Chicago Even though the 2024 class might not end up being very strong for the NBA Draft, the excitement is beginning to build as draft night approaches.

After last week’s lottery, teams know where their picks stand; they’ve begun delving deeply into prospect homework; and, unavoidably, they’re beginning to form crushes on certain players who could fall to them.

That served as the backdrop for the NBA Draft Combine held last week, which was made more inclusive by certain requirements imposed by the recently negotiated collective bargaining agreement.

Even the top European talents who were unable to attend due to their teams’ ongoing season were had to submit to medical evaluations; they are no longer able to avoid interviews or, more frustratingly, play games with sending individual teams their medical reports.

One of the most beneficial developments for the league and its reporters was the inclusion of prospects in media sessions, which gave the league’s future faces more exposure before selection day.

Even though the shooting drills and athletic testing sections drew a sizable crowd, we were still unable to get all of the top players onto the court for five-on-five play. Essentially, none of the players predicted to be selected in the top thirty went into the two days of scrimmages.

However, a number of league employees present in Chicago this past week concurred that the 2024 edition is a significant upgrade over earlier competitions thanks in part to the new CBA regulations. No, that may not improve this class in retrospect, but it’s a great sign for when we repeat this in a year with a strong 2025 class captained by Duke commit Cooper Flagg.

The biggest story at the combine, at least outside the building, was Bronny James, and that plot gained more momentum on Wednesday when LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers sat with general manager Rob Pelinka to watch his son play.

LeBron technically shouldn’t have attended the event because it was intended exclusively for front-desk staff and agents, according to the rules. To put it simply, I don’t think Bruno Fernando would have been in the building if this had been his child. However, it wasn’t a distraction for those who were there to work.

Meanwhile, Bronny displayed some of the same characteristics that we saw at USC: a restricted capacity to use his one-leg jumping ability and straight-line speed in the run of play, as well as an inability to establish separation off the dribble or penetrate into the lane.

James shot 6 of 18 with four rebounds, two assists, and four turnovers throughout the course of his two games. He made two 3-pointers in the second game and two floaters in the first. He made only two of nine 3-pointers and three of five free-throw attempts.

James’s stature of just 6-foot-1 1/2 inches in socks combined with his incapacity to move off the dribble will make it difficult for him to acquire a professional position.

Though his game footage doesn’t show much of it yet, his powerful frame, 6-7 wingspan, and 32-inch no-step vertical give him the ability to play bigger than his height.

I don’t think his play or measurements made much of an impression on most scouts. For the most part, it merely confirmed what they already knew.

Though there have undoubtedly been worse draft picks than James, his resume is by no means impressive. He is definitely a candidate for a two-way contract and is expected to appear in the 50–100 area on most draft boards. However, teams are unlikely to give him any consideration before the second round’s back end.

It remains to be seen if that will entice him to jump over a possible name, image, and likeness deal for another year in college, or if an NBA team will pick him higher just by virtue of his name.

Let me finally yell once more, very loudly, for those who are sitting in the back: I hear people all the time talking about “hostage” scenarios in which a non-Laker team drafts Bronny with the expectation that it will force LeBron James to sign with them or force Pelinka to make an absurd trade for the rights of the younger James.

People, forget it. This is not going to work. Not taking place. The only thing a team will receive in the event that it drafts Bronny James is the player’s rights.