USC Basketball

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Video: Bronny James Silences Fans' Boos with LeBron in Attendance During USC Loss

Feb 8, 2024
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans dribbles the ball down court against the California Golden Bears in the first half at Haas Pavilion on February 07, 2024 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans dribbles the ball down court against the California Golden Bears in the first half at Haas Pavilion on February 07, 2024 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Bronny James had a nondescript showing Wednesday night as USC's prolonged slide continued in an 83-77 overtime loss to California.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was on hand to take in the action:

Isaiah Collier, who scored a team-high 20 points, had a chance to put the Trojans up late but missed one of his two free throws inside the final 30 seconds of regulation. This was Collier's first game in nearly a month after he was sidelined due to a hand injury.

Cal guard Jaylon Tyson heaved up a deep three at the buzzer that was well off the mark to force the extra period.

With two minutes to go in overtime, there was still nothing to separate the two teams. Three-pointers on back-to-back possessions from guards Jalen Celestine and Jalen Cone gave the Golden Bears some breathing room and they didn't look back.

James finished with five points on 1-of-5 shooting along with a team-best five rebounds and one assist. The star freshman was a regular target of ridicule from the sellout Haas Pavilion crowd.

USC is now 9-14 overall and 3-9 in Pac-12 play, which is the worst record in the conference. The Trojans stay in Northern California for their next contest as they play Stanford on the road Saturday at 10 p.m. ET.

Check out Vivid Seats for tickets to see the Trojans and for all NCAA basketball games.

Bronny James' Passing Delights CBB Fans as USC Routs Oregon State

Feb 4, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 01: USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) looks on during the college basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans on February 1, 2024 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 01: USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) looks on during the college basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans on February 1, 2024 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Bronny James had an opportunity to get in the USC Trojans starting lineup Saturday night and showcased some of his playmaking talent with the opportunity.

He scored nine points, grabbed three rebounds and added a steal in the Trojans 82-54 blowout victory over Oregon State. Passing the ball was James' best attribute in the game, however, as he had a game-high six assists and was noticeably in sync with his teammates.

https://twitter.com/JamesFamilyMuse/status/1753962674684416060

It was James' fourth start of the season and the third time this season that he had at least six assists in a game. The performance helped USC improve to 9-13 on the season.

Fans on social media praised his passing ability and celebrated the improvement he has shown in multiple facets of the game.

https://twitter.com/bronnymuuse/status/1753946902058393712

The Trojans will need to have a red-hot second half in order to be in play for the NCAA Tournament. A Pac-12 Championship and an automatic bid would get the team there, and seeing performances like this definitely helps that reality.

While Oregon State has a superior 11-11 record to the Trojans, it still is second-to-last in the conference standings. USC is currently occupying the last place spot, and navigating through the tournament will be extremely difficult.

Still, Saturday's win was a positive and James' strong play shows that this Trojans team is capable of doing some damage.

Bronny James Stuffs Stat Sheet as USC's Losing Streak Reaches 6 Games vs. Oregon

Feb 2, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 01: USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) drives to the basket during the college basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans on February 1, 2024 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 01: USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) drives to the basket during the college basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans on February 1, 2024 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Bronny James had one of his best games of the season on Thursday night, but it came in yet another loss for USC.

The freshman guard scored six points, dished out a career-high seven assists and grabbed four rebounds in 22 minutes in the Trojans' 78-69 loss to Oregon. His two steals were tied for his most in a game this season.

Head coach Andy Enfield's team is reeling right now. They have lost six straight games and have the worst conference record in the Pac-12 (2-8). Their 8-13 overall record is tied with California for the worst among Pac-12 teams.

The six-game losing skid is the longest for the Trojans since the 2014-15 team lost nine straight.

USC's losing streak coincides with star freshman Isaiah Collier being out of the lineup for the past five games. He suffered a hand injury against Washington State on Jan. 10 that required surgery.

