“Pre heart attack Bronny was special”: NBA fans react to resurfaced clip of Bronny James facing Jared McCain in high school

Bronny James and Jared McCain have come a long way since their younger years in basketball. Both players are now in the NBA, with James representing the LA Lakers and the G League's South Bay Lakers while McCain is suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers. But what many probably don't know is that Bronny and Jared used to go against each other back in high school.

A prominent basketball fan page called Ball is Life reposted a clip of Bronny James and Jared McCain facing off in their high school days. Fans on social media were amazed by how James used to perform when he was younger.

They also pointed out how talented he was before his cardiac arrest. Here's what some had to say on Instagram:

"pre heart attack bronny was special"

Fan Reaction

"Bronny was a beast before the heart attack people forget"

Fan Reaction

Here are some other reactions on Instagram:

"Bronny got to get back to being aggressive like this but he almost died hooping bro just be laying off fr"

Fan Reaction

"Y'all gone stop acting like bronny wasn't that dude in high school"

Fan Reaction

"Having that type of injury can stop someone to be this aggressive because you wanna get more active but you’re scared your heart might give out and that takes away confidence"

Fan Reaction

"Ppl genuinely be forgetting bronny did spectacular his senior year it was his heart attack that set him back"

Fan Reaction

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Comparing Bronny James and Jared McCain

Bronny James and Jared McCain were former high school rivals. Fast-forward to the present, and both players are now rookies in the NBA. However, despite being seen as two of the top prospects in their batch, McCain managed to live up to the hype.

James and McCain both entered the 2024 NBA Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Jared with the 16th pick, while the LA Lakers selected Bronny with the 55th pick. Some players previously proved that one's draft pick doesn't matter when they step on an NBA court. However, in this case, the comparison between Bronny James and McCain proves draft orders are essential.

Looking at Jared McCain's rookie year so far, he is averaging 14.8 points, 2.4 assists and 2.0 rebounds. His best game out of his first 12 games was when he scored 34 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 13. That game also marked his first career double-double, adding 10 assists to his scoring efforts. With how McCain has played, things look bright for the Sixers rookie.

Bronny James isn't exactly living up to the hype. He has only played in six games for the LA Lakers so far. He is also switching back and forth between the main roster and the G League, representing both LA and the South Bay Lakers.