Less than a year before Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James made his professional debut in the NBA summer league, his life was at risk when he suffered cardiac arrest during a USC men’s basketball practice at the Galen Center.
The USC training staff immediately assisted Bronny and rushed him to the hospital, where he stayed for three days. Bronny was later diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, which he underwent surgery for, and was cleared to resume playing basketball less than five months later.
In the newly released Netflix docuseries *Starting 5*, Bronny’s parents, LeBron and Savannah James, shared their thoughts on the terrifying incident.
“Shout-out to the man above, first of all, and to the coaching and training staff and everyone involved with the program,” LeBron said in the docuseries. “They’re the reason Bronny is alive, smiling, thriving, and living out his dream like any 19-year-old should.”
LeBron also reflected on the difficulty of the situation, saying, “It was a tough few months watching our son go through what he was dealing with. It impacted all of us at home.”
Savannah added, “At the end of the day, it was about supporting each other and being incredibly thankful for the positive outcome.”
Bronny would make his return to the court on Dec. 10 for the Trojans, scoring four points in his collegiate debut. He appeared in 25 games for USC, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Following his freshman season at USC, Bronny declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, where he was drafted by the Lakers No. 55 overall in the draft. Bronny made his NBA debut during the summer league, and has played again for the Lakers during the team’s first three 2024 preseason. Bronny has recorded two points, two rebounds, and one assist across three postseason games.
LeBron and Bronny officially made NBA history during the Lakers’ second game of the preseason, becoming the first father-son duo to play in the league at the same time when the two saw playing time briefly during the game.
The Lakers have two more preseason games before the regular season begins, and will play their next game on Thursday, Oct. 17 against the Phoenix Suns. After that, they’ll face the Golden State Warriors on Friday, Oct. 18.