Enfield said before Thursday's game that Collier is "getting closer" to being cleared for practice, but he didn't have a specific date. He added the original four-to-six-week timeline for Collier is still on track.

On the bright side, James is starting to find some rhythm on offense. He's averaging 6.5 points on 44.4 percent three-point shooting, 4.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in the last four games.

James made both of his three-point attempts against the Ducks. It's only his second game with multiple three-pointers in 13 appearances.

Another encouraging sign is that James has played at least 20 minutes in four of the past five games. He was on the floor for 22 minutes against Oregon.

If USC is going to pull itself out of this tailspin, it could happen soon. Its next two games are at home against Oregon State (3-7 record vs. Pac-12) on Saturday and at California (8-13 overall) on Feb. 7.

Bronny James Scores 2 Points, Grabs 4 Rebounds as USC Loses to UCLA

Jan 28, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 27: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans reacts after blocking a shot by Dylan Andrews #2 of the UCLA Bruins in the first half at Galen Center on January 27, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 27: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans reacts after blocking a shot by Dylan Andrews #2 of the UCLA Bruins in the first half at Galen Center on January 27, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Bronny James struggled during USC's loss to UCLA, with head coach Andy Enfield's team falling by the final score of 65-50.

After starting in three consecutive games, James came off the bench against the Bruins. He scored just two points and grabbed four rebounds to go along with a block in limited action, missing all three of his field goal attempts.

James has struggled with inconsistency throughout the start of his freshman campaign, although his performance on Saturday was disappointing after he seemed to find a shooting rhythm over the past couple of games. In his two previous appearances, he scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists while hitting six of his 11 three-point attempts.

The team as a whole struggled against the Bruins' defense, shooting just 35.4 percent from the field. Fans were dismayed by James' quiet night in particular after he appeared to be turning a corner.

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Saturday night's defeat was the Trojans' fifth consecutive loss, as the team has now fallen to 8-12 on the season with a record of just 2-7 in the Pac-12. Their next opportunity to break the streak will come on Feb. 1 against an Oregon team that currently owns a 14-6 mark through 20 games.

Windhorst: Bronny James Tabbed as 'No Doubt' NBA Draft 1st-Rounder by Some Insiders

Jan 24, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans shoots a free throw in the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans shoots a free throw in the first half against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

USC freshman guard Bronny James has been limited in his first collegiate season, but being LeBron James' son is reportedly enough for team's to view him as a potential first-round draft pick.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on Wednesday's episode of The Hoop Collective, "I've got people telling me, this guy's going in the first round, no doubt and not necessarily because of what he's showing at USC, but just because of the dynamics around the pick."

Bronny James has appeared in 11 games with three starts for the Trojans and is averaging 5.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 19.6 minutes of action. His efficiency has left much to be desired, as he's connecting on 38.1 percent of his field goals and 25.0 percent of his three-pointers. His best game was a 15-point performance against Oregon State on Dec. 30, which coincidentally is his legendary father's birthday.

James is still finding his groove after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a team workout in July. Despite his struggles, he has still shown positives in his game while he continues working his way back into form.

"Players go through stretches during seasons where they shoot a very high percentage and sometimes, it goes the other way where they struggle for a few games," USC head coach Andy Enfield told ESPN's Myron Metcalf about James. "That's true for all players and all sports as well. Everybody has their highs and lows throughout the season. He's improved a lot. But he's only been playing for a month. He works very hard and he's had really good practices."

LeBron James has made it no secret that he hopes to one day play on the same team as his son, so it wouldn't be a surprise if a team takes a chance on Bronny in the 2024 draft in hopes of landing the NBA's all-time leading scorer for his 22nd season in the league.

Bronny James Scores 7 Points, Notches 5 Assists in USC's Loss to Arizona State

Jan 20, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Making his third consecutive start, Bronny James finished with seven points in the USC Trojans' 82-67 road loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday.

