Bronny James diagnosed with congenital heart defect which ‘can and will be treated’

From @USATODAYSports: A spokesperson said the James family is confident Bronny can play basketball in the ‘very near future.’

What matters the most is that Bronny James can lead a normal and healthy life, with or without basketball. Health and safety come first. After Bronny James suffered cardiac arrest this past July, there was no point in speculating whether Bronny would return to the court to play. We had to wait and see what Bronny’s situation was.

What was the diagnosis? What, if anything, caused his health scare? Would there be a realistic path toward full recovery and a chance to play basketball, or would Bronny have to sacrifice an athletic career so that he could live a full life and pursue a new path with help from his father, LeBron James?

New information has emerged on Friday. Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports reports that Bronny James has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. A James family spokesperson said this condition “can and will be treated.”

The spokesman added the following in Zillgitt’s report:

“We are very confident in Bronny’s full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to provide updates to media and respectfully reiterate the family’s request for privacy.”

Medical experts at Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic (Bronny was treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and then received a follow-up examination at the Mayo Clinic) say that a congenital heart defect (CHD) is a relatively common birth defect. It can have varying degrees of severity. The evaluation of Bronny appears to point to a manageable situation which won’t end his playing career.

With all of this having been said, there is still no timetable for a return and no preliminary clues or details which might tell us when Bronny could be ready to play. Nevertheless, the report that this condition is treatable and able to be improved is excellent news for Bronny James.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 tag=696092282]