Can Bronny James return to the basketball court again? Analyzing all the possibilities surrounding the USC champ's cardiac arrest

USC Trojans freshman Bronny James, 18, suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday morning during a basketball workout.

A report by TMZ Sports said Bronny, the son of NBA legend LeBron James, collapsed on the court and was left unconscious.

The report said that a 911 call from USC's Galen Center was made at 9:26 a.m., and James was taken by ambulance to the hospital. TMZ quoted sources saying the medical emergency was a Code 3.

A James family spokesperson released a statement on Tuesday morning when the news became public, saying Bronny James is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU.

"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," the statement said.

"We ask for respect and privacy for the James family, and we will update the media when there is more information. 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," it added.

While every basketball fan will monitor the situation, one prominent question is whether Bronny James can make it back to the court.

There is still a way for James to make the NBA if he chooses to continue pursuing a basketball career.

Keyontae Johnson collapsed during a game for the Florida Gators in December 2020 and did not return to the court for two years. However, he could still continue playing and was selected in the 2023 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 50th pick.

Another example is a teammate of James, in center Vincent Iwuchukwu, who suffered a cardiac arrest on July 1, 2022. He returned to play for the USC Trojans in January 2023 and played 14 games.

There have been numerous examples of players returning to the court after suffering heart problems. According to the National Library of Medicine, sudden cardiac arrest during athletics happens in 0.75 per 100,000 athletes per year.

One of the reasons linked is myocarditis, inflammation of the heart, and it is treatable.

Bronny James is expected to make a full recovery but will miss a significant amount of time as he works on getting back to normal health.