How good of an NBA prospect is Bronny James?

There’s been a lot of discussion about Bronny James, his NBA chances and how that ties into LeBron James’ future as well. But how good of a prospect is Bronny?

Bronny James is not a new name to NBA fans. Long before he entered the draft this spring, he was known for his high school basketball accolades and as a potential key to LeBron James's future.

When LeBron proclaimed he wanted to play in the NBA with Bronny, it was well-intentioned. But it put Bronny under an enormous microscope, even for someone who is the son of arguably the greatest player of all time.

In the years that followed, Bronny was involved in a lot of conversations about him as an NBA player. But few of those convos have actually discussed him as a player.

Instead, it’s been about whether Team X should draft him to try to lure LeBron to their franchise or if Team Y, typically the Lakers, should cut out the middle man and draft him themselves to ensure LeBron stays.

So, the question remains, how good is Bronny? Fans got a glimpse of it at USC this season, but that only came after Bronny was out for months after a heart episode over the summer. By the time he joined his Trojan teammates, they were in the middle of a season and Bronny was months behind schedule.

It was a situation entirely out of his control and led to, predictably, mixed results. Any freshman is going to struggle to adapt to college basketball, but particularly one who wasn’t allowed to practice for months.

In an effort, then, to try to find some insight on Bronny as an NBA prospect, we reached out to friend of the site, Lakers fan and draft guru Mike Garcia to talk about Bronny.

Once Bronny got on the court this season, how did he look for USC?

Every freshman adjusts to the NCAA game, and in Bronny’s case, he was one month behind the rest of the team starting their season. It didn’t help that he had his first practices just weeks before getting playing time.

He was operating at a different game speed compared to the rest of the team, so it made it an especially tough adjustment, especially after recovering from a cardiac issue.

What type of game does Bronny have? He’s been described as someone who plays better around better teammates. Do you see that and could that help him in the NBA?

Bronny’s archetype is one that is valued in the NBA, especially with the increase in jumbo initiators. The idea is that he’s a 3-and-D player but is much more of an athlete than just a spot-up shooter at the corners. We can look to DeAnthony Melton’s role and trajectory and he’s made a long-term NBA career for himself.

He does play better around better teammates. Unlike a lot of 3-and-D types that can make passes on just one side of the floor, Bronny can see the full width of the court. The next step is completing that pass or play, and it was especially tough with USC’s spacing. He did show this skill over at Sierra Canyon. His defensive intensity, athletic ability, and awareness on the court are all NBA translatable traits.

Would Bronny be able to play right away in the NBA or will he need time in the G League?

I think Bronny would need time in the G League. He already had to make a significant leap to the NCAA level and the G League is that kind of game speed but with NBA size and athleticism.

I think it’s especially important for him to just be comfortable with what he can do on the floor and be confident in it. The G League is a great forum for that kind of development.

The Lakers potentially have the 17th pick and the 55th pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Where would you rank Bronny in this draft? Is 17th too high to take him? Will he be around at the 55th pick?

Considering this draft class, the gap between the tiers of borderline starters and middle-of-rotation players is especially wide. There’s a chance that players that I personally have ranked in the lottery can slip to No. 17.

There are also players with NBA size and physicality that appear ready to contribute. I can’t imagine the Lakers passing up that opportunity.

I can imagine he’ll be around the 55th pick, but with the tiers of talent being so wide, projected late 1st round types can slip all the way to that pick, too.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.