James' seven points came on 3-of-6 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 shooting from three-point range. He also contributed five assists and four rebounds in 25 minutes played.

Bronny played sparingly in the second half with ASU holding a big lead, but he showed flashes of brilliance during the first half and gave a glimpse into what the future could hold for him at USC.

At one point, James scored or assisted on seven consecutive points, knocking down a mid-range jumper and a three before dishing out an assist:

The assist came on a no-look pass, and it evoked comparisons to his father, legendary Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat star LeBron James:

With their fourth loss in a row, the Trojans fell to 8-11 overall and 2-6 in Pac-12 play this season, while the Sun Devils improved to 11-7 and 5-2 in the conference.

James has been on a minutes restriction this season, but on Saturday he surpassed the 20-minute mark for the third straight game after not playing more than 20 minutes in any of his first eight contests.

Bronny committed to play at USC to great fanfare after being rated as a 4-star prospect and the No. 28 overall recruit in the 2023 class by 247Sports.

However, the start of Bronny's freshman season was delayed after he suffered cardiac arrest brought on by a congenital heart defect while working out in July.

James made his collegiate debut on Dec. 10, and while he started off in a bench role and played limited minutes, head coach Andy Enfield has been increasing his workload.

While James has started to become a key player for USC, the team has struggled to find its identity and is trending toward missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019.

Bronny and the Trojans will look to get back on track in their next game on Jan. 27 when they host rival UCLA.

NBA Rumors: LeBron James' Son Bronny Is on Draft Boards of 'Multiple Teams'

Jan 18, 2024
TUCSON, ARIZONA - JANUARY 17: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans reacts after a basket by DJ Rodman #10 against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at McKale Center on January 17, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TUCSON, ARIZONA - JANUARY 17: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans reacts after a basket by DJ Rodman #10 against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at McKale Center on January 17, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Bronny James' USC team has struggled this season, but that reportedly hasn't stopped the NBA interest in the son of legend LeBron James.

"When I talk to people around the league, he's on the draft boards of multiple teams," Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Thursday:

Charania noted teams around the league believe he is "further along" on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side, which makes performances like Wednesday's all the more important.

The USC freshman finished with 11 points, six assists and five rebounds while shooting 5-of-11 from the field in one of his best offensive showings of the season in a loss to Arizona. The only game that he scored more points in was a Dec. 30 loss to Oregon State when he finished with 15 on 6-of-11 shooting from the field.

Perhaps most importantly, James played a season-high 30 minutes against the Wildcats on Wednesday.

He has worked his way back into the lineup as he has recovered from a cardiac arrest he suffered during a workout in July. His first game came on Dec. 10, and he played 20 or fewer minutes in his first eight contests.

Yet he played 25 minutes in Saturday's loss to Colorado before ramping up even more against Arizona.

The Trojans are just 3-7 in the 10 games he's played, which makes them one of the most disappointing teams in the country. Expectations were high with the addition of James to a team that made the NCAA tournament the past three seasons, but the Big Dance seems like something of a long shot at this point.

Perhaps James can help them turn things around as he plays more minutes, but he can at least take solace knowing the NBA is impressed by what he's shown of late.

Bronny James Applauded by CBB Fans Despite USC's Loss to Caleb Love, No. 12 Arizona

Jan 18, 2024
TUCSON, ARIZONA - JANUARY 17: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans reacts after a basket by DJ Rodman #10 against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at McKale Center on January 17, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TUCSON, ARIZONA - JANUARY 17: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans reacts after a basket by DJ Rodman #10 against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at McKale Center on January 17, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Bronny James' second start for the USC Trojans certainly went better than his first one. Well, at least on a personal level.

The freshman guard followed up his scoreless starting debut from Saturday with a strong effort on Wednesday evening, putting up 11 points, six assists and five rebounds. It wasn't enough to get past No. 15 Arizona, however, as the Trojans lost yet again, 82-67.

