Bronny James Cleared to Return to Basketball 4 Months After Cardiac Arrest
Bronny James Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesLeBron James’ eldest son, Bronny James, has been medically cleared to resume basketball training. “Bronny James is now cleared by his doctors for a full return to basketball,” a spokesperson for the James family told Us Weekly in a Thursday, November 30, statement. “Bronny will have a final evaluation with USC staff this week, resume practice next week, and return to games soon after.” The rep added: “The James family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible medical team, the entire USC community, and especially the countless friends, family and fans for their love and support. Fight On!” Bronny, a first-year student at the University of Southern California, suffered cardiac arrest in July after collapsing in the middle of his basketball practice. He was later diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. (The James family revealed that the condition is treatable.) Related: LeBron and Savannah James' Family Albu
LeBron James’ eldest son, Bronny James, has been medically cleared to resume basketball training.
“Bronny James is now cleared by his doctors for a full return to basketball,” a spokesperson for the James family told Us Weekly in a Thursday, November 30, statement. “Bronny will have a final evaluation with USC staff this week, resume practice next week, and return to games soon after.”
The rep added: “The James family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible medical team, the entire USC community, and especially the countless friends, family and fans for their love and support. Fight On!”
Bronny, a first-year student at the University of Southern California, suffered cardiac arrest in July after collapsing in the middle of his basketball practice. He was later diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. (The James family revealed that the condition is treatable.)
“Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital,” a family spokesperson told Us in a statement at the time. “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.”
The 19-year-old — who LeBron, 38, shares with wife Savannah James, along with son Bryce, 16, and daughter Zhuri, 8 — was discharged from the hospital three days later.
“Thanks to the swift and effective response by the USC athletics’ medical staff, Bronny James was successfully treated for a sudden cardiac arrest,” Dr. Merije Chukumerije, a cardiologist who worked on Bronny’s case, said in a statement. “He arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable. Mr. James was cared for promptly by highly-trained staff and has been discharged home, where he is resting. Although his workup will be ongoing, we are hopeful for his continued progress and are encouraged by his response, resilience, and his family and community support.”
Amid Bronny’s recovery, he missed further basketball practices and games throughout the fall semester. His USC coach, Andy Enfield, remained adamant that Bronny would eventually return to the court.
“The good thing is he’s doing extremely well and he’s in class right now. And we all love him,” Enfield, 54, told the Associated Press in August. “I think everybody is hopeful that Bronny will return to the court. We just have to be patient and take it step by step.”
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