Bronny James earns five-star status in latest On3 rankings

Bronny James has received no shortage of attention as a recruit. The son of LeBron James, he’s been discussed and picked apart as a college and NBA prospect since his freshman year of high school, and the younger James is now reaching the end of his senior year at Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, California.

The debates over Bronny’s future as a player have been exhaustive, both by basketball analysts and fans on social media. Up until now, major recruiting services ranked Bronny anywhere from 28th to 43rd overall in the 2023 class.

He has largely been projected as a significant role player — and potentially a starter — at the next level, but his NBA future as a legitimate prospect has been in doubt.

In the most recent 2023 On3 150, released on Tuesday, James is now ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in country. The 18-spot jump also earns him five-star status. So what led to his significant rise in the rankings?

“Even with the brightest of spotlights on him, Bronny continues to grow in his game,” says On3 national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw, who has been scouting James for his entire high school career. “He entered Sierra Canyon as a freshman and arguably as the most famous high schooler in sports. This fame has followed him, and even continued to grow. But so has Bronny’s game.

… We saw at Peach Jam this summer what Bronny could look like as a featured player. While he is best served moving as a complimentary piece, he showed the confidence to step up and make things happen. He showed a nice jump shot that he consistently knocked down off the catch and he showed an aptitude of taking care of the ball.”

Bronny James making waves as an NBA prospect as well

While his dad has expressed the desire for the two to play at least one season together on the same NBA roster, there’s been plenty of skepticism about whether Bronny can actually reach that level on his own.

His growth on the floor over the past year is beginning to answer some of those questions, though.

In the latest 2024 NBA mock drafts, Bronny has been steadily climbing in what could be a very down draft class overall. NBA personnel has confirmed to On3 that teams are indeed scouting Bronny as an NBA draft prospect, and are putting man-hours into his evaluation process.

One of the biggest areas of growth for the 6-foot-3 James is his explosiveness and assertiveness attacking the basket. At times, Bronny has been labeled as too passive of a high school player, but the evaluation of him as a senior paints a different picture.

“Bronny has also grown into his explosion,” Shaw added. “We saw this more and more over the past six to eight months as he is getting on the rim regularly in transition. This strength and explosion also give upside projections on the defensive end of the floor. He also has a high-level understanding of the game that you don’t see with a lot high school players. He is blessed with great genes, he was born around the game and has grown up around the greats, watching his dad, LeBron James. How his dad works, how his dad prepares, and how his dad treats the game as a job. That can’t be understated.”

James is the lone uncommitted five-star prospect

While his game has ascended to a new level, James’ recruitment still remains shrouded in mystery. Numerous programs have been talked about, but the only known recruiting visit James has taken was a trip to Ohio State in September.

Where he ends up will ultimately play a factor in his development as a prospect — just as it does with any other recruit. But the combination of his maturing skill set, an evident work ethic and toughness, and the business-like approach he brings to the table make him a very intriguing prospect to watch over the next few years.

LeBron has two more years on his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, with a player option for the 2024-25 season. This means he would become a free agent in the same year Bronny will be eligible for the NBA Draft.