Bronny James is ‘doing well, taking classes, and will hopefully return to the court’ says USC basketball coach Andy Enfield one month after LeBron’s son suffered cardiac arrest at the gym

Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, is doing well and taking classes after the highly regarded freshman guard went into cardiac arrest during practice last month, Southern California basketball coach Andy Enfield said Monday.

“The great thing is that he is doing very well and that he is now in class. And we all love him,” Enfield said. “I think everyone is hopeful that Bronny will return to court. We just have to be patient and take it one step at a time.’

The James family released a statement on Friday saying a congenital heart defect was the likely cause of James’s cardiac arrest. The statement said the heart defect can be treated and that the family is confident in James’ ability to make a full recovery and return to court in the near future.

James was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and released three days after being stricken on July 24.

“Our goal is to support Bronny academically and athletically in any way we can, and be patient with how things develop upon his return,” said Enfield.

James, a six-foot-tall guard, committed to USC in May, bolstering what was already one of the top recruiting classes in the country. He is the sixth McDonald’s All-American to join the program since Enfield became a coach in 2013.

The Trojans had the fourth recruiting class in the country, which included the highest-rated player on hold, Isaiah Collier.

Enfield said the pitch for James and his family was no different than other recruits.

“He’s a great basketball player and played really well (before the cardiac arrest). We all think there is a big advantage in his game and he can help our team win,” said Enfield. “It was a bit later in the recruiting cycle and it was also different because he comes from a pretty good basketball family.

“But it hasn’t really changed our hiring policy because we’re very honest with people and showed him an opportunity that we thought he could have here at USC.” His parents were great throughout the recruitment process and have been very helpful ever since.”

Enfield also said he was pleased with his team’s development on a recent trip to Europe, where his side played games in Greece and Croatia.

Fifth-year senior guard Boogie Ellis has embraced the role of the team’s co-captain, while Collier and forward DJ Rodman, a graduate transfer from Washington State, interacted with new teammates in game situations.

Enfield said Collier is one of the best passers he’s seen coming out of high school in a while, while Rodman could be a threat with his skills on offense.

The player who made the biggest progress during the trip was junior guard Kobe Johnson, a co-captain who averaged 9.3 points last season.

“He is the best defensive player in our league and has also improved his attack,” said Enfield.

USC — which has made the last three NCAA tournaments — will have a challenging non-conference schedule before it embarks on its final campaign in the Pac-12. The Trojans open November 6 against Kansas State in Las Vegas and will play in a Thanksgiving week tournament in San Diego featuring Seton Hall, Iowa and Oklahoma. USC also has a road game against Auburn.