When will Bronny James play his first USC game? Exploring USC's basketball schedule in 2023

There has been a lot of discussion surrounding USC Trojans freshman Bronny James and when he can return to the court. He suffered cardiac arrest before the season started, and news surrounding his return has been quiet. However, Thursday brought some excellent news across on that front.

A spokesperson for Bronny James and the James family explained that the freshman is cleared to return:

"Bronny will have a final evaluation with USC staff this week, resume practice next week and return to games soon after. The James family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible medical team, the entire USC community."

Bronny, the eldest son of NBA legend LeBron James, is now anticipated to be the most-watched player when he makes his college basketball debut.

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When will Bronny James play his first USC game? Predicting potential timeline

Bronny James has not played throughout the opening handful of games this season, so he will be someone to watch. However, there is no specific timetable for him to return for game action, as the James family's statement specifies.

James will need to get some chemistry on the court with his teammates and get at least a handful of practices before he can even become listed as questionable for any Trojans game.

As of this moment, the Trojans are scheduled for six games throughout December. With James potentially to begin practicing next week and not wanting to push him too quickly too soon, expect a few weeks of practices before he gets on the court.

To project a game, the Jan. 3 game at home against the California Golden Bears seems like a great target date. That way, he has a month to get going and learn to play with his teammates, as he never had the opportunity to do so.

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What should we expect out of the USC Trojans?

The USC Trojans are 5-2 on the season before playing in any Pac-12 games. They will be viewed as one of the top teams in the conference, and with the addition of Bronny James to pair with guys like Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier, USC will be difficult to beat.

While the Trojans don't seem to be in the upper echelons of basketball programs, they should be able to make the NCAA Tournament and win a couple of games as their ceiling.