Bronny James Health & Injury Update, Status, Report

The 2023-24 college basketball epoch should be a memorable one. Seasons come and go, but LeBron James’ eldest son only comes around once. 

In his 11th year as USC head coach, Andy Enfield has put together one of his best recruiting classes, including the outstanding five-star guard Isaiah Collier. As a result, the Trojans are ranked in the opening college basketball AP Poll for this season. The basketball betting world has taken note. 

But no player on any team this year will receive as much hype or attention as Bronny James, the firstborn son of a still-active NBA legend. 

Bronny James News

Bronny James is currently working to rehab his physical conditioning and get back on the court. According to his father, Bronny stands a good chance to get back on the court and play for USC this season.

LeBron revealed on Oct. 2 that Bronny had recently undergone a surgical procedure – presumably to repair the congenital heart defect that was discovered over the summer. 

LeBron James said Bronny is “doing extremely well” and plans to dedicate his 21st NBA season to him. pic.twitter.com/XgZLruxEuV

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) October 2, 2023

There is no current timetable for Bronny’s return, but he is healthy enough to attend classes and other extracurricular activities at USC. 

Bronny James’ Cardiac Arrest: What Happened to Bronny James’ Heart?

Bronny James went into cardiac arrest on July 24 while working out at USC’s Galen Center.

It’s uncommon for 18-year-old Division I college athletes to go into cardiac arrest, so naturally, James’ medical episode drew national attention. 

Eventually, James was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. In layman’s terms, he has a physical, structural abnormality in the anatomy of his heart that’s been present since birth. 

Bronny James NIL

Bronny hasn’t played a collegiate game yet, but his powerful name brand has him racking up NIL dollars. According to Front Office Sports (and other outlets), Bronny James reportedly has a total NIL package valued at around $5.9 million. 

James’ corporate sponsors reportedly include deals with Nike, Beats by Dre, and PSD Underwear.

James’ NIL success continues a major trend this year: Famous fathers. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has a seven-figure NIL presence, and while he’s earned his QBR and touchdown stats all by himself, it’s still hard to imagine he would be the No. 1 NIL presence in college football without his father’s last name.

Bronny, too, appears to be succeeding in the NIL game at least in part because of his family. (He’s not even the highest-rated recruit on his own team.) But who said there’s anything wrong with that?