Bronny James has attracted attention in recent weeks due to his uninspiring stats, with the USC freshman averaging 5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 19.4 minutes per game.
But former NBA All-Star point guard Stephon Marbury says those basic statistics don’t tell the whole story, and that Bronny has a lot of qualities that would translate well to the professional game.
“Bronny James is a pro, you can’t go by stats with him right now because he’s only playing half the game,” Marbury said on the Ball Don’t Stop podcast. “His ability to shoot, get to the rim, pass and block shots is grade A. One more year of college will help.”
"Bronny James is a pro. You can't go by stats with him right now because he's only playing half the game. His ability to shoot, get to the rim, pass and block shots is grade A. One more year of college will help."
– Stephon Marbury on Bronny pic.twitter.com/DlOlVJHiAs
— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) March 4, 2024
Marbury is right that Bronny does a lot that doesn’t show up as basic stats. However, Marbury’s assertion that Bronny can shoot isn’t supported by the numbers.
The young guard is shooting at just 37 per cent from the field and 27.5 per cent from long range. He is second-last on his team in both regards.
But the fact remains that Bronny does have some promising traits. There’s just no guarantee we’ll see him in the NBA next season.
As Marbury alluded to in his comments, the USC freshman would benefit from spending another year in college before setting his sights on the NBA.
He’s young, raw, and has a lot of improving to do. He is also less than a year removed from suffering cardiac arrest, which was caused by a congenital heart defect.
This is reflected in ESPN’s mock drafts, which have listed Bronny as a 2025 prospect ever since his cardiac arrest incident.
ESPN currently projects him to be selected 39th overall in 2025, just don’t tell LeBron that.
READ MORE: Rich Paul Addresses Bronny James NBA Draft Rumors