Breaking down Bronny James' return, collegiate debut for USC

Bronny James made his much-anticipated collegiate debut tonight for USC. It got college basketball buzzing and, as such, Jeff Goodman had plenty of thoughts about the former five-star and son of LeBron James.

Goodman, the analyst for the Field of 68, joined on during Sunday’s episode of ‘Andy Staples On3’ to discuss James’ first game as a Trojan on Sunday. To him, he saw the flashes of the improving prospect that he was before his medical incident, specifically when it comes to the high floor that comes from his control as a player.

“I saw him a bunch over the last few years and he got progressively better each year. The first time I saw him? I was like, ‘Alright, is going to be more than just kind of a mid-major guy?’. He turned himself into a player that was a McDonald’s All-American, might have gotten a little bit of the edge there because of his dad’s name,” said Goodman. “But, listen, this kid knows how to play. That’s the bottom line. He got that from LeBron.”

“No he’s not 6’8, 270 and super explosive. But you know what he is? A high IQ, ball-moving, terrific defender who doesn’t make mistakes, who plays with incredible poise,” Goodman said. “That’s the one thing when you saw him in his debut. You said, ‘Like, this dude just knows how to play’. He’s not going to be rattled.”

James stuffed the stat sheet with four points, three rebounds, two assists, a pair of steals, and a chasedown block in 17 minutes. They weren’t massive numbers but he affected the games in more ways than one. However, it also lost some shine considering USC lost to Long Beach State by a final score of 84-79.

As far as Bronny, Goodman was even more impressed considering what James went through just a few months ago. Even so, he also hopes that fans temper the expectations considering who he is as a player and how big his role is going to be at this point for the Trojans.

“To me? He looked like he belonged in his debut,” said Goodman. “Listen, he had cardiac arrest. They weren’t sure he was going to play again. He’s off and not able to do a whole heck of a lot. Misses the first eight games, misses a ton of the preseason – and he looks like he belongs. He’s only going to get better.”

“I think when we look at his season? Obviously, the trajectory is going to go up. Again, he’s going to get more comfortable, his shot has gotten better over the last couple of years. But I think he’s a piece, unless somebody gets hurt,” Goodman said. “He’s not playing minutes over Boogie Ellis, he’s not playing over the No. 1 freshman in Isaiah Collier, not playing over Kobe Johnson who’s an elite defender with more size. I think he’s going to be a role player. And I think he’ll be a hell of a role player at that because, again, he impacts winning. The box score is never going to show up as, like, ‘Oh my god! He had a double-double’. That’s not going to be his role. But you just watch him and you can tell that he has got the intangibles.”

Goodman also said he hopes that applies to the James’ family of Bronny and LeBron playing with one another one day. With where he is at the moment, Goodman isn’t sure that he will be ready to go out for the 2024 NBA Draft.

That’s why, with the Lakers star playing as well as he is still, Goodman pumped the brakes on a family reunion and suggested that it may need to wait until he gets a second, full year under his belt.

“However, here’s what I’ll say and I’ve said this before – the expectations placed on him are way too much and always have been,” said Goodman.

“I just hope this slows down the process for Bronny James,” Goodman said. “It’s not like LeBron is retiring after this year. Like, he’s 39, he’s going to make it to 40. Don’t rush your kid to the NBA. You’re going to play with him, I think he’ll play with him. But let him go and play two years in college or a year and three quarters. I think he needs it, I don’t think he’s a one and done. You’re doing a disservice to your kid in a lot of ways if you’re going to rush him after just one year or, really, three quarters of a year.”