Bronny James, son of NBA superstar LeBron James, has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, a spokesperson for the family said.
The statement said that the University of Southern California freshman should fully recover from his cardiac arrest last month.
“It is an anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect which can and will be treated,” the spokesperson said. He added that his family is “very confident in Bronny’s full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future”.
“We will continue to provide updates to media and respectfully reiterate the family’s request for privacy,” the statement said.
In July, the 18-year-old collapsed during basketball practice at the USC basketball facility in Los Angeles.
He briefly lost consciousness during the cardiac event and the team’s medical staff gave him initial treatment on the court.
Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which “affect how blood flows through the heart and out to the rest of the body.” There are many types of congenital heart defects and treatment depends on their severity.
According to ESPN, the congenital heart defect was identified after an initial evaluation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and follow-up evaluations at the Mayo Clinic and the Atlantic Health-Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey.
The outlet reported that Bronny James was projected to be a first-round pick in next summer’s NBA draft — which would mean he could play with his father.
Last year, LeBron James expressed his desire to play with his son. “My last year will be played with my son,” he said. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”
Following the incident, Lebron James tweeted: “I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers. We feel you and I’m so grateful.
“Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us!”
