Will Bronny James join dad Lebron at Lakers? NBA draft preview

The NBA draught takes spot this week and galore fans will beryllium eager to find retired wherever LeBron James' boy Bronny ends up.

The first-round draught starts connected Wednesday 26 June, pinch nan 2nd information connected Thursday 27 June. One communal mentation is that Bronny could beryllium picked by nan Los Angeles Lakers to play alongside his begetter for what is predicted to beryllium LeBron’s last twelvemonth on-court.

The 19-year-old has completed his first twelvemonth of assemblage hoops pinch nan University of Southern California Trojans, wherever he averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 assists per game.

Unlike his father, who stands astatine 6ft 9ins and is nan NBA's starring all-time scorer, Bronny is 6ft 1ins and is much of a protect player.

However, being nan boy of a four-time NBA champion and four-time Most Valuable Player brings other attraction on pinch it. Bronny has 7.7 cardinal Instagram followers and pundits person followed his travel for years.

Despite that, his way has not been wholly smooth. Bronny suffered a cardiac apprehension successful training past July, meaning he was only cleared to return to hoops past November, having been recovered to person a congenital bosom defect.

Lakers seasoned LeBron, 39, is apt entering nan last twelvemonth of his profession and could go a free supplier this summertime by declining his $51.4m (£40.6m) subordinate action erstwhile nan model opens astatine nan extremity of June.

But could Bronny beryllium utilized arsenic a makeweight to tempt LeBron into a caller contract?

Following nan All-Star crippled successful 2022, nan four-time NBA champion told reporters, "my past twelvemonth will beryllium played pinch my son".

Earlier this month, the Lakers named tv pundit and erstwhile subordinate JJ Redick, who besides co-hosts a hoops podcast alongside James, arsenic their caller caput coach. With nary anterior coaching experience, nan 40-year-old erstwhile Orlando Magic and LA Clippers shooting defender whitethorn look to build a squad astir LeBron.

The Lakers person nan number 17 and number 55 picks successful nan draught . They are besides 1 of only 2 teams, on pinch nan Phoenix Suns, who Bronny has worked retired pinch earlier nan draft.

Rich Paul, who useful arsenic an supplier for some Bronny and LeBron, told ESPN earlier this month, external that Dallas Mavericks’ wide head Nico Harrison is “like an uncle” to Bronny.

The Mavericks ain nan number 58 pick.

In nan aforesaid interview, Paul claimed that nan Minnesota Timberwolves would “love to get Bronny in” and that Masai Ujirim president of nan Toronto Raptors, “loves” nan young player.

The Timberwolves clasp picks 27 and 37, while nan Raptors person number 19 and 31.

Two 19-year-old Frenchmen, Zaccharie Risacher and Alexandre Sarr person been projected successful nan apical 2 spots for nan draft.

Risacher is 6ft 9ins and plays for apical section French squad JL Bourg-en-Bresse arsenic a mini forward. Sarr is 7ft 1ins and plays for Australian squad Perth Wildcats arsenic a guardant aliases centre.

Kentucky Wildcats defender Reed Sheppard, 20, University of Connecticut centre Donovan Clingan, 20 and his 19-year-old teammate Stephon Castle, who plays arsenic a guard, person each been projected successful nan apical five.

This year’s draught will return spot crossed 2 nights. The first information will beryllium held astatine Barclays Centre successful Brooklyn, New York connected Wednesday, June 26 from 20:00 ET (01:00 GMT).

The 2nd information will return spot astatine ESPN’s Seaport District Studios successful New York connected Thursday, June 27 from 16:00 ET (21:00 GMT).