Bronny James

Jay Bilas on Bronny James: Comparing Him to LeBron is Unfair

There’s a natural tendency for college basketball pundits to compare top high school prospect Bronny James to his father, Los Angles Lakers forward LeBron James.

Jay Bilas, former Duke men’s basketball standout and current ESPN analyst, believes the comparison between the 18-year-old and the four-time NBA champion is unfair.

“I think the comparisons with his dad at the same age are horribly unfair,” Bilas said, via USA Today Sports. “LeBron James is the best high school player I’ve ever seen. And frankly, I haven’t seen one better since then. But his son is really, really good.”

Bronny James, the No. 9 player in On3’s Class of 2023 recruiting rankings, has yet to make a decision on his collegiate future. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard out of Sierra Canyon is currently fielding offers from schools such as USC and Ohio State. He shined in last month’s McDonald’s All-American Game, scoring 15 points on 5-of-8 from behind the arc.

While Bilas is confident Bronny James is worthy of the All-American status, he isn’t too sure the hype would be to the level it is if he weren’t LeBron James’ son.

“Bronny is a really good player,” Bilas said. “I’ve seen him play, actually did one of his games. … He’s a terrific player and worthy of McDonald’s All-America status. He’s one of the top recruits in the country. Honestly, do I believe that we would be talking about him quite this much were he not LeBron James’ son? No, I don’t think we would be talking about him as much. But that’s not to diminish the fact that I think he’s an outstanding player that I think will play in the NBA.”

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Bronny James Breaks Silence

Bronny James, who has seldom participated in one-on-one interviews, became the first player in the history of the McDonald’s All-American Game to withdraw from Media Day. He, however, broke his silence while recently participating in the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon.

He kept it quiet on where things stand in his recruitment, but offered a glimpse into what has made him successful.

“It’s always been consistency,” Bronny James said. “I feel like I’ve grown at a nice pace throughout the four years of my high school career. With me being consistent in what I’m doing with my workouts, my recovery, getting that right mindset, it’s helped in me being successful.”