Bronny James heart attack: USC coach recounts LeBron son's cardiac arrest during USC training

Modified Feb 28, 2024 22:15 GMT

Bronny James, the son of LA Lakers star LeBron James, is one of college basketball's biggest stars and could be set for a bright career.

But James’ basketball dreams could have ended six months ago due to an incident during training at USC.

James had a heart attack during training. This sent shock waves throughout the sports world, and those who were present during the event recently recalled what happened in a report by the Orange County Register.

USC Trojans assistant coach Eric Mobley gave a detailed recollection of what happened:

“Coach (Andy Enfield) blew the whistle to get back on the baseline. I was standing up, and Bronny was right behind me, probably about two feet away. And I just heard this thump on the ground.

"Boom.

"I turned around, I’m lookin’ around and I looked down, and he was on the ground. ... I thought (Bronny) was having a seizure. I didn’t think he was having cardiac arrest. Because he kind of had his eyes rolling back in his head. So, I’ve seen plenty of people go into seizure mode – I was just trying to get him on his side.”

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The incident caught everyone by surprise. There was no buildup to it.

However, the Trojans have a procedure for this, as a similar incident had happened before with another player in 2021. In that incident, quick action from USC trainer Jon Yonamine helped save the player's life. His reaction also helped to save Bronny.

Andy Enfield also praised his program medical staff:

“I think, anytime you have a traumatic experience, the first thing is our outstanding trainers, and our medical staff here. Our trainers are superstars.”

If it wasn't for their quick actions, things may have ended differently.

In the end, Bronny was unconscious for two minutes, and once he regained consciousness, was reportedly annoyed that he couldn't finish practice.

Bronny James’ 2023 season

Bronny James has had a mixed rookie season with the Trojans.

He has played on average 20.2 minutes per game and has scored 104 points (5.5 points per game). His scoring high is 15 points scored against Oregon State on New Year's Eve.

His accuracy is a cause for concern, being at 37.1%, and has been described by some reporters as not playing at an NBA standard.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that he is a freshman, so if he wants to, he can remain with the Trojans for more than one year if he doesn't want to be a “one-and-done” player.

Additionally, he is under a massive amount of media scrutiny, solely because he is LeBron James’ son. All of these things, including his heart attack, affect his play.

Bronny James could become a star basketball player, but it may need to take some time for this to happen.