LeBron James’ son Bronny suffers cardiac arrest at USC practice
Bronny James suffered cardiac arrest while practicing at USC on Monday.
LeBron James confirmed the scare involving his son as he prepared for his first season with the Trojans in a statement to TMZ.
“[Monday] while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest,” the James family said. “Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information.”
Bronny was rushed to the hospital after a 911 call was made at 9:26 a.m. from the Galen Center, where USC practices. Bronny, 18, was a four-star recruit after starring at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, Calif.
“LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes,” the statement said.
According to TMZ, Bronny was unconscious before he was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
A 911 dispatcher can also be heard saying “unconscious” in audio obtained by the outlet.
The medical emergency was a Code 3, according to TMZ, which signifies emergency teams arriving at the scene with ambulance lights and sirens.
Bronny, the oldest son of James, is entering his freshman year at USC.
In May, he announced his commitment to play for the Trojans next season, writing the school’s slogan, “Fight On,” in a post on Instagram.
Here's everything to know about Bronny James' cardiac arrest
Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of NBA superstar LeBron James, went into cardiac arrest during a basketball practice with his team at the University of Southern California on Monday.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Group cardiologist Merije Chukumerije said in a statement Thursday that Bronny “has been discharged home, where he is resting.”
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It’s too soon to know how Bronny’s episode will affect his basketball career, since it largely depends on the underlying causes of the cardiac arrest.
“When they come up with a mechanism for why he had the cardiac arrest, you could then and only then make an informed decision regarding his recovery and his ability to go back on the court,” Dr. Marc Cohen, Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Newark-Beth Israel Medical Center, told The Post.
Bronny — a 6-foot-3 combo guard — averaged 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists at Sierra Canyon in his senior season, during which he was named a McDonald’s All-American.
In March, Bronny competed in the slam dunk competition at the high school showcase, which took place 20 years after his dad won the dunk contest as part of the McDonald’s All-American festivities.
Bronny, who turns 19 in October, becomes eligible for the NBA draft in 2024.
James and Savannah also share a son Bryce, 16, and daughter Zhuri, 8.
The Lakers superstar, who became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on Feb. 7, previously said he hopes to play alongside Bronny in the NBA.
“That’s the plan! God willing,” James said during a Twitter Q&A with fans in May 2022.
The Post asked Dr. Marc Cohen, Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Newark-Beth Israel Medical Center, what might have been the underlying causes of the incident.
“The heart has two major coronary arteries — the right coronary artery and the left main coronary artery. Those arteries come off at certain angles of the large blood vessel called the aorta,” Dr. Cohen said. “If you’re born with those arteries coming off in unusual places, they may not manifest any problem for years, and then as you get older it’s possible that during a larger amount of exertion the different origin of that coronary artery can result in a restriction of the amount of blood that flows to that artery.
“So, the first way that this could happen is if he was born with an Anomalous Coronary Artery. That could trigger a sudden cardiac event. There are some patients for whom this is a problem from birth, and then there are others who survive to 15 or 18 or maybe 30 or 40, and then at an older age it causes trouble.”
Cohen said that until we find out exactly what caused James’ incident, it would be premature to speculate on what comes next in his recovery and if/when he could return to the basketball court.
