Bronny James intends to play for USC this season after suffering a cardiac arrest episode during a team workout in July, LeBron James said during Los Angeles Lakers media day on Monday.
James said Bronny, his 19-year-old son and a freshman guard with the Trojans, had undergone “successful surgery” as he continues to rehab and work his way toward a comeback to the hardwood.
Bronny was hospitalized for three days at a hospital in Los Angeles following the incident. His family later released a statement that said a congenital heart defect was the likely cause and they believed Bronny’s condition could be treated.
While he has not rejoined the Trojans program, who began practice for the 2023-24 season last week, Bronny is on campus taking classes.
“Bronny is doing extremely well,” LeBron said Monday. “He has begun his rehab process to get back on the floor this season with his teammates at USC. The successful surgery that he had … he’s on the up and up. It’s definitely a whirlwind and a lot of emotions for our family this summer, but the best thing we have is each other.”
Bronny is a highly decorated five-star recruit in the 2023 class with great shooting ability and ball handling skills and a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft. With Isaiah Collier (the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class, per ESPN) and Boogie Ellis, a returning vet, USC is projected to be an NCAA tournament team and a Pac-12 contender.
USC coach Andy Enfield told ESPN this past summer that Bronny’s basketball IQ I off the chart and is his most appealing trait. During practice last week, Enfield told reporters that he was limited in what he could discuss about Bronny’s recovery but said, “We’re really excited for him.”
This is not their first rodeo dealing with this kind of issue. The USC men’s basketball team has dealt with two heart-related incidents over the past 15 months. In July 2022, Vincent Iwuchukwu, a 7-foot-1 center, suffered cardiac arrest during a team workout. He averaged 5.4 points per game after he returned to the team in January.
James said his family endured a difficult summer following his son’s medical incident, but he said Bronny is looking forward to his full recovery and next steps.
“We stuck behind each other and gave Bronny strength throughout the whole process,” James said. “We’re happy to see where he is today. We look forward to seeing what his future still has in store for him.”
