Video: Watch LeBron James' Son Bronny Throw Down 1-Handed Dunk in AAU Game
Jun 16, 2019
If LeBron James is never going to grace basketball fans with his presence in the dunk contest, perhaps his son can.
The 14-year-old Bronny James threw down a head-turning, one-handed dunk during the Balling on the Beach tournament in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and provided a glimpse of what is surely to come as his basketball career continues:
James is a member of the class of 2023, and it's too early for him to have a star ranking on 247Sports. However, college basketball royalty is all over his school list, including Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and UCLA.
He will remain under the spotlight as his recruitment ramps up, but there are plenty of memorable moments in one's basketball career before March Madness and NBA draft boards become the focus.
A first dunk in an AAU game fits the bill.
Report: LeBron James', Dwyane Wade's Sons Enrolling at Sierra Canyon High School
May 29, 2019
Bronny and Bryce James, the sons of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, will be enrolling at Los Angeles' Sierra Canyon High School, according to the Los Angeles Times' Tania Ganguli.
The two attended Crossroads School in Santa Monica this past year. Per Ganguli, LeBron and his wife, Savannah, believe Sierra Canyon will offer their sons a better opportunity to further their basketball careers.
Tarek Fattal of the Los Angeles Daily News reported Bronny's move has been a "done deal for at least six weeks" and noted he'll be joined by Zaire Wade, Dwyane Wade's son.
The 14-year-old Bronny has been putting together highlight reels for years now. While he moved to California when LeBron signed with the Lakers, the 5'10", 150-pound teenager has continued to play for the North Coast Blue Chips:
Now, with colleges (and the NBA) watching, Bronny will be taking his talents to Sierra Canyon.
As will Zaire Wade, who previously played for American Heritage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKGUO_6rPSc
The 17-year-old guard, who is a member of the class of 2020, has alreadyreceived an offerfrom Nebraska.
Not to be forgotten, 11-year-old Bryce has also been putting in the work on the court:
This is just the latest high-profile coup for Sierra Canyon. Kenyon Martin Jr. and Scotty Pippen Jr. were a part of last year'ssquad, which went 32-3 en route to winning the state championship.
Highlights: Bronny James, North Coast Blue Chips Win LA Classic Tournament
May 27, 2019
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 28: LeBron James Jr. shoots around after a game between the LA Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers on December 28, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
Bronny James and the North Coast Blue Chips took home two wins Monday at the Los Angeles Memorial Day Classic, winning the tournament.
James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, showed off an impressive skill set in the two games, hitting a number of threes and pulling off some nice assists.
His teammate, Gabe Cupps, also showed off his all-around offensive game.
Highlights: Bronny James Leads Blue Chips to Easy Win at LA Classic Tournament
May 25, 2019
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 28: LeBron James Jr. dribbles the ball on the court before the LA Clippers game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 28, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Bronny James had a successful return to the court Saturday, leading the North CoastBlue Chips to an easy 53-26 win over the West Coast Warriors at the LA Classic Tournament.
The oldest son of LeBron James showed off his skill set in the blowout victory:
Despite being 14 years old, Bronny is generating significant attention from some of the nation's most prestigious basketball programs. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski saw his 16U Nike EYBL debut in April.
It makes sense Krzyzewski would be keeping a close eye on things, since the Blue Devils and Kentucky have had standing scholarship offers for Bronny since he was 11 years old.
"Yeah, he's already got some offers from colleges; it's pretty crazy. It should be a violation. You shouldn't be recruiting 10-year-old kids," LeBron told CBS Detroit's Mike Sullivan in February 2015.
Four years later, Bronny is doing his best to make Duke and Kentucky look good for being anxious to pursue him when he moves to the college ranks in 2023.
Of course, this is assuming Bronny even goes to college since the NBA could abandon the one-and-done rule prior to the 2022 draft.
Highlights: LeBron James' Son Bronny Battles Top Recruit Emoni Bates in AAU Game
May 11, 2019
Emoni Bates and LeBron James Jr., aka Bronny, faced off in a highly anticipated AAU game on Saturday, with James' Strive For Greatness team beating Bates Fundamentals 93-73 at Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield, Indiana.
Bates, who is considered the class of 2022's No. 1 prospect vianumeroussources, dropped 43 points and 11 rebounds, per Evan Daniels of 247Sports.
