Lakers star LeBron James’ son Bronny is heading to USC in the fall and the school is already rolling out the red carpet.
A member of Sierra Canyon School’s Class of 2023, the 18-year-old has already committed to playing basketball at USC next year, where he is expected to be among the top freshmen in the nation.
The program is reportedly beginning preparations for the new tier of scrutiny – and potential A-list stars – Bronny’s arrival will signal.
According ESPN’s Myron Medcalf.
The college also plans to beef up its security measures to deal with the presence of Bronny and famous personalities, including his NBA icon father, and the increased attendance that will bring.
USC begins preparations for new level of screening ahead of Bronny James arrival
The 6-foot-3 guard signed his national letter of intent to attend and play at USC last week
The 18-year-old graduated from Sierra Canyon High School earlier this week
Even without his famous dad, Bronny would have been a star attraction as a five-star rookie, California’s fourth-best prospect, fifth-best combo guard and 21st-best prospect in the nation.
Bronny received scholarship offers from USC, Memphis and Ohio State while attracting interest from Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Oregon.
The report on USC’s preparations comes after proud dad LeBron and wife Savannah watched the rising star graduate this week.
The couple were seen beaming at their eldest son Bronny’s graduation on Thursday, where the 18-year-old’s girlfriend was mysteriously missing after days of racist abuse online.
Bronny has been targeted by fanatics on social media after photos surfaced from his senior prom showing the future USC basketball player alongside his white date, 19-year-old Peyton Gelfuso.
Despite the despicable attacks, Bronny shrugged off his critics on Thursday as he walked across the stage in Chatsworth, Calif., to receive his diploma.
LeBron and Savannah couldn’t hide their excitement. After the Lakers’ season-ending loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, LeBron was seen grinning from ear to ear with his arms around Bronny and his other son, Bryce. Meanwhile, LeBron’s high school sweetheart Savannah was seen doting on Bronny while adjusting her dress and belt.
The elder James commemorated the occasion on Instagram, telling Bronny to “keep flying high”.
James looks delighted as he walks across the football pitch on the special graduation day
James beams as he takes the stage at the Class of 2023 ceremony on Thursday
The momentous moment came days after he suited up for his prom before playing college basketball next season.
The NBA icon’s eldest son looked dapper in an all-black suit while attending the school prom in California in photos shared by his mother, Savannah James, on Instagram.
He appeared with his rumored girlfriend Peyton Gelfuso, 19, who dazzled in a strapless black satin dress.
Gelfuso appears to split her time between Los Angeles and Dallas while attending Southern Methodist University (SMU), where she is a member of the Tri Delta sorority, according to her Instagram bio.
Bronny also attended prom with Gelfuso last year, but faced vile racist abuse this year for taking a white girl to her high school prom after sharing footage of the happy couple.
Some people on the internet weren’t happy with her decision to take someone “light-skinned” to prom, and social media was soon flooded with a slew of nasty comments about the couple.
The 18-year-old posed with his alleged girlfriend Peyton Gelfuso, 19, who wowed in black
Gelfuso previously attended Sierra Canyon High School, where Bronny is a senior
“Not a light skinned woman yet,” one person wrote, while another added, “Welp on the bright side LeBron has more kids.” Maybe they will do better.
“That girl is whiter than white bruh,” someone else said.
A fourth tweet read, “I should have had a black queen like her dad,” along with an angry face emoji.
“I lost another black king to a money hungry white girl,” another Twitter user tweeted. “Bron needs to do better SMH.”
Someone else called her a ‘gold digger’, quoting the lyrics to Kanye West’s song Gold Digger, while others simply shared GIFs and memes showing their disappointment at her choice of date.
