LeBron James has once again indicated that he is looking to play with his son when he is drafted into the NBA after a mock projected him to be picked in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks.
Bronny James, 18, had previously been seen as an early second-round or late first-round draft prospect but his recent performances have seen him climb the rankings ahead of his move up to college to play for USC. Bronny performed at a strong level in the McDonald's High-School All-Star game in March - a game featuring the best players in their final year before going to college or playing professionally in the G-League or overseas.
On Tuesday evening, ESPN released their first mock draft for the 2024 class, which featured James Jr going in the first, 17th overall to the Hawks. And in his reaction to seeing the projection, LeBron James has indicated that he'll be looking to join Bronny's team having made no secret of the fact he wants to play with his eldest son in the latter years of his career.
James shared the ESPN article to his Instagram story, and wrote: "Welllll ATL shawty the #JamesGang will be pulling up!"
The legendary NBA star has made it clear in numerous occasions that he wants to play with Bronny. In January, he said: "I need to get on the court with my son, I want to be on the court with Bronny.
"I don't mean we'll do one on one in a game, but I'd love to do something Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. style. It would be awesome, no doubt.
"I ask him what his aspirations are and he says he wants to play in the NBA so, if he wants to do that, he has to work for it. I'm already here, I'm just waiting for him."
He later added in May: "I was serious. And I'm still serious about it. Obviously, I've got to continue to keep my body and my mind fresh, I think my mind most importantly. But at the end of the day, I've done what I had to do in this league, and my son is going to take his journey."
James Sr remains contracted with the Los Angeles Lakers, but can opt out of his deal next summer - potentially joining Bronny's team. James Jr was seen as one of the top prospects joining college basketball after a solid year in high school playing for Sierra Canyon.
He committed to playing for USC next season, with Ohio State and Oregon both giving him offers to play at the collegiate level. NBA rules mean that players must one year after their class graduates high school before they are eligible to be drafted, which means Bronny won’t be able to enter the league until the 2024/25 season.
James Jr would have also had the option to play in the NBA G-league, as Scoot Henderson had done for the last two seasons.
