“Better Pro Player Than a College Player”: Skip Bayless Wants LeBron James’ Son Bronny to Not Return to USC Next Season

Bronny James has not garnered attention like his father did back in his days. Many have claimed that he would not even get drafted. However, Fox Sports Analyst, Skip Bayless had an interesting theory when it comes to Bronny. Instead of pursuing college stardom, Skip believes Bronny should jump to the NBA.

In a recent take, on ‘Undisputed’, Skip discussed how Bronny’s numbers have dipped while playing at the University of South Carolina compared to his high school. He also added that he was shocked as he watched Bronny’s shooting prowess at Sierra Canyon. But he took into account Bronny’s heart surgery which has led to his numbers going down.

Later, the NBA analyst claimed that Bronny James should not return to his college team for the next year. He believes playing amongst NBA players would elevate Bronny’s game better. Bayless talked in detail about his skillset and how USC’s demands for Bronny could become counterproductive.

“My gut feeling is he should not go back to college because I don’t think he can get much better playing with these college kids. But I do think he’s the rare player who would be a better pro player than a college basketball player.”

Skip felt that Bronny James could contribute well to any NBA team from next season itself. To put more emphasis on his point, he paired Bronny up with LeBron James illustrating how the former’s shooting abilities would work well with his father.

“Let’s just do next years Lakers. Yes he can contribute. He can play his 15 minutes a game alongside his dad. It’s almost like he is made for his dad. He is the perfect complementary player for his father.”

.@RealSkipBayless believes Bronny James will go to the NBA over returning to USC:

“He’s the rare player who would be a better pro player than a college player.” pic.twitter.com/qdHVBE9EET

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 15, 2024

Skip’s justification holds a lot of weight as for Bronny, playing alongside his father would ensure a healthy development. His game could elevate to heights that could put his current draft stock to shame. Despite ESPN having taken Bronny out of the mock draft, Skip remained adamant on his take.

I don’t think Bronny can get much better playing with college kids. If his dad can figure out a way to get him on his team, he can contribute. https://t.co/7u4DTwfGBy

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 15, 2024

He even doubled down on his take by sharing a tweet emphasizing Bronny’s development hinging on his father’s ability to get him in the league.

Bronny James’ basketball career so far

It is no doubt that Skip Bayless has shown faith in Bronny. However, his college stats of 4.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in the 25 games he played, shows less promise. Of course, his heart surgery which he went through in early October following his cardiac arrest has been the main culprit. Before that, he was playing well.

For his high school career, Bronny James averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals, per game for his senior season. He was also selected for McDonald’s All-American where he mesmerized the crowd with his 15-point performance, all of them coming from three-point land.

This shows Bronny’s potential to be one of the premier shooters in the NBA. As Skip said, he can get better in the NBA by playing alongside some great players. With the added benefit of a player development program in the league, Bronny can surely thrive in the NBA landscape.