LeBron James was on hand to support son Bronny as the teen made his USC basketball debut four months after suffering cardiac arrest.
The NBA legend was sitting courtside with his 9-year-old daughter, Zhuri Nova, as the Trojans faced off against Long Beach State at the Galen Center in Los Angeles Sunday.
LeBron, 38, was seen clapping and cheering from the sidelines throughout the 19-year-old’s first collegiate outing, which ultimately ended in an overtime loss for the home squad.
But following the game, the teenager expressed nothing but gratitude to be able to return to the court following his health scare over the summer.
“I just want to say I’m thankful for everything,” said Bronny, who scored four points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
“The Mayo Clinic, for everything they helped me with. Parents, siblings for supporting me through this hard time in my life. I just want to give appreciation for helping me through this. Also, my coach, my teammates, my other coaches who have been with me since the start.”
The USC freshman suffered cardiac arrest in July during a preseason team practice.
At the time, a spokesperson for the James family told Pvnew that Bronny was briefly hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
“Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU,” a statement read.
LeBron and his wife, Savannah James, also thanked medical and athletic staff at the University of Southern California for their “incredible work and dedication.”
The “probable cause” of Bronny’s sudden cardiac arrest was later identified to be “an anatomically and functionally significant congenital heart defect.”
The Trojans guard was cleared to return to basketball by doctors in late November.
