Bronny James gets support from Billie Jean King, Magic Johnson and Buffalo Bills star Damar Hamlin after cardiac arrest

Bronny James has received support from some of the sport’s biggest stars following the 18-year-old’s cardiac arrest.

Bronny, the son of NBA icon LeBron James, who committed to the University of Southern California in May, was rushed to the hospital after the incident during a training session at the school’s Galen Center on Monday morning.

His condition is now stable and he has been released from intensive care.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King and NBA legend Magic Johnson led the prayers and support for Bronny on social media following his cardiac arrest.

“We send our support and prayers to Bronny James and the entire James family following Bronny’s cardiac arrest,” 12-time Grand Slam winner King wrote on Twitter. “You are all in our thoughts.”

Johnson, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers during his 13-year NBA career, said he and his wife Cookie were praying for the entire James family.

“Cookie and I are praying for LeBron and Savannah’s son, Bronny, after hearing he went into cardiac arrest,” he wrote. ‘We pray and hope he makes a full and speedy recovery’

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith shared, “Good Lord. I just heard about Bronny. To hear that he’s okay. Thank God! Prayers to @KingJames and all the family.”

Former NFL star Robert Griffin III also shared the news, urging people to keep the young basketball star in their prayers.

Meanwhile, Damar Hamlin, 25, who went into cardiac arrest on Jan. 2, extended his support for Bronny and the James family.

The Buffalo Bills safety collapsed during the Bills’ Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals and had to be resuscitated on the field.

The NFL Security Service has made a miraculous recovery and pledged to be there to support the James family.

“Prayers also for the Bronny family & The James,” Hamlin tweeted alongside a praying emoji. “Here to you, just as you have been to me throughout my process.”

Bronny’s cardiac arrest comes less than seven months after Hamlin’s own collapse on the field during Monday Night Football, but the footballer is already preparing for his near-miraculous return to the NFL.

The 25-year-old is practicing with his teammates and is expected to return to normal before the new season, although it is unclear how Bills’ staff will handle his playing time.

Hamlin has been on a ‘CPR Tour’ across America that started in Buffalo early June – the way the player tries to give back to the first responders who used CPR to save his life.

“I just want to be able to… take a nation of bystanders and turn them into lifesavers and give them some real superpower,” Hamlin said.

‘Being able to save a life is a real superpower. Instead of people watching and not knowing what to do, I’m just trying to create more people who do know what to do. This weekend specifically, people in my community.”

He recently attended the ESPY awards, where the James clan, which includes LeBron’s wife, Savannah, and their three children Bronny, Bryce, 16, and Zhuri, 8, joined the NBA icon on stage as he accepted an award.

An emotional Hamlin was at the ceremony in Los Angeles to present the Buffalo Bills training staff who saved his life when he presented them with an ESPY Award for Service.

His incredible return to fitness, and the fact that Hamlin is alive today, is solely due to the medical staff who treated him in the immediate aftermath of the Cincinnati incident.

And Hamlin burst into tears as he paid tribute to trainer Denny Kellington and the rest of the training staff before presenting them with the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the Dolby Theater.

Bronny, who has recently volunteered for the Trojans, was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after an emergency call was made at 9:26am on Monday.

The incident is believed to have been a Code 3, indicating the severity of the call as ambulance lights and sirens are required.

A spokesman for the James family said: “Yesterday Bronny James went into cardiac arrest while practicing. Medical personnel were able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and is no longer in ICU.

“We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update the media when there is more information. LeBron and Savannah would like to publicly express their deepest gratitude and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes.”

This incident marks the second time USC medical staff has responded to a basketball player in cardiac arrest during practice.

Last summer, Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed during a workout and was revived by USC athletic trainers. Six months later, he returned to playing basketball.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk claimed that the Covid-19 vaccine may have caused Bronny’s collapse, sparking outrage on social media.

“We can’t attribute everything to the vaccine, but neither can we attribute anything,” Musk wrote in response to a media report on Tuesday.

Myocarditis is a known side effect. The only question is whether it’s rare or common,” Musk’s tweet continued.

Bronny, a member of the Sierra Canyon School’s Class of 2023, graduated from California High School in May, where proud parents LeBron and Savannah beamed.

Bronny had already committed to USC in May after several programs interested him, including scholarship offers from Ohio State and Oregon.

LeBron would like to continue playing in the NBA until Bronny can join him in the league.

“I need to get on the floor with my boy, I need to get on the floor with Bronny,” James told ESPN in January.

“Either in the same uniform or a match against him,” he said. ‘. . . But I would really like to read the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. stuff. That would certainly be ideal.’

James is under contract in LA for two more years, while his son could enter the NBA in the 2024 Draft after playing a season at USC.