Bronny James has taken a huge step toward making his much-anticipated college basketball debut.
James, the elder son of Lakers star LeBron James, has been cleared by doctors for a full return to basketball, according to a spokesperson for the James family. Bronny James has been sidelined since July after he experienced cardiac arrest, the result of a congenital heart defect, during a workout at USC. According to the statement, James will return to practice with the Trojans next week after a final evaluation with USC staff, then return to games “soon after.”
James was a four-star recruit ranked in the top 30 nationally, per 247Sports. He announced his commitment to the Trojans in May, choosing to stay in Los Angeles and play at USC over returning to his father’s home state of Ohio to play at Ohio State. He was part of a loaded recruiting class for the Trojans, headlined by potential No. 1 pick Isaiah Collier, who is averaging more than 17 points and four assists per game so far.
There had been indications that a return was approaching: James had been seen doing limited activity during warm-ups while USC played in a tournament in San Diego during Thanksgiving week, and coach Andy Enfield told reporters following the Trojans’ win over Eastern Washington on Wednesday that the program anticipated he’d return to the court “soon.”
USC plays Saturday vs. Gonzaga in Las Vegas, which wouldn’t fit James’s stated timeline of returning to practice next week. After that, USC’s next game will be Dec. 10 vs. Long Beach State, the team’s last home game in 2023. The Trojans will play two road games on Dec. 17 and 19, against Auburn and Alabama State, then open Pac-12 play after Christmas with road games against Oregon and Oregon State.
A return by early conference play would be a boost for the Trojans, who—even before James’s return—had significant talent in the backcourt. Collier, Boogie Ellis (21.5 points per game) and Kobe Johnson (14.2 points per game) represent one of the most dynamic trios in all of college basketball. Adding James should provide additional depth, three-point shooting and defense for a USC team expected to compete for a Pac-12 title and gives the Trojans a legitimate claim to having the nation’s best backcourt. How impactful he’ll be after months away from the game and being thrust almost immediately into the rigors of conference play remains to be seen, but James profiles as being able to contribute in the rotation for the Trojans this season for a team with very high expectations.
The return also gives James a chance to play in high-level games in front of NBA personnel before making a decision on whether to declare for the 2024 draft. LeBron James has long spoken of his desire to play with his son before retiring. Until the cardiac incident, Bronny James was being discussed by NBA scouts as a potential first-round pick in next year’s draft.
