STORY STARTS HERE: According to LeBron James, fans won’t have to wait long to see his son LeBron “Bronny” James Jr. make his college debut.
Bronny followed in his father’s footsteps as he took his talents to Southern California to play for the USC Trojans. As his dad was getting ready for his fifth year with the Los Angeles Lakers and his twenty-first year in the NBA, Bronny was all set to play for the Trojans — until a freak medical problem landed the player on the bench.
During a summer practice with his new team on July 24, the 19-year-old freshman experienced a cardiac arrest, where his heart abruptly stopped without warning. Bronny received help through CPR and the aid of an AED, and he was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
In a statement from the medical facility, they said that he arrived “fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable.” Bronny was discharged from the hospital on July 27 and returned home to rest. At the time, the medical facility said that Bronny’s “workup will be ongoing,” but they did not say how the cardiac arrest had happened nor what had caused it.
After the harrowing event the Bronny and his father went to multiple other medical facilities to see if they could find the reason behind the cardiac arrest. The pair were seen leaving the Minnesota Mayo Clinic on Aug. 8, and on Aug 25, the James family made a public statement about the ordeal.
The James Family Foundation released a statement saying that “after multiple comprehensive evaluations,” they found the probable cause for his sudden cardiac arrest. “It is an anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect which can and will be treated.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, a congenital heart defect “consists of one or more problems with the heart’s structure that typically develop before birth.” The statement continued, “We are very confident in Bronny’s full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future.”
Following the news of Bronny’s heart defect, some people felt it should be the end of Bronny’s career. One online commenter said, “He better just leave basketball and just live off his Dad’s billions. Go read computer science and enter IT.” Another person said, “I hope he does NOT play on that level anymore! Like, why risk it!?”
I hope he does NOT play on that level anymore! Like why risk it!?😫
— CLEVERGYRL (@clevergyrl) August 26, 2023
Bronny’s health issues have drawn comparisons to former college basketball star Hank Gathers who had a similar heart condition that likely caused more schools to be cautious about college athletes playing through a heart condition or other health issues.
The Loyola Marymount University power forward stumbled and collapsed on the court after fainting during a 1989 game against UC Santa Barbara. Three months later in March 1990, he collapsed again and suffered a cardiac arrest. His death made national headlines, leading to the establishment of emergency plans and training coaches and staff on how to give CPR and how to respond in a quick, effective manner.
While those naysayers believe Bronny should stop playing, the teen has been gearing up for his return to the court. On Nov. 19, Bronny debuted for the first time as a USC Trojan when he was a part of the team’s pregame warm-up before their game against the University of California, Irvine.
Bronny did not play in the game, but LeBron James said it’s only a matter of time. After the game. “Today’s game was the first game he got an opportunity to warm up with his team. So, he’s almost there. … He’s almost there,” James told reporters after his Lakers narrowly defeated the Houston Rockets 105-104 at the Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles.
The Trojans’ head coach, Andy Enfield, also discussed the timetable for Bronny’s return. He said that Bronny was “a big part” of the team, but the decision to get him back on the court was not his to make.
