2024 NBA draft -- NBA executives on Bronny James' future - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — USC's season came to a close Thursday afternoon at the Pac-12 tournament in a 70-49 loss at the hands of top-seeded Arizona.

With the end of USC's arduous 15-18 season comes draft decisions for the team's NBA prospects. Projected lottery pick Isaiah Collier is expected to enter the 2024 draft. A different type of decision process awaits Bronny James, whom NBA teams have long viewed as a candidate to turn pro following his freshman year, in large part because of the possibility of him joining a team alongside his father, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

Simply returning to the court has been a significant accomplishment for Bronny James this season after experiencing cardiac arrest during a workout last July that was found to be a byproduct of a congenital heart defect. After being sidelined for five months, James rejoined the Trojans on Dec. 10, working his way into a regular role off the bench.

James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games. While the numbers, in a vacuum, don't paint the picture of a one-and-done prospect, NBA teams have been preparing behind-the-scenes for James — like any other prospect — to ultimately enter the 2024 draft and explore professional opportunities. Whether he chooses to stay in the draft is less clear-cut at this point.

LeBron James has been vocal about his hope to share the court professionally with his oldest son. He has also said that Bronny will make his own decision on whether to enter the draft. That situation has created a dynamic surrounding the proposition that drafting Bronny could potentially bolster a team's chances of adding LeBron in free agency, whether that happens in 2024 or in the future. James has until June 29 to decide whether