When it comes to Bronny James playing for Southern California, men’s basketball head coach Andy Enfield doesn’t feel pressure coming from his superstar dad.
Enfield spoke with ESPN after the eldest son of LeBron James committed to play for the Trojans on May 6, saying parents Lebron and Savannah James have been ‘extremely supportive’ of their son’s college choice.
‘They have a great understanding of what it takes to become a great player,’ Enfield said. ‘I think the expectations − there are certainly expectations − but the expectations are not unreasonable as parents. They want what most other parents want. They want their son to come get an education, develop on the basketball court, play with other good players and to have a coaching staff that can help them develop and help him become a better player.
‘We think, as coaching staff, LeBron and Savannah have a great understanding of what it’s going to take for Bronny to be a great college player and get to the next level.’
Lebron James celebrates son’s commitment to USC
Lebron James has been vocal about his excitement for his son to play for USC. The same day Bronny James committed, he told Spectrum SportsNet after the Lakers defeated Golden State, 127-97, in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals it was one of the best days of his life.
In the postgame press conference, James congratulated his son for ‘his next journey and picking a great university,’ adding to his knowledge, he will be the first person in his family to go to college.
‘It’s very, very, very, very exciting, very humbling and a great moment for our family,” James said.
Pressure on USC?
Bronny James will be joining a coveted recruiting class, as the four-star prospect, according to 247 Sports, alongside guard Isaiah Collier (No. 2 overall via 247 Sports) and center Arrinten Page (No. 51 overall via 247 sports). Former Washington State forward DJ Rodman, son of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, announced his transfer to the Trojans last week.
With a strong recruiting class, and the Trojans playing less than two miles from where LeBron James plays for the Lakers, Enfield said he’s prepared for the pressure, and it seems Bronny James is too.
‘It’s so refreshing to see a young man deal with all the celebrity status of his dad but be such a humble young man,’ Enfield said. ‘We recruited Bronny because we think he’s a great fit for our basketball program as a player and the type of person he is.’