Lakers superstar LeBron James said he is prepared to sit out a Lakers game if it conflicts with his son Bronny’s eventual debut at USC this season.
“I’ve told my teammates that if they play on the same day that we play, I’ll catch them in the next game,” James said. “I told you guys on the plane. Family above all else, championship. I love you guys. But whenever Bronny is cleared and ready to play, he’s definitely going to see his first game.”
Bronny collapsed during a USC practice in July and spent three days in the hospital. Doctors later determined that a congenital heart defect may have caused the 19-year-old guard’s sudden collapse and expressed confidence that he would make a full recovery.
James said Bronny’s return to basketball is a “proud moment” for the James family.
“Our family is very excited for Brownie,” James said. “The same goes for USC. It’s something he’s been working towards the past 12 weeks. … Of course, it’s very gratifying.”
James credits Bronny’s approach to recovery and the prayers of his doctors and family as the key to him improving so quickly and being able to return this season.
“You just gotta put it in God’s hands, man, and trust it,” James said. “That’s it. We prayed together as a family. We had great doctors along the way who kept telling us they believed things were going to work out in our favor. Brownie took care of his business and did it all , without any setbacks or attempts to speed up his recovery process. “He has taken every step according to plan and it means a lot to him to have been cleared in the last 48 hours. “
James recounted his experience watching his son go through such a difficult situation and said Bronny will still need to be carefully monitored as he returns to play.
“When you go through something like this, you really understand,” James said. “It just puts everything into perspective. Really understand that, in that moment, nothing matters except the person you love. You just stop everything you’re doing and literally, how can we help He or your loved one gets better, from the moment it happens all the way through to their success.
“And it’s not over yet. “We still have to continue to monitor every situation and take responsibility for things of that nature, but we just have the opportunity to step back from our own personal lives and give everything to that person. “
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