Bronny James' draft exploration appears likely to end with this outcome

Bronny James attracted attention on Friday when he announced that he will be entering the NBA Draft. Despite his announcement, most people apparently are not expecting James to become a pro next season.

James wrote in his announcement that he would be retaining his eligibility to return to college. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported Friday that most NBA teams expect James to return to school.

James would need to be cleared by a medical panel to partake in draft-related events. If cleared, he would have until June 16 to decide if he wants to remain in the draft pool.

Rules state that a player can enter the draft and withdraw their name twice before losing their college eligibility.

James was only a part-time player at USC as a freshman this season, so it would not be surprising to see him return for his sophomore year. Where he plays that sophomore season remains to be seen.

In addition to declaring for the draft, James has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Though he could still return to USC under the program’s new head coach, Eric Musselman, he is expected to also consider Duquesne, which has many ties to LeBron James.

James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game over 25 contests with USC this season. The Trojans went 15-18 for the campaign.