Days after being cleared by doctors to return to the court following his cardiac arrest, it appears USC freshman guard Bronny James will now likely make his college debut on Sunday against Long Beach State.
Former basketball reporter Seth Davis reports that LeBron James' eldest son could play as early as December 10. The messengerDavis cautioned that USC coach Randy Enfield has not set a timetable for Bronny's return.
Bronny suffered cardiac arrest in July while training at the Galen Center and was found to have a congenital heart defect that was treatable.
LeBron expects to be in the crowd when 19-year-old Bronny makes his debut for the Trojans. The Los Angeles Lakers legend previously told reporters that he would go so far as to skip one of his own games to watch Bronny play in his first for USC.
“Family above all else,” LeBron said last week in Oklahoma City. “I definitely need to see Bronny's first match when he's ready to go.”
Freshman guard Bronny James watches USC play Eastern Washington last week
Bronny James (left) could make his debut on Sunday with his father LeBron (right) in hand
Bronny gave Trojan fans a quick look at what he has to offer by participating in warmups before USC played No. 11 Gonzaga in Las Vegas on Saturday.
He seemed cheerful and jovial as he knocked down seven straight 3-pointers at one point during warmups, then joined assistant coach Kurt Karis for an impromptu dance move on the sideline.
“He didn't seem scared,” ESPN analyst and former Duke star Jay Williams told The Messenger. 'There was a craftsmanship approach to his way of working. You could tell he was around professionals.
'I asked him what he thought he needed to improve. He said, “My handle needs to be tighter, but that comes with reps.” There was no cockiness. There was just confidence that he would figure it out.”
Bronny James walks through the handshake line after USC beat Eastern Washington
Bronny ignited the crowd as he stood up and jammed home a one-handed dunk. And he emphasized that he's getting closer to his collegiate debut.
James was expected to have a final review with USC staff before resuming, a family spokesperson said in a statement. He will be able to play in matches “shortly thereafter,” the statement said.
When the team returned to the field for the start of the game, James took his spot at the end of the bench, wearing gray USC sweats. He cheered on the Trojans and stood at the back of the huddle during timeouts.
USC's next home game is Dec. 10 against Long Beach State, which falls in the middle of a six-day break for the Lakers before they head to Texas for three straight games and before the Trojans hit the road for four straight games.