USC’s Bronny James warms up before game for 1st time this season

LOS ANGELES — Bronny James warmed up with his No. 16 USC teammates before a game for the primary time this season after struggling a cardiac arrest in July throughout a staff exercise — a growth his father, LeBron James, praised as a subsequent step towards his return to play.

Bronny James has but to make his collegiate debut. After his cardiac arrest, he underwent profitable surgical procedure to restore what his household known as a probable congenital coronary heart defect.

“It’s awesome having him back and on the team with us and participating with us,” USC guard Kobe Johnson mentioned after the Trojans beat Brown 81-70. “We want him back as soon as possible, but we want him to be as healthy as possible when he comes back. Every day we pray that he keeps getting better and hopefully sometime this year he’s able to get on the floor with us.”

James has performed some particular person work before video games however hadn’t been on the court docket warming up along with his teammates before Sunday’s game.

“It was great. He went through warmups with the team. He’s a big part of our program and our team. He’s a terrific teammate,” USC coach Andy Enfield mentioned. “We look forward to hopefully one day getting him back on the court, but when that day is, that’s not my decision. We’re going to be patient and go through the process.”

On Nov. 6, LeBron James instructed reporters that if his son handed a medical examination later this month, he would return to apply with the intention of appearing in game action this season.

“Today’s game was the first game he got an opportunity to warm up with his team,” LeBron James mentioned Sunday. “So, he’s almost there. … He’s almost there.”

Bronny James performed his highschool profession at Sierra Canyon, simply north of Los Angeles, and is a freshman guard for the Trojans.

Following USC’s game Sunday, Bronny James made the quick downtown journey from the Galen Center to Crypto.Com Arena to see his dad score 37 points, together with the go-ahead free throw, within the Lakers‘ 105-104 victory over the Houston Rockets.

“It was great to have him here. To see my man with a smile,” LeBron James mentioned. “Anybody who’s got college kids, you know they leave and you might not see him for a week or two and then they show up at your house for laundry and a warm, fresh meal. It makes me super-duper happy.”

LeBron James additionally identified Sunday was the primary time he had seen his son in two weeks.

“It’s OK. He’s got school, practice and he’s training,” he mentioned. “Listen, the boy’s 19 years old. That’s what FaceTime video is for.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.