LOS ANGELES — Bronny James made his college basketball debut Sunday, four and a half months after suffering cardiac arrest.
James, now a rookie guard for Southern California, sparked raucous cheers with his first career 3-pointer, fending off a chase and making an inspired play during the crucial minutes.
His famous father, NBA star LeBron James, was there to watch it all at the Galen Center. But Bronny’s debut wasn’t enough to save USC from an overtime loss to Long Beach State.
But after the game, when Bronny sat in front of a crowd of media, he said nothing about the game — or basketball.
“I just want to say that I’m grateful for everything,” Bruni said after the match. “Mayo Clinic, everything they have helped me with. My parents and siblings for supporting me through this difficult time in my life. I just want to express my appreciation to everyone who has helped me through this time.”
He did not receive any questions from the media. But his play spoke for him, as he topped out on four points on 1-for-3 shooting, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 16 minutes. One of those steals came with 26 seconds left, and then he missed his first two free throws with 21 seconds left.
“I thought he was very solid,” USC coach Andy Enfield said, later adding, “Bronny handles the spotlight very well. He’s a young man who is passionate about playing basketball.”
There were electric moments.
The crowd cheered with 13:08 left in the game when Bronny, a redshirt junior guard at USC, made a pull-up 3-pointer for the first basket of his college career. He gave the crowd more to cheer about during his debut that featured a block chase, a steal 26 seconds in regulation and an assist.
Among the cheering crowd of 9,806 was his famous father, who watched the game on the field at the Galen Center.
His three-pointer with 13:08 remaining in the second half drew loud cheers. More came during a chase block reminiscent of those in his father’s highlight reels. Although the numbers were modest, he showed his sportsmanship and unselfishness.
Shortly before the national anthem was played, LeBron caused a stir when he entered the arena. He took his 9-year-old daughter, Zuri, by the hand and walked to a courtside bench. Along the way, he received Rob Pelinka, general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers.
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A small army of photographers crowded around LeBron. But it was Bruni’s day.
The crowd cheered loudly when Bronny entered the game with 12:58 left in the first half. In less than a minute, he almost made a difference due to his strong man-to-man defending
He played six minutes in the first half and attempted just one shot, a 3-pointer that bounced off the rim. He didn’t attempt another shot until the second half, making one of two. More than once he made the extra pass instead of shooting.
Bronny seems to have won the trust of the coaches as well. They got him back in the game with 3:32 left to tie the score at 69-69, and he grabbed another rebound as USC battled with Long Beach State. After a dramatic steal, he went to the free throw line and made one of two.
He also remained on the floor in the first minutes of extra time before exiting the game.
“I can’t even tell you all how emotional today was for me! I’m literally exhausted and all I can say is @Bronnie, you are simply incredible!!” LeBron wrote on Instagram.
This season, Bruni will wear the number 6 shirt, the same number that his father wore for 16 seasons. (LeBron now wears number 23 because the NBA retired the number 6 in honor of Bill Russell.)
Bronny, whose real name is LeBron James Jr., suffered a heart attack on July 24 during team training and collapsed on the court at the Galen Center. He was admitted to the hospital for three days, after leaving the hospital and undergoing a series of medical tests.
On August 25, a James family friend said Bronny had gone into cardiac arrest due to a congenital heart defect, and was optimistic he would play again. He was approved to join the team on November 30 and was given the green light to make his debut on Sunday.
Bronny, a four-star prospect out of high school, committed to USC in May. Some analysts expected him to be a first-round NBA draft pick before he went into cardiac arrest.
On Tuesday night, basketball fans eagerly awaited the debut of Bronny James, son of NBA superstar LeBron James, as he took to the court for the University of Southern California (USC) in a thrilling overtime loss to Long Beach State. The highly anticipated moment marked the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting college career for the 18-year-old athlete, who has already garnered attention for his impressive skills and potential to follow in his father’s footsteps. Despite the defeat, Bronny’s debut showcased his talent and determination, leaving fans eager to see more of his contributions to the USC team in the future.