USC’s Bronny James, son of NBA star LeBron James, has been given the green light to play in the NBA after being cleared by the league’s Fitness to Play Panel. During a workout with USC last July, James collapsed and experienced cardiac arrest. He was hospitalized and diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, which required surgery. However, he has now recovered and is ready to return to the court.
After rejoining the USC lineup in December following his recovery, James played 23 games during his freshman season and showcased his skills on the court. Rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 27 overall prospect in the Class of 2023, James has attracted attention from NBA scouts and executives curious about his potential in the league.
James will participate in this week’s combine, including 5-on-5 scrimmages. This will be a crucial opportunity to showcase his abilities in NBA-style play and potentially influence his draft position in June. The NBA scout mentioned by Yahoo Sports’s Krysten Peek in March highlighted James’ intelligence and understanding of the game, noting that he still has room to grow but possesses strong fundamentals.
With a deadline of May 29 to decide whether to stay in the NBA draft or return to the NCAA, it is expected that James will remain in the draft. The draft is set to take place on June 26-27 in Brooklyn, New York. Speculation has already begun about the possibility of James playing alongside his father in the NBA, especially if the Los Angeles Lakers select him with the 55th overall pick. However, if another team drafts James, it could lead to intriguing scenarios in the NBA free agent market.
The Fitness to Play Panel has cleared USC’s Bronny James for play in professional basketball after finding him fit for competition at an elite level following an extensive evaluation process.
James played 18 games during his freshman year at USC before collapsing during a workout last July due to cardiac arrest caused by a congenital heart defect that required surgery.
James returned from surgery earlier this season and played five games before withdrawing due to an injury that was deemed unrelated.
The Fitness to Play Panel concluded that James had fully recovered from surgery and had made significant progress towards returning safely back into professional basketball.
This news comes as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week that James had been given clearance by doctors following an extensive evaluation process.
