Bronny James finally made his college plans official Saturday, when he announced his commitment to USC. James’s recruitment was played incredibly close to the vest, with college coaches very limited in their access to him and his family circle. And while he took a visit to Ohio State in the fall, his eventual choice was the Trojans, where he’ll get to play in Los Angeles for a big-name program. But how does he fit in with the current Trojans roster? And what is USC’s potential with Bronny in tow?
USC already had one of the best backcourt duos in the country on paper in fifth-year senior Boogie Ellis (17.7 PPG in 2022–23) and five-star freshman Isaiah Collier. Collier is the No. 1 player in the 247Sports composite rankings for the 2023 class and widely regarded by college coaches as the most college-ready guard in the class. It’s hard to envision James supplanting either in the starting lineup.
Still, there are minutes available for Bronny, especially if coach Andy Enfield plays more three-guard looks in the backcourt. USC lost Reese Dixon–Waters to the transfer portal this spring, who played 25 minutes per game off the bench and averaged nearly 10 points. James’s ability to play on or off the ball should serve him well in college, capable of backing up both Ellis and Collier and even playing next to that talented duo in smaller lineups.
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Realistically, this feels like a good basketball fit for where Bronny is as a player. His strength right now is as a connective piece: He competes well on the defensive end, makes good decisions as a passer and can make a catch-and-shoot three. This isn’t the best destination for him if the primary goal is just to pad stats, but he’ll get quality game reps at a high level with a little less pressure from not being the primary offensive weapon. Bronny has been heavily scouted already by NBA teams and will undoubtedly continue to be while at USC, so the traditional concerns a high-level recruit might have about needing exposure don’t apply as heavily here.
It’s also worth nothing that freshmen generally have seen their role diminished with the heavy emphasis on transfer portal recruiting and players using their extra year of eligibility from the COVID–19 pandemic. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello pointed out in March that just 17 of the top 100 recruits in the country were averaging double-figure scoring. That number was 27 in 2019. Even with top-25 recruits, less than half averaged in double figures. Expecting Bronny James to come in and light up the scoreboard would be unfair. If he’s able to come in and positively impact what could be a top-25 team whether as a fifth starter or off the bench, his freshman season will be seen as a success.
The Trojans look poised to compete for a Pac-12 championship with their current group. Ellis, Collier, James and talented junior Kobe Johnson make up a strong backcourt, and USC also has a pair of high-upside frontcourt players in Joshua Morgan and Vincent Iwuchukwu. Morgan is one of the most impactful defenders in the conference, blocking more than two shots per game a season ago. Meanwhile, Iwuchukwu is a former five-star recruit who missed much of last season after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest during an offseason workout but returned late in the season. A fully healthy Iwuchukwu has a chance to be one of the best bigs in the Pac-12.
Plus, other perennial Pac-12 contenders like Arizona and UCLA both profile to take a step back after strong years in 2022–23. Conference player of the year Jaime Jaquez Jr. from UCLA is turning pro, as is Arizona star Azuolas Tubelis. UCLA also loses starting point guard Tyger Campbell and talented wings Amari Bailey and Jaylen Clark, while Arizona will endure the departures of backcourt duo Kerr Kriisa and Courtney Ramey. The door is wide open for USC to climb the Pac-12 ladder and could even be the favorite to win the league. If nothing else, it’s more likely than not that we’ll see Bronny and the Trojans in the NCAA tournament in 2024, which would be quite the spectacle on its own.
