Bronny James, a freshman at USC and the eldest son of Lakers star LeBron James, has been cleared to play and will officially play in Sunday’s first game as the Trojans face Long Beach State. announced before the game.
USC coach Andy Enfield told reporters Thursday that James will make his collegiate debut after James participated in full-contact practice for the first time after suffering cardiac arrest during preseason training in late July. He said he hopes to fulfill his mission.
James participated on a limited basis in USC’s practice earlier this week.
USC is off to a 5-3 start this season without James for Sunday’s home game vs. Long Beach State, but he will likely face a limitation. How many minutes is he scheduled to play?.
“Everyone is looking forward to seeing Bronny on the court,” Enfield said earlier this week. “Fans, teammates, everyone around our program and university. Bronny has done a great job of recovering to this point, both mentally and physically, and is very anxious to get back to playing full-time. We’re looking forward to watching him play.”
The Trojans will face the 49ers on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., and can be watched live streaming on Pac-12 Network and Fubo (Try it for free — for a limited time, new subscribers can save $20 on Fubo’s Pro, Elite, and Premier plans.)
James’ return to medical care came days after he received the green light from his own doctors late last week and after being cleared by doctors at the University of Southern California.
“Bronny James has now been cleared by doctors to fully return to basketball,” a spokesperson for James’ family said in a statement. “Bronny will undergo a final evaluation with USC staff this week and is expected to resume practice next week and return to play shortly thereafter. The James family would like to thank his incredible medical team, the entire USC community, and especially his countless friends. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family and fans for their love and support. Fight on! ”
James suffered cardiac arrest during summer training with the Trojans and was hospitalized in July. In August, his doctors determined that a congenital heart defect was the cause of his heart attack.
“Comprehensive initial evaluation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center led by Dr. Melijeh Chukhumeljeh and follow-up at Mayo Clinic led by Dr. Michael J. Ackerman and Atlantic Health/Morristown Medical Center led by Dr. Matthew W. Martinez “After evaluation, a probable cause of Mr. James’ sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) was determined,” the family said in a statement obtained by CBS Sports. “This is an anatomically and functionally significant congenital heart defect that is treatable and will be treated.”
With his high basketball IQ and unselfish attitude, James is considered the perfect role player for the Trojans who could complement Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier in the backcourt. James is very aggressive defensively and is a player who can impact wins when games matter in March.
Where is Bronny’s NBA draft stock?
Before James had health concerns over the summer that put his career in jeopardy. I doubt him seen As a late lottery/Early first round pick in NBA Draft In various mock drafts by CBS Sports.Inside Kyle Boone Latest mock draft Earlier this week, James was traded as a first-round pick.
Many factors come into play when considering his future draft stock. The first and most obvious thing is how he looks on the basketball court. The reason James was considered a potential first-round pick in the first place is because his style of play fits the modern NBA game. James is a great defensive player and has a high basketball IQ. Both take it to the next level.
Another factor in his draft stock is his last name. His father, LeBron James, has expressed his desire to play alongside his son in the NBA many times over the years. The older James signed a two-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers last summer through the 2024-25 season. It’s possible teams could be tempted to draft the younger James knowing his father will be transferred to their respective teams.
If James returns and plays well, he will certainly be a favorite after this season. The Trojans are considered one of the favorites to win the Pac-12, and a strong performance over the final four months of the season could only help his draft stock going forward. After all, the 2024 draft class is not considered as strong at the top as last year, so a player like James could sneak up draft boards next summer.
Cardiac arrest in college basketball player
Unfortunately, James was not the first member of the University of Southern California basketball program to suffer cardiac arrest during team practice. USC big man Vincent Iwchuk suffered a cardiac arrest last summer that caused him to miss the first 16 games of the 2022-23 season. James has missed USC’s first seven games so far this season.
Florida wing Keyontae Johnson in late 2020 suffered the most famous cardiac event of the time. At the college level in recent memory. Johnson, a projected first-round pick at the time, collapsed on the court during a game against Florida State. He was then diagnosed with sudden cardiac arrest. Johnson did not play the remainder of his season, sitting out the entire 2021-22 season before returning to the court at Kansas State last season.
Former Baylor star Jared Butler was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in the United States, at age 18 and preparing to start his college career. Although Butler became an All-American player, his health problems were noted during the NBA Draft process, and he was not selected with the 40th pick in 2021.
CBS Sports NBA Draft Expert Kyle Boone contributed to this report