Bronny James has finally played collegiate basketball for the USC Trojans after a protracted recuperation from a heart arrest that occurred in July.
Before the game started, the squad tweeted a photo of Bronny’s jersey hаnging in a locker, and he did windmill dunks during warmups.
Not even a day after becoming the first player to win the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament, LeBron James watched as his son went about his business.
Due to a congenital heart abnormality, Bronny had a cardiac arrest on July 24th of this year.
He was discharged from the hospital on July 27, after spending three days there. He has been diligently working on his injuries in the hopes of making a comeback to the court in the near future.
He entered the game with 12 minutes and fifty-eight seconds remaining in the first half of the Long Beach State game, but he failed to make his initial shot of the game.
During his initial court session, he only managed to grab a rebound before he decided to leave. A massive chase-down block from behind was later added, taking inspiration from one of his father’s most memorable moments in the NBA.
However, Bronny’s debut was more of a springboard for future endeavors than a declaration of his arrival.
In 16 minutes of play, he shot 1-for-3 from outside the arc and finished with 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block.
His team’s heroic 16 minutes weren’t enough to save an overtime defeat to Long Beach State, which ended in a surprising 84-79 score.
Boogie Ellis contributed 14 points, while stars Isaiah Collier and Vincent Iwuchukwu each scored 15.
However, the Trojans’ field goal percentage was 40.6% and their three-point percentage was abysmal at 22.6%.
LBSU, on the other hand, saw two starters (Jadon Jones and Lassina Traore) foul out while shooting 42% from the floor and 31% from beyond the arc.
Still, they won it all in overtime by making 3-of-6 shots and 4-of-5 free throws.
The Trojans’ record drops to 5-4 for the year. They will be back in action next Sunday at Auburn.