Bronny James, a freshman guard at USC and the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, is on track to make a comeback to the basketball court soon, according to a statement by a family spokesperson. Bronny had experienced cardiac arrest during a workout session in July, but his recovery is progressing well.
The cause of Bronny James’ cardiac arrest has been identified as a congenital heart defect. This condition was initially detected during an assessment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and further evaluations were conducted at the Mayo Clinic and Atlantic Health-Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey.
A congenital heart defect refers to an abnormality in the structure of the heart that is present from birth. It occurs when the heart or nearby blood vessels do not develop normally during prenatal stages.
The family spokesperson assured that the congenital heart defect, although significant in both anatomy and function, is treatable. The James family has expressed strong confidence in Bronny’s complete recovery and his return to basketball in the near future. The family requests privacy during this time and will continue to provide updates to the media.
Bronny James was discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center three days after the cardiac arrest incident, which occurred on July 24 at USC’s Galen Center.
This incident took place almost a year after another USC player, Vincent Iwuchukwu, collapsed during a workout due to a heart condition. Iwuchukwu managed to return to the court in January and participated in 14 games during his freshman year.
Bronny James, who joined USC in May as a highly regarded five-star recruit, was initially projected to be a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NBA draft. There was even speculation that he might have the opportunity to play alongside his father, LeBron James, at the professional level.
Anticipations were high for the Trojans, who were set to contend for a Pac-12 championship and a place in the NCAA tournament. In addition to Bronny James, USC’s roster includes experienced player Boogie Ellis and the promising addition of Isaiah Collier, ESPN’s top-ranked recruit in the class of 2023.