Daniels wrote that Bates could be the best freshman prospect since LeBron James and offered the following scouting report:
"Bates was sensational, showing his full scoring arsenal. From breaking down defenders off the dribble to nailing tough pull-up jumpers from mid-range and three to showing exceptional vision and passing ability, Bates did it all. His 43-point, 11-rebound outing was effortless. It was likely just a precursor of what his high school career will look like."
Bates, a 6'7" forward, received much praise from onlookers, including Eric Bossi of Rivals and Kyle Tucker of The Athletic:
Emoni Bates is just an unreal prospect. Size, athleticism, skill, motor and he’s a big time competitor. Hard to reconcile what he’s capable of with him only being 15 years old.
Emoni Bates just finished his freshman season in high school. He’s probably going to be the first HS-to-NBA player drafted after one-and-done ends. Had 43 and 11 vs. LeBron’s kid’s team today. The hype is real. I wrote a lot about him: https://t.co/L8nQ51J8Ek
Bronny scored 12 points and hit a trio of three-pointers, per Steve Helwagen of 247Sports. The 6'2" guard, who plays for Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California, is ranked 24th on Coast 2 Coast Preps' list of the top class of 2023 recruits. Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports said Bronny "[possesses] a smooth shooting stroke and handle."
Of note, he hit this nice step-back jumper that James, who attended his son's game, approved:
The four-time NBA MVP was fully involved in his son's team's win in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Tournament, per Forde:
"He walked the sideline giving post-up advice, instructing defenders, calling traps and directing inbounds plays. On a couple of occasions he hectored the officials ('That is NOT a travel!' he barked). He did a quick cameo as an athletic trainer, talking to a player about his quadricep while the kid was working on an issue with his right leg. He even did some baseline security work, chiding people for getting too close when a player went sprawling out of bounds into the throng that surrounded the court.
"He did everything but drive the team van."
Whatever James did worked, as his son's team rolled to a 20-point win.
Another high school showcase is in the books after Team Elite held on to defeat Team Future 123-122 in the 2019 Ballislife All-American Game on Saturday.
This marked the ninth year for the Ballislife contest, which features some of the nation's top college recruits putting their skills on display for their future teams.
Jahmius Ramsey and Isaiah Mobley were named co-MVPs of the game. Mobley had an excellent showing with 33 points and seven rebounds.
Coming off an appearance in the national championship game, Texas Tech is poised to make another deep tournament run next season when Ramsey arrives on campus.
It shouldn't be a surprise Ramsey shined in an All-Star game since the Texas native built his reputation in high school on dazzling fans with spectacular plays:
USC appears to be in great shape heading into next season. Head coach Andy Enfield has the fifth-ranked incoming class, per 247Sports. That group boasts two 5-star players, including Mobley and Onyeka Okongwu.
Mobley, who committed to the Trojans in May 2018, is the No. 17 overall player in this year's class, per 247Sports.
"USC, it was a good fit," he told Evan Daniels of 247Sports when he committed. "Obviously my dad has a lot of influence. It wasn’t just that, though. I like the school and I like their play style. I like how they develop their players."
Mobley's dad is USC assistant Eric Mobley. While that connection may have helped the Trojans land one of the nation's best players, but they aren't going to complain if it helps end their two-year NCAA tournament drought.
Even when Mobley was grabbing all the headlines, two of the nation's top point guards were putting on their own sideshow for the benefit of the crowd:
The clock is slowly ticking down until the next generation of elite college basketball players take the floor for the first time.
Saturday's Ballislife All-American Game was a great way to remind everyone what the future of the sport is going to look like.
Cole Anthony, James Wiseman Shine as USA Beats World at 2019 Nike Hoop Summit
Apr 13, 2019
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Cole Anthony #50 of Oak Hill Academy in Virginia drives against Nico Mannion of Pinnacle High School in Arizona during the 2019 McDonald's High School Boys All-American Game on March 27, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
Cole Anthony had 25 points and eight rebounds as Team USA beat the World Team 93-87 at the 2019 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon, on Friday.
Anthony led Team USA thanks to his proficient scoring. He was a dominant force offensively thanks to his outside shooting and iced the game with free throws down the stretch.
