After a solid showing at the NBA Draft Combine this week, it sounds like Bronny James has improved his stock in a big way.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony said during Thursday's episode of NBA Today that James made a major jump in his latest rankings and convinced scouts that he's worthy of being picked in the draft next month.
"This was a positive week in Chicago for Bronny James," Givony said around the 4:21 mark. "He's moved into the late second round of our latest projections. We're gonna have him at 54 in our next update. That's all the way up from the back end of the top 100. Talking to NBA people out here, they feel like he's legitimized himself as a real NBA prospect."
James impressed with his athleticism and bounced back from a lackluster showing in the first scrimmage by posting a team-high 13 points in Wednesday's win. Givony added that his intangibles were also appealing to scouts during the combine.
"I just think that the way he shot the ball in drills, the athletic testing, his first day in the five-on-five was pretty bad but yesterday played a great role helping his team to a win, playing good defense, making shots, just showing his feel for the game, his versatility," Givony said. "People love his attitude, his enthusiasm and the way that he understands the type of player that he is. This was a very good week for Bronny James in Chicago."
Givony noted that James remains a "polarizing" prospect because some scouts don't think he can emerge from the shadow of his legendary father, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. However, the 19-year-old proved he can have a consistent role at the professional level if he chooses to remain in the draft.
"Bronny has done a good job of showing that he deserves to be on the radar," Givony said. "He was just as good as a lot of the other players that played five-on-five, and he's a guy that has a real role at the NBA level as a three-and-D off-guard who can make shots, defend his position, play with energy. I compare him to like a Gabe Vincent-, Gary Harris-type player."
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