After a very strong senior season at Sierra Canyon School in the San Fernando Valley, Bronny James saw his stock rise considerably. It rose enough for him to sign with the University of Southern California to play college basketball for the Trojans.
However, his burgeoning career was nearly derailed when he suffered a cardiac arrest episode during the summer. He was briefly hospitalized, but after undergoing tests, including some administered at the famed Mayo Clinic, he was given a positive prognosis despite being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.
The Trojans began their season on Monday, defeating Kansas State, 82-69, without James. According to his father, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, the younger James will undergo a medical exam later this month. If he’s cleared, he should return to the practice court and game action, shortly afterward.
Via ESPN:
“Things are going in the right direction with Bronny’s progress,” James said after the Lakers’ 108-107 loss to the Miami Heat. “He’s doing rehab. Every week he gets to do more and more and more. We have a big moment at the end of this month to see if we can continue to go forward. If he’s cleared, we’ll be not too long away from him being back on the floor and back with his teammates and practicing, with the notion of being back on the floor and playing in game situations.”
The sports world already witnessed one inspiring case of an athlete returning to play following a life-threatening heart condition when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin returned to the football field after nearly dying late last season during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hopefully the younger James will be the next to do so by getting a fully clean bill of health.