Tony Jones of The Athletic liked what he saw, writing that he felt Anthony was better than North Carolina Tar Heels freshman guard Coby White:
Cole Anthony is a monster.....better player than Coby White
White is projected to go fifth overall in NBADraft.net's latest mock.
Matt Prehm of 247Sports highlighted Anthony's work off the dribble:
Cole Anthony has warmed up here in the second quarter. He's got 10 points and has made two pull-up three-pointers off the dribble. Had an impressive blowby against Mannion too. https://t.co/19AfOtmbuP
Anthony, who was the MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game, is ranked fourth on 247Sports' compositelist of recruits in the class of 2019. He has not chosen his collegiate destination but is favored to pick UNC, per 247Sports.
Nico Mannion, who is the No. 1 point guard in the class of 2019, per 247Sports' composite, had 28 points, five assists and five rebounds for the World Team. David Gardner of Bleacher Report tweeted that Mannion's points came on just 12 shots.
The Arizona recruit, who was arguably the best player on the floor, did not take long to announce his presence.
He immediately scored after the tip and assisted on a three-pointer one possession later. He then stole the ball from Anthony and glided to the hoop for two to give the World Team a 7-0 edge.
After a timeout, the USA Team stormed back thanks to some tough defense to cut the World deficit to 21-19 at the first-quarter break.
Gardner was impressed and noted Arizona's bright 2019-20 future with Mannion and Josh Green, who also played for the World Team:
Arizona commit Nico Mannion leads all scorers with 7 so far at the Hoop Summit. He and Josh Green are going to be a hell of a tandem for the Wildcats this winter
Fran Franschilla of ESPN (h/t Adam Zagoria of the New York Times, Forbes and SportsNet New York) offered a comparison to ex-Duke superstar point guard Bobby Hurley, who won two national titles:
James Wiseman, who is Memphis-bound, impressed for Team USA. The 7'1" center was a tough post presence against the World Team, swatting shots like he was ex-NBA star Dikembe Mutombo.
Gardner credited Wiseman's defensive efforts:
Less than a minute into the first half at Hoop Summit, and James Wiseman has already blocked five shots. He's an elite defender, and he told me yesterday he was measured at 7'1" without shoes
Wiseman also showed his merits on the offensive end, notably nailing a spinning 360-degree layup on the fast break to give Team USA a late 86-84 lead.
Zagoria said Wiseman would be in the top five of this year's draft, which is stacked thanks to Duke forward Zion Williamson (who is expected to declare) and Murray State point guard Ja Morant:
James Wiseman would be a top-5 pick in this year's NBA Draft if there were no age limit https://t.co/QIC154PnrF
This year marked the 22nd iteration of the Summit, which has featured NBA luminaries such as Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant. Per the Nike Hoop Summit website, 27 All-Stars and four NBA MVPs have taken part in the contest. The past nine No. 1 overall draft picks have also played.
The Nation's Top-Ranked HS Basketball Teams Will Play for a National Title
Apr 3, 2019
BR Video
The nation's top high school basketball teams are heading to New York City for the GEICO Nationals. The tournament will feature many of the sport's rising stars, but which squad will take home the championship? Watch the video above to learn more about the contenders.
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Cole Anthony Wins MVP as East Beats West in 2019 McDonald's All-American Game
Mar 27, 2019
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: James Wiseman #32 of East High School in Tennessee tips off against Isaiah Stewart #33 of La Lumiere High School in Indiana during the 2019 McDonald's High School Boys All-American Game on March 27, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
The top players across high school basketball showcased their talents Wednesday night in the 2019 McDonald's All-American Game.
Cole Anthony was the biggest star of the day, winning MVP while leading the East to a 115-100 win over the West.
The undecided player finished with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with seven assists and five rebounds in an impressive individual effort at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Anthony was truly turning heads right out of the gate, both as a scorer and a passer. He totaled 10 points and four assists in the first half alone, helping his team in a variety of ways:
Cole Anthony is playing like he wants to be the MVP of this thing.
He even broke out a floater in a game where most players are only looking for dunks or threes.
The Oak Hill Academy star entered the day undecided, but he is apparently close to making his announcement. According to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog, the guard is deciding between Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Oregon and North Carolina.
One of those programs is going to get a game-changing player in 2019-20.
Precious Achiuwa also could have been a top contender for MVP after tallying 22 points for the East team, although he took 20 shots to get there.
