Damian Lillard’s honest take on Bronny James’ NBA Draft Combine display

“This actually crazy to see,” was all Damian Lillard could say after seeing highlights of Bronny James in the NBA Draft Combine.

The former USC player is gunning to be a pick in the middle of the first round. But, it looks like he could be going higher in the draft given how much talent he has shown in the NBA Draft Combine activities.

A challenge that he did well in was the three-point shooting drill. He sank 19 out of his 25 attempts from deep and sat in second place among other draft aspirants. This is a good outing that showcases his abilities better than the ones in the USC season. Here, he is more composed and dealing with less health concerns. Moreover, the numbers that he is putting out also took a spike. The fact that he shot that well in the NBA Draft Combine shows more promise than his horrid 26.7% from way out with Coach Andy Enfield.

There are also other opportunities for him to shine in the NBA Draft Combine. He becomes the primary defender for ball handlers rather than it being Isaiah Collier or Boogie Ellis. This has elevated his comparison from Gary Harris to the likes of Davion Mitchell and Jrue Holiday.

Bronny James in the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages

It may have taken some time but it looks like he has finally come into form. Aside from the drills and tests, Bronny James has been doing phenomenal in the scrimmages. He got teamed up with big names like Baylor Scheierman, Alex Karaban, Adem Bona, Mark Sears, and Antonio Reeves among others. Their first win against the KJ Simpson-led squad went as expected. They pulled out the win but the production that James gave may not have been recorded on the stat sheet.

Instead, he was locking up guys and preventing them from popping off. He netted two steals due to his skills in anticipating the passing lanes and reading the ball handler’s motions, just like LeBron James.

Moreover, he added to this performance in the second scrimmage. James had to face tougher competition with Jamal Shead, Trey Alexander, and Peyton Sandfort all getting assigned to him. His three-and-d prowess popped out and he delivered a game-high 13 points. Furthermore, the defense that he showcases was also insanely elite. Whether it was anticipating coverages for a weak side cutter or making the right call to contest over screens, there was a lot of his defensive arsenal that was on display.

LeBron James, Damian Lillard, and other stars have gone on to praise the player out of USC. Will front office members do the same?