Plenty of basketball fans are already familiar with Bronny James, the eldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, but the high school senior got a chance to shine on the biggest stage yet at Tuesday’s McDonalds All-American game.
Under the bright lights of the Toyota Center in Houston, James dazzled for the West team, scoring 15 points while adding four assists and two steals in 19 minutes played. Bronny’s West squad fell in a hotly contested game to the East, 107–106, but the Sierra Canyon star stood out from many of the other top prospects with his performance.
James, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard, impressed particularly with his three-point shooting in the annual showcase. He went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc, coming up just one made three-pointer short of Gerald Green’s McDonalds All-American game record.
Here’s a look at each and every one of James’s made threes, courtesy of NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony:
15 points (5/8 3P) for projected top-10 pick Bronny James showing why he's so highly regarded by some with an outstanding McDonald's All-American game showing. Also played strong defense and showed off his advanced feel for the game. pic.twitter.com/clsCGAyngd
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 29, 2023
James’s biggest shot of the night came with his West team trailing 105–103 in the final minutes of the game. He connected on a contested triple from the corner to put his team back ahead for the time being.
Unsurprisingly, LeBron was in attendance and had a front-row seat to watch his son play. Throughout the night, the Lakers star had plenty of opportunities to celebrate Bronny’s highlight-reel performance.
Bronny's first bucket had LeBron hyped 😤 @SCNext #McDonaldsAllAmericanGame pic.twitter.com/Wds9olUo96
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 29, 2023
In addition to showing an ability to catch-and-shoot, Bronny also proved that he could shoot off the bounce with a particularly deep three-point attempt in the second quarter. Understandably, LeBron couldn’t contain himself after his son drained his third three-pointer of the game.
Bronny is FEELING IT from deep in the first half ♨️ #McDonaldsAllAmerican
— ESPN (@espn) March 29, 2023
📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/kXNzFVzZUd
Bronny’s performance in the All-American game came after he put his athleticism on display in Monday night’s dunk contest, where he finished as the runner-up. Between his shooting, dunking, playmaking and defense, the 18-year-old showed why he’s generating buzz around the basketball world about his future in the sport.
Bronny SHOWING OUT at the dunk contest 🔥
— The Crossover (@TheCrossover) March 28, 2023
(via @ScoopB)pic.twitter.com/HaFpGqoWdN
Bronny is set to graduate from Sierra Canyon this spring, but remains one of the top uncommitted prospects in the class of 2023. With many expecting that he’ll head to college for the next step in his basketball journey, Oregon, USC and Ohio State have emerged as potential spots for James to land.
