LeBron James’ son Bronny, 18, suffers cardiac arrest during USC basketball practice

LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, suffered cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California Monday, ABC News confirmed Tuesday morning.

The 18-year-old athlete was taken to the hospital where he was treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) before being released to general care, a spokesperson for the James family told TMZ Tuesday.

“Yesterday while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information,” the James family spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

The spokesperson continued, “LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes,” according to TMZ.

Sources with direct knowledge told TMZ Sports that a 911 call was made at 9:26 a.m. Monday from USC’s Galen Center, the venue where the team plays and practices, and Bronny, who was unconscious, was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Local 10 News spoke with Dr. Allan Stewart, a cardiovascular surgeon at HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, who gave a deeper explanation of cardiac arrest and how it can happen to young adults.

“A cardiac arrest means the heart is not pumping properly. It’s at a standstill. So, there’s a variety of reasons for cardiac arrest,” he said. “I think it’s too early to tell and it wouldn’t be wise to speculate.”

“Usually in sports, it’s a benign condition. We want all young people to exercise but in specific patients, it could actually function as a trigger,” said Dr. Ivan Mendoza, Chief of Cardiology at Jackson West Medical Center.

“These patients need to be evaluated extensively. We know cardiac arrest is multi-factorial,” Mendoza added.

Bronny James most recently committed to the Trojans and is expected to end up in the NBA.

LeBron James has told multiple sports outlets that he hopes to play with his son before retiring from the NBA.

On Tuesday, the Miami Heat sent their support to Bronny and the James family, which you can read in the tweet below.

Buffalo Bills safety Demar Hamilin, who suffered cardiac arrest during the 2022 NFL season in a Monday Night Football game in Cincinatti, also sent his support for Bronny and the James family in a tweet Tuesday morning.