ESPN NBA Draft 2024 Big Board: Bronny James Rises to No. 54 in Post-Combine Rankings

Bronny James' draft stock appears to be rising.

In ESPN's latest NBA draft rankings, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo moved James to No. 54 following the NBA Draft Combine. This would place him in range to be a late second-round pick in June's draft.

He previously ranked No. 98.

At the combine, he showcased a 40.5-inch vertical leap, shot 19-of-25 in the three-point drill and held his own in the scrimmages at the event.

James is approaching the deadline to keep his name in the draft pool or elect to return to college. The decision date for that is May 29, but his move up the ESPN big board should improve his case to take turn pro.

His output during his freshman year at USC was not indicative of a typical NBA draft prospect. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games for the Trojans. He started only six games, and the team went 15-18 and missed out on the NCAA Tournament.

It is worth noting that James had a delayed start to the season after suffering cardiac arrest and undergoing a heart procedure before the season. This impacted his season, as he was eased into the lineup instead of getting significant opportunities early on to showcase his skills.

If he stays in the draft pool, he could play alongside or against his father, 20-time All-Star LeBron James. The elder James has previously stated a desire to play alongside his son in the NBA, although ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this month that playing with Bronny is no longer a priority for James.

Regardless, Bronny James' NBA career could be starting very soon. The 2024 NBA draft is scheduled to take place June 26-27 in Brooklyn.