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Bronny James is the latest high school class of 2023 top 50 player to make his college decision.
It looks like we won’t be waiting much longer.
Luca Evans of Los Angeles Times reported that James narrowed his picks to Ohio State, USC and Oregon and will make a final decision at the end of the Sierra Canyon season.
All three schools are evident, although for different reasons. Ohio State would allow Bronny to carve out the collegiate legacy his father never did, returning to his birth state to play for the Buckeyes. LeBron James has repeatedly said he would have attended Ohio State if he had been forced to play a year of college basketball before entering the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers star recently spoke to Dan Woike about the Los Angeles Times that he feels like a former “honorary” from Ohio State.
USC would allow Bronny James to stay at his home in Los Angeles while playing college basketball, giving him the high-level basketball advantage and comfort. The James family has spent almost all of their time in Los Angeles since LeBron signed with the Lakers in 2018 and split their time between LA and Ohio during his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
If Bronny wants to stay close to his family, USC should be considered the favorite.
Oregon, however, is an interesting wild card that may have the greatest asset of all: Nike money. Bronny James signed a NIL deal with Nike last October, and Oregon counts Nike founder Phil Knight as its biggest booster. If blazing his own trail is what Bronny wants from his college experience, he could choose Oregon to broaden his horizons outside the home (while still on the West Coast) and avoid the potential shadow LeBron leaves in the city. Ohio basketball tradition.
Ohio State and USC also have apparel deals with Nike.
Bronny James is the No. 36 player in the Class of 2023, according to 247Sports composite rankings.