College Basketball

LeBron James on son's transfer rumors: 'Bronny is his own man'

Updated Apr. 3, 2024 9:20 a.m. ET

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

Following the Lakers' 128-111 win over the Raptors on Tuesday night, LeBron James was asked about his oldest son, 19-year-old Bronny, amidst rumors that the USC freshman was planning to enter the transfer portal.

James, who endured sudden cardiac arrest last July and has been treated with a congenital heart defect, took time to ramp up for his freshman season, ultimately playing 19.4 minutes per game in 25 contests and averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in a limited role off the bench.

"I don't know where it (the rumors) came from, but at the end of the day, Bronny is his own man," said James, who scored 23 points and nine assists in Tuesday's win over Toronto. "He has some tough decisions to make. When he's ready to make those decisions, he'll let us all know. But as his family, we will support whatever he does."

With over 1,100 players already entering the transfer portal, and the portal open for entries for another 28 days after opening its 45-window to enter on March 18, Bronny has not yet placed his name on the market. Before this college basketball season began, the thought was that Bronny would team up with his dad and be a one-and-done player, but the 6-foot-4 guard showed in one year of college that more development at the NCAA level would be in his best interest.

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Could we see Bronny test the waters at all, then move on to a different school? Perhaps, but the whole point of being at USC made sense as he'd be near the Lakers. That being said, it was announced Monday that Andy Enfield is departing the Trojans program, which is moving to the Big Ten next season, in favor of SMU, which ponied up significant money and is transitioning to the ACC with Duke and North Carolina as conference comrades in an upgrade move.

With Enfield out, USC is searching for a new coach, with Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman and TCU's Jamie Dixon being the frontrunners for the job, sources tell FOX Sports.

How does the coaching change impact Bronny? Will he stay in college one more season or make the move to play with his dad even though his stock has dropped significantly? The plot thickens in Los Angeles, particularly with how LeBron left the door open on Tuesday night.

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.