Bronny could declare for the NBA Draft this summer, or return to the USC Trojans

PHOTO: ALEX BIERENS DE HAAN/GETTY 

As Bronny James mulls his chances in the NBA now that his first season at USC is over, LeBron James is speaking out about his son’s possible jump to the pros — and how the college game is “hard to watch.”

On his new podcast Mind the Game with co-host JJ Redick, the Los Angeles Lakers star shared his perspective on being on the sidelines when his 19-year-old son plays.

“The NBA is the best league in the world,” James, 39, said. “That’s why it’s hard to watch my son play college basketball.”

LeBron added, “It is hard watching a 40-minute college basketball game. It’s hard. I get more anxiety and I sweat more watching college basketball, especially my son now, than I’ve ever done in my life.”

Added to his anxiety is the fact that the college game — like Bronny’s own — continues to evolve.

“I’ve never understood why a coach will throw the ball into the post with his big, with no business with the ball in the post,” James said.

Despite his opinion about how the college game is played, LeBron recently showed his affection for one college squad, who is led by head coach Keith Dambrot — who coached LeBron in high school.

On the eve of the Duquesne Dukes’ first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 47 years, LeBron gifted the entire team with new sneakers. They went on to win that game in an upset over BYU, before falling to 3-seed Illinois.

As for Bronny, he’s set to make a big decision this summer: declare for the NBA draft or return to USC for another year.

In his first season — in which he missed the first eight games after recovering from cardiac arrest last summer — Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

LeBron has been outspoken about any projections related to his son’s future.

When Bronny didn’t make ESPN’s 2024 NBA mock draft in February, the NBA icon took his opinion to X.

“Can y’all please just let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball?” the Lakers star wrote in a now-deleted X post. “The work and results will ultimately do the talking no matter what he decides to do. If y’all don’t know, he doesn’t care what a mock draft says; he just works! Earned Not Given!”

He continued, “And to all the other kids out there striving to be great just keep your head down, blinders on and keep grinding. These Mock Drafts doesn’t matter one bit! I promise you! Only the WORK MATTERS!! Let’s talk REAL BASKETBALL PEOPLE!”