2. Bronny's progress
Fair or not, there is a lot of attention put on Bronny James in this draft class.
The USC forward recovered from a cardiac arrest and a congenital heart defect to play this season. He was not all that impressive. But he got the all-clear to play in the NBA, a credit to his work. Now he had to go about the business of rebuilding his draft potential.
James averaged only 4.8 points per game in 19.3 minutes per game in his lone season at USC. He shot just 36.6 percent from the floor and 26.7 percent from three. That does not scream NBA prospect, especially considering his health issues earlier in the year.
But all eyes are on James because of his name. That creates media interest and his father, LeBron James (if you did not know), has hinted he wants to play his final seasons alongside his son.
James was very clear in interviews with the media in Chicago that he is aiming to prove he is not just his father's name. That is a credit to him. And he is a good enough player when healthy to make that case.
It probably did not help that his father, LeBron James, pulled up for the Draft Combine scrimmages on Wednesday. That reminder is always going to be there.
But James made his case in the scrimmages at the Draft Combine.
He scored 13 points on 4-for-10 shooting in Wednesday's scrimmage game, bouncing back from a tough showing in Tuesday's scrimmage. This all followed a solid showing in the skills testing.
Bronny James still projects as a second-round pick at best—thoughts that he could go in the first-round as an enticement to LeBron James should go out the window. But he is starting to rebuild his profile moving forward.