Bronny James got a hard sell from Oregon at the Nike Hoop Summit

PORTLAND — The annual Nike Hoop Summit in has built a reputation as the must-see event to watch future NBA superstars before they become household names. Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson, and several other of the biggest names in the sport have taken the court at the Moda Center before they ever stepped foot on a college court. The 2023 edition was notable for two reasons: it was the first Hoop Summit to feature a women’s game, and it was the first to feature a player who is already a household name.

You could hear the name every time the crowd quieted during free throws. From the upper bowl of the arena it seemed like every child in the arena was there to see the only player who hasn’t yet committed to a college: Bronny James, son of LeBron. The University of Oregon, just two hours south by way of I-5, is reportedly on Bronny’s shortlist, and in many ways the event felt like Oregon’s pitch to Bronny.

We’ll get to that, but first I want to talk about the women’s game. If you’re reading this outside the city limits of Baton Rouge, I have some bad news: LSU and Kim Mulkey are not going anywhere. Future Tiger Mikaylah Williams was the best player on the floor, dazzling the crowd en route to 22 points in 23 minutes. She shot 6-of-7 from three point range. The rich get richer.

The other standout player has yet to commit to a school, which should change soon. Canadian dunking sensation Toby Fournier put up a heroic performance with 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. She pushed the ball in transition, found the free throw line regularly, and played smart lockdown defense. Wherever she ends up going to college is getting a phenomenal two way player.

Shortly after the men’s game tipped off, a camera in the arena panned around to show all the celebrities in attendance to watch Bronny & co. There was, naturally, LeBron James sprawled courtside (big cheers), Draymond Green (big boos), Steve Kerr (reserved cheers), and Peja Stojaković (a smattering of applause that seemed to say ‘wait who is that very tan man?’).

But the loudest cheers of the night, even louder than for Bronny, were reserved for point guard Jackson Shelstad, who hails from a Portland suburb and will be wearing a Ducks jersey next year. Shelstad had a perfectly respectable game with eight points and a team-high +16.

Oregon fans hoping to see James in Eugene next year had to like what they saw from the two guards, especially a sequence in the first quarter where they led a full court press that resulted in multiple turnovers. Bronny and Shelstad bumped chests after a timeout and it seemed like they had a genuine camaraderie. “We talk about Oregon,” Bronny said about Shelstad earlier in the week. “I like his game a lot. He shoots the ball well and he’s a fast point guard. He makes smart decisions. Everyone likes to play with a good point guard who can make good decisions.”

Also on Bronny’s shortlist is USC and their incoming Naismith Player of the Year Isaiah Collier, who was conveniently also playing in the Nike Hoop Summit. Collier showed off a little of everything with 11 points, three assists and two steals, but notably didn’t share the floor with James for more than a few minutes of game time. With this and the recent announcement that star guard Boogie Ellis is returning for another season in a Trojans jersey, there’s a legitimate question of if there is room for Bronny James on the USC roster.

Meanwhile, future Duke Blue Devil Mackenzie Mgbako was astonishing for the world team, scoring 22 points with eight rebounds and a couple of deep threes. Andrej Stojakovic, son of the aforementioned Peja, showed off the sharpshooting he’s bringing to Stanford with a pair of corner triples. And Ronald Holland put together the most complete game of any player of the night with 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a Hoop Summit record six steals. He’s heading to a Texas Longhorns team hoping to improve upon the Elite 8 run they made this year.

Watch full highlights of the 2023 boys Nike Hoop Summit game here:

Bronny’s brief postgame media appearance offered no further clarity on the biggest question surrounding the event, but with all the pomp and circumstance that Nike and Portland could offer, they made their pitch. “At the end of the day, it’s my decision,” Bronny said during a practice earlier in the week. “I’m going to make the right one to me.”