As an Ohio-born basketball phenom recognized throughout much of the world, LeBron Raymone James Jr.’s teenage years share a lot in common with his famous father’s.

Bronny, as he’s known, has been a celebrity for nearly as long as LeBron, having been born in 2004 as the elder James was embarking on his illustrious NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

And as he’s grown from LeBron’s adorable sidekick into one of the most prized college recruits in the country, 18-year-old Bronny has become a product spokesman, endorsing the same brands that already pay his father: Nike, Beats by Dre.

But with his highly-anticipated college decision on the horizon, Bronny is finally set to differentiate himself from LeBron.

For starters, his father skipped the NCAA level in 2003 because the NBA had yet to implement its controversial one-and-done rule, requiring prospects to be one year removed from their high school class’s graduation before being draft eligible.

Bronny James has been a constant for father LeBron throughout his career

Sierra Canyon’s Bronny James drives to the basket during a high school game between Sierra Canyon and Wheeler in The Chosen-1’s Invitational at Galen Center on January 7

At the time, LeBron was already perceived as a generational talent, capable of competing against the NBA’s best long before he was even eligible to vote.

But Bronny is not pegged to be the ‘Next LeBron,’ nor is he some watered-down version of the Los Angeles Lakers superstar. Instead, the combo guard at the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, California, is very much his own player, and one that some insiders see as a potential top-10 pick in 2024.

Bronny has always been a highly visible part of LeBron’s orbit alongside mother Savannah – LeBron’s high school sweetheart from Akron – as well as younger siblings Bryce and Zhuri.

But it wasn’t until 2019, when he enrolled at Sierra Canyon alongside the son of his father’s former teammate, Dwyane Wade, that Bronny began drawing attention for his own play.

Since then, Bronny has filled out to 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, a far cry from his 6-foot-9 father, but plenty tall enough given his athleticism and defensive skills that have drawn scholarship offers from Ohio State, Oregon, and USC, among others.

‘As most of his peers have flatlined the past 12 to 18 months, James has grown, filled out his frame, found another gear with his explosiveness and become an absolute terror off the ball defensively thanks to his outstanding intensity and feel for the game,’ NBA Draft guru Jonathan Givony wrote for ESPN.

‘He still has plenty of room to improve his ballhandling and pull-up jumper to become a more prolific and efficient shot creator, but he has already caught the eyes of NBA decision-makers with the way he contributes to winning and likely will continue to grow and fill out his game.’

Despite a minor knee injury, Bronny’s stat line has been solid, if not spectacular: 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game as a senior, according to the Los Angeles Times.