LeBron’s son among star high school prospects set to play in Miami in October
Bronny James — son of LeBron — is coming to Miami.
On Oct. 9-10, James will be among numerous high school basketball standouts who will be competing at Florida Memorial University’s gym in Miami Gardens.
James, 16, is the No. 49 junior in the nation, according to ESPN.com, and the 6-foot-4 point guard plays for Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles.
Before LeBron James bolted for the Los Angeles Lakers in July of 2018, Bronny played travel ball with the Miami City Ballers and coach Alex Garcia.
Now, Bronny James is set to return as a more fully formed college prospect.
“Bronny’s vision is really good,” said Garcia, who believes James could eventually sign with Kentucky or Ohio State. “He’s not quite the scorer yet, but he understands the game. He is a vocal leader, a high-assist guy.
“His game will evolve, but he is team-first guy who has a lot of talent around him. He doesn’t have the pressure of having to carry the team.”
That’s because the Sierra Canyon team has at least five other all-stars, and they are all set to compete in the Oct 9-10 showcase:
▪ Amari Bailey: California’s reigning Mr. Basketball — is a 6-5 senior shooting guard and a UCLA recruit. He averaged 29.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists last season, and he is ranked the nation’s fourth-best senior by ESPN.
▪ Isaiah Elohim, a 6-5 guard, is the nation’s fourth-ranked sophomore. As a freshman at Heritage Christian, he averaged 20.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals.
▪ Ramel Lloyd Jr., a 6-6 senior point guard, is a Nebraska recruit who averaged 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season.
▪ Kijani Wright, a 6-8 senior center, is ranked 37th in the nation and has committed to Southern Cal.
▪ Mikey Price, a 6-1 point guard, is ranked 36thin the junior class.
Bronny James fits right in with those elite players.
“The crowds and lights don’t bother him,” said Garcia, who is now an assistant coach at Miami High. “He’s relaxed. He doesn’t take bad shots. Once in awhile, he will dunk the ball, and you will see his electric talent.”
Next month’s showcase, presented by Gold Level Sports and Entertainment, was brought to Florida Memorial by FMU assistant coach Jacob Shaw.
Sierra Canyon, competing under its “California Basketball Club” moniker, will play Vertical Academy (Charlotte, North Carolina) at 8 p.m. on Oct. 9. On Oct. 10, Sierra Canyon’s guys will play Broward power Calvary Christian (known as KT Kings in this showcase) at 5 p.m.
Vertical Academy is led by Mikey Williams, a 6-2 combo guard who averaged 21.2 points last season. He is the nation’s No. 11 junior;
There are three other games at FMU on Oct. 9 and two more on Oct. 10. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased through www.TheBattleOfficial.com.
Among the local stars competing in the showcase are the Boozer twins of Miami Columbus. The freshmen are the sons of former NBA standout Carlos Boozer.
In addition, Calvary Christian is led by 6-6 senior forward Gregg Glenn, who has offers from Miami, FSU and Florida, among others; 6-3 shooting guard Marvel Allen, who is the nation’s 14th-ranked junior; and 6-9 center Taylor Hendricks, who has committed to UCF and is the No. 54 senior in the nation.