UVA fans frustrated with the production, lack thereof, of Andrew Rohde, ought to consider the case of Southern Cal freshman Bronny James, who thinks he can take his, ahem, talents to the NBA, with numbers that are quite unimpressively Rohde-like.
The counting numbers in 2023-2024 for James: 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game, 36.6 percent shooting from the field, 26.7 percent shooting from three.
The counting numbers in 2023-2024 for Rohde: 4.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists per game, 29.3 percent shooting from the field, 25.7 percent shooting from three.
We’re told, by the Bronny apologists, that we need to consider his cardiac arrest last summer when we look at his numbers at Southern Cal in 2023-2024.
OK, so, that might be another reason, other than the awful counting numbers, for NBA teams to stay away from James, at least for now.
We’re also told that James is a supposedly elite defender, though his Synergy Sports numbers suggest, nah.
Per Synergy Sports data, James allowed opponents to shoot 37.1 percent from the floor, and score 0.896 points per possession, which Synergy Sports deems to be “average.”
The Synergy Sports defense numbers for Rohde: 35.1 percent shooting from the floor for opponents, 0.842 points per possession.
Synergy Sports calls those numbers “good.”
It does help Bronny James that his father is LeBron James, of course.
Andrew Rohde’s father: Kevin Rohde.
Nothing against the elder Rohde, but he’s not going to be able to pressure an NBA front office to take a chance on his kid because of anything he’s doing at IVEC Systems.
Bronny is more likely to end up back in college, and reports are that he’ll probably land off the transfer portal at Duquesne, whose new coach, Dru Joyce, played high-school ball at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron with LBJ.
As much fun as it might be to have Bronny at Virginia – and, from a clicks perspective, it would be tons of fun, in addition to majorly lucrative, for me – Tony Bennett needs a big who can shoot threes, rebound and defend the post, not another guard who can’t shoot and, in the case of Bronny James, is basically a replacement-level guy on defense.
Now, if Andrew Rohde decides to put his name into the NBA Draft pool, well …
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Chris Graham
