Former USC Trojans reserve point guard Bronny James, the son of 20-time NBA All-Star LeBron James, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-2 guard from Sierra Canyon School experienced a setback when he suffered a cardiac arrest at USC’s Galen Center before his freshman season in 2023-24. This medical issue caused him to miss training camp and the first month of the season.

Despite the early disruption, James worked to regain his form throughout the season. He appeared in 25 games (starting six) for USC, behind Utah Jazz point guard Isaiah Collier and Sacramento Kings guard Boogie Ellis. He finished the Trojans’ 15-18 season with modest averages of 4.8 points on .366/.267/.676 shooting, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.8 steals in 19.3 minutes per game.

Ronnie “2K” Singh, the digital marketing director for 2K Games, recently revealed the ratings for NBA rookies in the upcoming game “NBA 2K25.” Amid accusations of favoritism, Bronny James received a 68 overall rating, a typical score for a second-round pick who might not make a significant impact in the Lakers’ rotation for the 2024-25 season. In comparison, James’ Lakers teammate Dalton Knecht, a former sharpshooting swingman from the University of Tennessee, received a 70 rating. This rating also matches those of several first-round picks, including Bub Carrington of the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware, and Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain.

Knecht, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, is viewed as a potentially immediate contributor for the Lakers, known for his impressive shooting performance last NCAA season and strong showing in the Summer League. He averaged 18.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game in Summer League play.

In contrast, Bronny James had a more challenging Summer League experience. Over six games in the Las Vegas Summer League and California Classic, he averaged 7.0 points with shooting splits of .327/.130/.625, along with 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game.

It remains to be seen if Bronny James can surpass the “NBA 2K25” rating and make a notable impact this season. The outcome will be eagerly anticipated.