Bronny James warms up for first time before USC game after heart problem
Southern California guard Bronny James warms up before an NCAA college basketball game against Brown, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photography/Ryan Solar)
LOS ANGELES — Bronny James warmed up with his USC teammates before a game for the first time this season after suffering cardiac arrest in July.
He has yet to make his college debut after it was ruled he had a congenital heart defect that was treatable.
When asked how big this milestone was for his son, Lakers superstar LeBron James smiled broadly Sunday night and replied, “Yeah. It’s superior. I really feel it. He’s practically there.
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“It’s great to have him back and on the team with us and playing with us,” USC guard Kobe Johnson said after the Trojans beat Brown 81-70. “We want him back as soon as possible, but we want him to be as healthy as possible when he returns. Every day we pray that he continues to improve and hopefully one day this year he can get on the field with us.
James did individual work before the games, but was not on the field to warm up with his teammates before Sunday’s game.
Added USC coach Andy Enfield: “It was good. He participated in warm-ups with the crew. He is an integral part of our program and our team. He’s a great teammate. We hope that one day he will return to the field, but when that day comes, it’s not my decision. We will see the patient and follow the process.
James attended high school in Sierra Canyon, just north of Los Angeles, and is a freshman guard at USC.
Bronny James then took a short trip downtown from the Galen Center to Crypto.Com Arena to watch his father score 37 points, including the free throw, in the Lakers’ 105-104 victory over the Houston Rockets.
“It was good to have him here. Seeing my man with a smile,” he said. “Anyone who has bought students from school, you already know that they go away and you won’t see them for a week or two, after which they show up at your house for laundry and a hot, fresh meal . This makes me super happy.
“It’s okay. He’s been a teacher, an observer and a coach. Pay attention, the boy is 19 years old. That’s what the FaceTime video is for,” he said.
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