Bronny James cardiac health not an issue for NBA; LeBron James’ son gets medical clearance

Bronny James is expected to take part in the combine's 5-on-5 scrimmages beginning Tuesday.

Bronny James cardiac health not an issue for NBA; LeBron James’ son gets medical clearance

Bronny James

Bronny James, the eldest son of LeBron James, has been medically cleared to participate in the NBA draft process, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony. This news comes nine months after he suffered a cardiac arrest and had a procedure to repair a congenital heart defect.

Furthermore, the NBA’s Fitness to Play Panel evaluated and unanimously approved Bronny James, which then allowed him to fully participate in the upcoming pre-draft combine. He is expected to take part in 5-on-5 scrimmages, which would give NBA executives a closer look at his abilities.

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ESPN Sources with @Draftexpress: In the aftermath of his cardiac arrest and a procedure to repair a congenital heart defect nine months ago, the NBA’s Fitness to Play panel has medically cleared USC’s Bronny James to be drafted and play in the league.
Adrian Wojnarowski wrote on X

James had a disappointing freshman season at USC, where he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. He was also sidelined for several months due to his heart issues.

Bronny had declared for the June draft but, at the same time, maintained his college eligibility. He, however, has until May 29 to decide whether to stay in the draft or return to college. If he chooses to play another year, he will then explore the transfer portal.

What next for Bronny James?

The Atlanta Hawks won the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft lottery, but Bronny James, son of LeBron James, will also be a focus despite the fact that he might likely get taken later in the draft.

James had declared for the draft while keeping his college eligibility and also entered the transfer portal after his freshman season at the USC Trojans. However, the Los Angeles Lakers are a likely landing spot, given the connections with his father and the team’s desire to keep LeBron James in town.

The Miami Heat are another possibility, given their relationship with LeBron James and their track record of developing draft picks.

However, if Bronny doesn’t get drafted, he may consider returning to college, where he could use the transfer portal option to go to a school like Ohio State or Duquesne and work on his game before entering the 2025 draft.

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