Chris “Mad Dog” Russo did not hold back when talking about Bronny James

Bronny James, NBA Draft

Ahead of next week’s NBA Draft, many wonder what will become of Bronny James. Will he get selected by a team? Will he go undrafted? What could happen in the aftermath of each scenario? — these are just some of the questions being raised by the basketball community with regard to the youngster. In a recent discussion between Chris Russo and Dan Patrick — two well-known sports radio personalities — the topic of Bronny being possibly drafted by the Dallas Mavericks was brought up.

“….And then I started to wonder, could Bronny be drafted by Dallas?” Patrick asked Russo. “And then LeBron maybe reunites with Kyrie? If he’s a free agent, could you see maybe a scenario where…the GM of the Mavs, according to Rich Paul, is like an uncle to Bronny James. So that team just plays for a title. The Lakers aren’t gonna be playing for a title probably for the rest of LeBron’s career. And what’s this come down to? Play with your son, and maybe win another title.”

Russo, in response, didn’t hold back at all. The former Mike and the Mad Dog host was brutally honest about his thoughts on Bronny, even going as far as claiming that the former USC guard wouldn’t see the floor in a team like UConn.

“Listen, I don’t think Bronny James is that good,” Russo said bluntly. “He scored four points a game at USC. I mean he wouldn’t even play at UConn, so he needs another year of college basketball, that’s the first thing. Then if you bring him in, and you use a first-round pick on him, you’re gonna hurt your team that way. Then they got to deal with, are you gonna play him? Or sit him on the bench? Then you bring LeBron in, who’s running the team — I think it’s a mess.”

More on Bronny James

Chicago, IL, USA; Bronny James (50) takes a shot during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Before declaring for the draft, Bronny spent one season with USC, where he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in over 19.3 minutes per game. He saw action in a total of 25 outings, starting in six of them.

While these aren’t really head-turning numbers, James has shown glimpses of potential several times, such as when the Trojans took on Oregon State back in December. Bronny scored 15 points on 54.5% shooting, giving USC a big spark off the bench. He also had an 11-point, six-assist outing against Arizona in January.

James is still a raw prospect, so it isn’t surprising why many criticize his decision to turn pro. At the end of the day, only he can prove his naysayers wrong. Still, being the son of LeBron James means that fans will continue to follow him, even if he somehow doesn’t get drafted next week. In other words, if Bronny James shows improvement in the future — whether in the NBA or somewhere else — people will surely take notice.