with Miami from 2010 to 2014, so there’s an obvious family connection here. However, Bronny’s determination to distance himself from his father’s achievements and drive to make a name for himself falls right in line with the Heat’s overall culture.
Miami picks at Nos. 15 and 43 in the 2024 NBA Draft, putting it right in line with Bronny’s draft projection. If he’s still on the board early in the second round, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Heat look to make a move to bring him in. If any franchise can turn him into a contributor in Year 1, it’s Miami.