On the West team, James Wiseman was the star, as the big used his strength and athleticism to get to the basket and finish with dunks.
The Tennessee native is considered the No. 1 prospect in the 2019 class, per 247Sports, and he is set to stay home next season while playing for Memphis.
One player who wasn't scared of Wiseman was Washington commit Isaiah Stewart, who had a few big dunks during the game:
This inbounds slam by Isaiah Stewart in the @McDAAG 🔥
Future Kentucky star Tyrese Maxey also put on a show with his aggressive play down the stretch, plus his willingness to shoot from well beyond the arc.
Among the lesser-known players in this game, few were more impressive than West Virginia-bound Oscar Tshiebwe:
Isaiah Stewart was the most consistent competitor this week in @McDAAG practice. Oscar Tshiebwe was the one guy that most NBA personnel knew nothing about that impressed them the most. Each have been more than good tonight
Scouts loved him the entire week, and he finished it off with a good night for the West team.
It wasn't the cleanest game—featuring no defense and missed jump shots—but several recruits were able to show what they can do in this exhibition.
This event has always been a big one for high school players, especially considering the history of it. Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and more have played in the McDonald's All-American Game, and everyone who suits up is hoping to be next on the list.
Zion Williamson jumped from this game in 2018 to an impressive freshman year at Duke this season.
Just about every player in this year's competition believes he has that level of upside, and this game showed we could be in for a big 2019-20 season in college basketball.
McDonald's All American Game 2019: TV Schedule and Top Committed Stars
Mar 27, 2019
MARIETTA, GA - MARCH 25: (L-R) Wendell Moore Jr., Anthony Edwards and Trayce Jackson-Davis react during the 2019 Powerade Jam Fest on March 25, 2019 in Marietta, Georgia. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images for Powerade)
The best high school basketball talent in the United States takes the court in Atlanta on Wednesday for the 2019 McDonald's All-American Game.
Duke, Florida, Arizona and Kentucky are among the elite programs with multiple committed players participating in the exhibition.
But unlike last year when Duke dominated the recruiting circuit, programs with newer head coaches like Memphis and Georgia have locked up the signatures of the top recruits in the class of 2019, many of which will be on display on Wednesday.
The No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2019 will be tasked with bringing Memphis back to the NCAA men's basketball tournament for the first time since 2014.
According to Christian Fowler of 247Sports, James Wiseman hasn't been stopped much during the first two days of practice in Atlanta:
Day 2 of McDonald’s All-American practice, and James Wiseman still can’t be stopped.
He missed the first one over Matthew Hurt, but everyone knows how good he is with the put-backs 💪🏼💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/qPdMvCIQ1f
Wiseman comes to the Tigers with plenty of pressure since he'll be playing for his hometown side, and he's expected to make a massive impact on the program, as head coach Penny Hardaway told Drew Hill of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
"He's going to have a major, major impact," Hardaway said. "He's going to have his ups and downs, but because of his athleticism, the attention that he'll draw, and what he can do offensively and defensive, he's going to have a huge impact."
Wiseman is just the first of what Hardaway hopes is many of homegrown talents stays home to build the Tigers into a power in The American.
The big man should help the Tigers improve on their 22-14 record in Hardaway's first season in charge in which they won one game in the NIT.
Anthony Edwards, Committed to Georgia
Tom Crean's first major signing at Georgia was shooting guard Anthony Edwards.
According to Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, Edwards impressed with his shooting during a scrimmage:
Good intensity during McD's AA scrimmage. Some hope for the game tomorrow. Few 1st half notes—Impressive display of shotmaking from Anthony Edwards, Whitney. Cole Anthony focusing on facilitating. Wiseman trying to show off skill with pair of silly long-2 fallaways (misses)...
Edwards is one of a few recruits who should help boost the Bulldogs in the SEC during Crean's second year in charge.
Edwards told Chip Towers of DawgNationthat he likes what he's seen out of the job Georgia's staff has done in the recruiting process.
"I feel like we’re doing pretty good. Since I committed I feel like there’s a lot of people that will want to play with me. So I feel like we’re going to get a lot of players. They’re not looping me in or anything like that. They’re just doing it on their own and I like what I see.”
Just like Wiseman at Memphis, Edwards is expected to raise the level of quality at Georgia, who has to build off an 11-21 season and a second-to-last finish in the SEC.
Cole Anthony had 
