Why Bronny James’ decision to go to USC is a perfect fit

Bronny James has gone from a familial curiosity to a legitimate NBA prospect during his four years of high school at ritzy Los Angeles prep powerhouse Sierra Canyon. James has developed under an intense national spotlight since he first emerged on the grassroots scene ahead of his eighth grade year, but he’s rarely given interviews or left any real hints about his future intentions.

Newly minted as a five-star recruit following a strong end to his senior season, James was essentially the last elite player in his class to make a decision on where he would play at the next level. After years of speculation, we finally know his next step.

Bronny James committed to the USC Trojans, as he announced over the weekend. He’s joining a program that has made the men’s NCAA tournament in three straight years, and has won 20+ games in seven of the last eight years under head coach Andy Enfield.

James had a ton of different options for next season. He could have started his pro career early by playing for the G League Ignite, or going to Australia for the NBL Next Stars program. He could have tapped into his hometown roots by choosing Ohio State, or he could have followed his dad’s Nike connections to Oregon. UCLA was also in the mix as another LA option. Read our in-depth breakdown of Bronny James’ game here.

In the end, it feels like James made the best possible choice by picking the Trojans. Here’s why USC is a great fit for LeBron James Jr.

The marketing power of college basketball remains unmatched

It just wouldn’t have felt right for James to spent a year in the G League or in Australia where games aren’t nationally televised. By choosing USC, James is about to be the most buzzworthy men’s college basketball player in the country. His games will be broadcast on ESPN and FOX Sports, he’ll be a staple on promotional packages from both networks, and he’ll often have Bill Walton calling his games. What more can you ask for?

The alternatives to college hoops are all great paths for players. LaMelo Ball started his development into an NBA All-Star in Australia, the G League Ignite are producing top-10 picks every year, and even Overtime Elite struck gold with the Thompson twins. That said, college hoops still blows away every other option when it comes to marketing power, especially now that James can cash in on some extremely lucrative NIL deals. If you think you’ve heard a lot about Bronny James already, just wait until the fall.

USC has an even better NBA prospect to help alleviate James’ pressure

James is ranked as a top-20 recruit in his class by ESPN, and he’s been projected as a potential top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. James is considered a very real NBA prospect as he enters college, but he won’t be the most highly-touted name on USC when the season begins.

Isaiah Collier is headed to USC ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the country by both the 247 Sports composite and ESPN. A burly 6’4 point guard out of Marietta, GA, Collier has a chance to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft with a strong freshman year. Having a player with Collier’s status and talent level is going to help James in multiple ways as he enters his freshman year with the entire country watching him.

Bronny was going to be dealing with immense pressure to live up to the hype regardless of where he decided to play next season. But if he picked Ohio State or Oregon or even UCLA, there wouldn’t be another player on the roster who is supposed to be a superior NBA prospect. If USC struggles at any point next season, it won’t just be James shouldering the pressure — everyone will be looking at Collier, too.

Collier is also an excellent on-court fit next to Bronny because of his skill set ...

USC has multiple ball handlers next to James to help with creation duties

Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

James mostly spent his high school years in a complementary role on Sierra Canyon. He played with a lot of great players there, from Grizzlies wing Ziaire Williams to Clippers wing B.J. Boston to UCLA guard Amari Bailey. What we know about James’ game at this stage is that he’s best as a connective guard who can space the floor, make quick passes around the perimeter, and focus his energy on defense. USC has a couple guards who should help ease him into that role.

Collier is a monster shot-creator who uses his big frame to get into the teeth of the defense and spray out looks to teammates. There’s no doubt that Collier thrives on the ball — when he’s in the game, he’s the player who will be initiating the USC offense. He’ll be expected to be one of the very best passers in all of college hoops next year despite being a true freshman, and he should help set up Bronny for some easy looks on spot-ups.

USC also has an excellent veteran guard expected to return in Boogie Ellis. Ellis was among the best players in the Pac-12 last season by averaging 17.7 points and 3.1 assists per game on 38.6 percent shooting from three-point range on 6.5 attempts per game. While the freshmen will get most of the attention, college hoops has become an old man’s game lately. Ellis’ ability to play on- or off-the-ball should unlock USC’s three guard lineups, and again minimize the times when James will be expected to create efficient offense off the dribble himself.

USC has some talented big men that could pop this season

Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

USC’s incoming recruiting class will get all of the attention with Collier and James as the headliners, but it’s a pair of recruits from last year that could take the team to the next level.

Vince Iwuchukwu and Kijani Wright are talented big men who could plug the hole in the Trojans’ front court next season. Neither player contributed much as a true freshmen, but both could take a sophomore leap to give the Trojans the physical interior play they need to complement Collier, Ellis, and James on the perimeter.

Iwuchukwu was a five-star recruit ranked No. 25 overall in his class in the 247 Sports composite entering USC. His freshman year got off to a scary start when he suffered cardiac arrest during summer workouts. Iwuchukwu would end up playing in 14 games and making five starts on the season, but if he’s healthy this year he should have a much bigger impact as a fluid big man who can run the floor, finish above the rim, and show off some agility in the paint on both ends.

James is deeply familiar with Wright because the two starred together at Sierra Canyon in high school. Wright is a throwback big man who will do his best work on the glass and by finishing inside. Listed at 6’9, 235 pounds, Wright was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school who was ranked No. 41 in his class by ESPN. Add in veteran Josh Morgan, and USC should have three capable big men to handle the dirty work while their guards shine.

USC has a ton of talent for next year

USC is losing a big piece to graduation in Drew Peterson, but the team is still returning four of its seven top scorers from last year. Ellis could be one of the best veteran guards in America this season, Collier is going to be a sensation in his own right, and 6’6 wing Kobe Johnson has a big chance to impress NBA scouts as a 3-and-D wing with so much attention on his teammates. If Iwuchukwu and/or Wright pop as sophomores, this team could be really great.

With the addition of James, USC should be able to add at least one more piece in the transfer portal, too. A defensive wing with shooting ability to play the four could be the final missing piece. As the roster stands right now, this looks like a team safely in the preseason top-25. It’s possible they can even crack the top-10 before the first official 2023-2024 poll is released.

It felt like men’s college basketball lacked a household name last season with the top NBA prospects playing abroad or in the G League. That won’t be the case next year. With Bronny James around, USC games are going to be must-see from the moment the season tips off.