NORTH AUGUSTA, SC – It’s the final AAU summer for Bronny James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, and the 6-foot-2 combo guard left here on a high note, cementing a good impression on multiple NBA scouts and executives. who were at Nike’s Peach Jam.
Every summer, the best teams in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League descend on this city. The gyms are small and full for every game and it’s a unique atmosphere to get your first glimpse of the next level of NBA talent. For the James family, Peach Jam has always been a family affair.
Since it was Bronny’s last summer before his senior year of high school, the entire crew showed up to all but one of his games. His mother Savannah, sister Zhuri, grandmother Gloria and of course his father were there supporting Bronny and his team, Strive For Greatness. His younger brother Bryce played on the 16U team, with the family rotating between gyms to support both players. Last year, LeBron was on the bench coaching the team; this year he stayed on the sidelines, occasionally pulling players aside during free throws or dead balls.
To secure a seat for one of Bronny’s games, fans, college coaches and NBA personnel had to arrive up to two games in advance before the gym was at capacity. One of the craziest AAU games of the summer came when Bronny faced Duke five-star Caleb Foster. The sideline chairs were raised to make room for the coaches behind them. More than 30 professional photographers were spread throughout the gym, recording Bronny’s every move. There’s never been a game at Peach Jam where NBA coaches and scouts lined up shoulder-to-shoulder the length of the gym and both baselines to essentially watch a pair of players.
“The atmosphere was crazy and I’ve never played in a game like that before,” Foster told Yahoo Sports after the game. “It’s probably like the first two of my career. Full gym, NBA scouts, coaches, NBA king and fans in one building. There’s nothing like Peach Jam.”
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“It’s an honor to have NBA legends like LeBron [James] and Carmelo [Anthony] Come and support us,” Foster added. “It means a lot and shows that all the work I’ve been doing is paying off.”
Foster and his team, Team Thad, came away with a 92-74 victory. The Duke guard finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. James scored 16 points and added five assists.
“The most impressive thing about Bronny at this age is his poise on the court and how he consistently makes the right decision,” an NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “He’s a hell of a defender and you can see he’s started to grow into his body a little bit more.”
Bronny has been up and down during the spring and summer AAU season. Last week was the most consistent streak he’s had all year. James left his final Peach Jam averaging 16 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists in six games.
One of the biggest improvements to James’ game is reading the pick-and-roll as his primary ball handler. In years past, he was more of a catch-and-shoot option with players like UCLA’s Amari Bailey and NBA guards Ziaire Williams and Brandon Boston Jr. creating for him in the lane during his high school career. If his defender slips and there’s no hedge, James lets it fly without hesitation. It’s a very high-level, NBA read, and definitely something his dad has been working on with him in the gym.
“You can see the improvements he’s made in his game from last year to this year,” another NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “He’s proving to be more than just a name and positively impacts the game, whether it’s making the extra pass or offense or going down for loose balls in the post on defense.”
The final stops of Bronny’s AAU career will be in Las Vegas this week for the Big Time Finale Tournament.
Bronny will play his senior year at Sierra Canyon High School outside Los Angeles. His recruitment has been kept under wraps throughout his career, but the schools involved are widely known. Duke, Ohio State, Texas, Michigan, Kansas, Tennessee, USC and Kentucky have shown interest in Bronny throughout his career. James will most likely take his official visits starting in the fall, but just like his recruiting, they won’t be announced or announced.
The verdict is still out on whether Bronny will be a unique prospect, but the way he continues to improve his game is being watched by NBA scouts. No father-son duo has ever played in the NBA at the same time and it’s only a few years before that can happen. Regardless, Bronny has made a good first impression on some NBA talent evaluators as he wraps up his final AAU season and enters his senior year.