What happened to LeBron James' kid? Delving into the unfortunate event

LeBron James' eldest son LeBron James Sr., known as Bronny James, suffered a cardiac arrest on July 24, 2023. This occurred while he was doing a workout at the University of Southern California, and he was immediately rushed to hospital.

After undergoing tests, it was identified that the 18-year-old went into cardiac arrest because of a congenital heart defect. This was announced by a spokesperson for LeBron James' family:

"The probable cause of Mr. James' sudden cardiac has been identified. It is an anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect which can and will be treated."

The basketball world was shocked as Bronny James is a young and promising prospect with a potentially bright future ahead of him. Thankfully, it appears that his condition can be treated and he is expected to make a full recovery.

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What is the congenital heart defect affecting LeBron James' son, Bronny?

A congenital heart defect is a problem that an individual is born with, relating to their heart's structure. There are many different types of congenital heart defects and while the problem with Bronny James' heart was not officially announced, it appears that it isn't life or career-threatening.

Some congenital heart defects do not require surgery. However, there are more complicated cases wherein a person will require several surgeries. The treatment for some types could take years, but at the moment it appears this is not the case for Bronny James. This is certainly good news for someone who has a bright basketball career ahead of them.

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Another USC player suffered a cardiac arrest prior to Bronny James

Another USC Trojans player, Vincent Iwuchukwu, also went into cardiac arrest about a year before the incident with Bronny. Iwuchukwu's cardiac arrest occurred in July 2022 and he was cleared to play in January 2023 on very limited minutes.

Iwuchukwu was also only able to fully return after undergoing a procedure wherein he received an implant to monitor his heart.

It is still unclear if fans can expect the same kind of timeline for Bronny James to return to on-court activities. Despite the eerie similarities between James and Iwuchukwu's cardiac arrest, each incident is different from one another.

Right now, fans can only hope that the son of the LA Lakers superstar can make a full recovery.