Bronny James made history with his father, LeBron James, during the NBA preseason. They are teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers after the franchise used a second-round pick on Bronny James in the 2024 NBA draft and became the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game on Oct. 6.
But the start of the 2024-25 regular season also represents another recovery milestone for Bronny James. He is just 15 months removed from going into cardiac arrest during a workout last July and the incident still affects him now as an NBA rookie.
“My days aren’t normal anymore,” Bronny James said in a Men’s Health magazine cover story. “I still feel like I’m getting back, I’m getting back to where I was.”
So what happened to the oldest of LeBron James’ three children? With Bronny James able to make his regular-season debut with the Lakers as early as next week’s opener, here’s what to know about the life-threatening medical scare that makes his arrival in the NBA all the more remarkable:
Bronny James cardiac arrest: What happened?
Bronny James went into cardiac arrest on July 24, 2023 during a USC offseason workout and was hospitalized for three days in Los Angeles.
The James family announced on Aug. 25 that doctors had determined Bronny James’ cardiac arrest had been caused by a congenital heart defect. LeBron James later told reporters his son underwent surgery once there was a diagnosis. The family said Bronny James was cleared to resume basketball on Nov. 30 and he made his USC debut on Dec. 10.
“They are the reason Bronny is alive now and smiling and thriving and doing what any 19-year-old should be doing – that’s living out their dream,” James said .
“It’s crazy with kids, like when they love and want something, that’s all that matters to them. As a parent, you’re like, ‘You had a cardiac arrest.’ In his mind, he’s like, ‘Can I or can I not play ball again?’ And if the answer is yes, ‘When can I play ball again?’ Like, I love that.”
What Bronny James said about cardiac arrest
Bronny James hasn’t spoken often about what he endured coming back from his cardiac arrest, or the aftereffects of dealing with a congenital heart defect. So the profile in Men’s Health was notable for the glimpse James provided into how the incident changed his life.
The 6-foot-2 guard admitted he considered initially if his basketball career might be over. “There were a whole lot of emotions,” he said.
“I got real on top of my routines to get back to where I was. I had to do breathing exercises and stuff. It was a total reset,” James added.
He also mentioned having to take heart medications and needing “my heart pillow.”
“When I coughed, it used to hurt a little bit,” James explained, “but you get this pillow, and when you cough you just hold it so it doesn’t hurt.”
Bronny James preseason stats
Bronny James appeared in the Lakers’ first five preseason games. Here’s a look at his stats thus far:
12.4 minutes/game
4 of 20 from the field
0 of 7 from 3-point range
6 rebounds
4 blocks
5 turnovers
1 assist
