Bronny James, the eldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, is in stable condition after experiencing a cardiac arrest during practice with his college basketball team, the James family announced on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old collapsed on the court while training with his University of Southern California teammates in Los Angeles on Monday.
“Yesterday while practising, Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest,” a spokesperson for the James family said in a statement.”Medical staff provided immediate treatment and transported Bronny to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and is no longer in intensive care.
“We kindly request respect and privacy for the James family, and we will share more information with the media when available.
“LeBron and Savannah wish to extend their deepest gratitude to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and commitment to the safety of their athletes.”
According to the American Heart Association, only about 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart suddenly stops with little or no warning.
Bronny’s cardiac arrest occurred just over a year after another USC basketball player, Vince Iwuchukwu, suffered heart failure and collapsed during an informal practice. Iwuchukwu later made a full recovery.
Words of support poured in from NFL player Damar Hamlin, who experienced a cardiac arrest while playing for the Buffalo Bills in January, and NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, among others.
Bronny James committed to playing for the USC Trojans in May, emerging as one of the top prospects in US high school basketball. His famous father has long expressed his desire to extend his NBA career to play alongside his son.
The young star may be eligible for the NBA Draft after one season with the Trojans, and many analysts predict he could be a top-10 selection in the 2024 NBA Draft. Bronny would turn 20 in October of 2024, the same month the 2024-25 NBA season will begin, while LeBron would turn 40 in December of that year.
