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LeBron James may have to wait until 2025 for his son Bronny to join him in the NBA.

According to the latest ESPN.com NBA mock draft for 2025, Bronny is now the projected No. 39 pick next year. He is no longer projected in the 2024 Draft because he is not in the Top 60 of this year’s projected picks.

Of course, it’s still possible Bronny declares for the draft after this season. The 2025 Draft —headlined by Duke commit Cooper Flagg and Rutgers signee Ace Bailey — will be much stronger than this year’s.

LeBron responded Monday on social media, saying, in part: “These mock drafts [don’t] matter one bit! I promise you that! Only THE WORK matters!!”

Bronny, a 6-foot-4 freshman guard, is currently averaging 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists for USC.

“I think it’s very possible and probably likely that he still declares for the draft after the year,” Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports.com said on College Basketball Recruiting Weekly.

“And if you have followed LeBron James over the years, you should know that this is a man who dictates more front office moves than maybe any player in NBA history. He’s been setting this up for two years. I think it’s very possible Bronny James is in the NBA next year, but as I said last year, that won’t be based solely on his own merit as a prospect but on what comes with being LeBron James’ son.”

LeBron is on record saying he would like to play with Bronny in the NBA.

“I need to be on the floor with my boy,” he told ESPN in January 2023. “I got to be on the floor with Bronny. Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him…I don’t mean like guarding one another all game – because he’s a point guard and I’m a – at this point now I’m playing center or whatever the team needs from me. But I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure.”