USC had no answers for Caleb Love (20 points, five assists). The loss dropped the Trojans to 8-10 on the season, while Arizona moved to 13-4.

James desperately needed to break out of a three-game slump that only managed to see him score two points in his previous three games and not make a single bucket from the floor.

College basketball fans and pundits alike on social media were pleased to see the young guard find his groove again:

https://twitter.com/wavy__9k/status/1747840268999504155

Even Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant turned up to see Bronny in action.

It was a James family affair on Disney's networks Wednesday night, as ABC broadcast LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Dallas Mavericks earlier in the night. Basketball fans enjoyed seeing the pair on national television back-to-back (and James made sure to have the game on as soon as he hit the locker room):

https://twitter.com/torchyworldwide/status/1747835456639696992

USC will need Bronny to play in the coming weeks, as the team's best player, star guard and projected lottery pick Isaiah Collier, will likely be out until late February or early March with a hand injury.

James isn't a like-for-like replacement for Collier, but he's shown the ability to be a solid two-way player and will need to take his game to another level if USC is going to somehow salvage his season.

"Bronny [is] a very smart basketball player," head coach Andy Enfield told reporters on Jan. 6. "And he plays hard every possession and defensively he helps us. He gets deflections, he can guard the ball on smaller guys and he's strong enough to guard bigger guys. So far, so good."

Bronny James' Aggressiveness Critiqued by Fans After Scoreless Game in USC Loss to CU

Jan 14, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Bronny James' first start of his college career didn't go the way he would've liked.

The USC freshman went scoreless in the Trojans' 68-58 loss to Colorado Saturday night, missing all seven of his field goal attempts. James had a pair of double digit performances early on in conference play, scoring 15 against Oregon State and 10 against Cal, but he had just two points against Stanford and didn't score against Washington State on Wednesday. His struggles continued into Saturday's matchup.

USC is looking to get more from its freshman moving forward, and James is certainly hoping to get out of the scoring rut soon.

https://twitter.com/MorgsCrabtree/status/1746385194343686420
https://twitter.com/DylanSchwartz/status/1746389035642167383
https://twitter.com/JamesFamilyMuse/status/1746379361081827675
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USC is off to a shaky 8-9 start to the season and is now 2-4 in conference play after losing to Colorado on Saturday. As James continues to find his footing in college basketball — which he will need to do if he wants to find his way on an NBA roster — the Trojans will look to get back on track on Wednesday against Arizona.

USC's Isaiah Collier Out 4-6 Weeks with Hand Injury; Projected Top-5 NBA Draft Pick

Jan 12, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 10: USC Trojans guard Isaiah Collier (1) looks on during the college basketball game between the Long Beach State 49ers and the USC Trojans on December 10, 2023 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 10: USC Trojans guard Isaiah Collier (1) looks on during the college basketball game between the Long Beach State 49ers and the USC Trojans on December 10, 2023 at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The USC Trojans received some tough injury news on Thursday.

Freshman Isaiah Collier, who is a projected top-five 2024 NBA draft pick, is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after suffering a hand injury in Wednesday's 72-64 loss to Washington State, the team announced, per Kyle Boone of CBS Sports.

With 12 minutes remaining in the matchup, Collier turned the ball over and was whistled for a foul before exiting. He returned to the bench and was seen wearing a brace on his hand.

Collier, a former five-star prospect, committed to USC in November 2022 as the No. 1 ranked recruit in the country, per 247Sports. His commitment, coupled with that of Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, helped the Trojans land the No. 3 ranked recruiting class for 2023.

Collier has largely lived up to the hype during his freshman year, averaging 15.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 16 games while shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and. 31.3 percent from deep.

However, the Trojans have struggled this season and sit ninth in the Pac-12 with an 8-8 record.

Collier is likely headed to the NBA after this season, and Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman lists him as the No. 10 prospect available on his big board in part due to his decision-making and shooting.

With the 19-year-old expected to be sidelined for at least a month, it'll be interesting to see how his draft stock changes.

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