Bronny James diagnosed with congenital heart defect, family 'confident' he'll play in 'near future'

Bronny James, the oldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, has been diagnosed with an “anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect which can and will be treated,” a James family spokesperson said Friday in a statement.

“We are very confident in Bronny’s full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to provide updates to media and respectfully reiterate the family’s request for privacy.”

A Congenital Heart Defect is an abnormality in the heart (the heart or blood vessels near the heart do not develop normally before birth) and is one of the most common birth defects, according to Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic. There are several kinds of CHDs, each with varying impacts on a person’s overall health.

Bronny received an initial evaluation at Cedars-Sinai and follow-up evaluations at the Mayo Clinic and Atlantic Health/Morristown Medical Center, the statement said.

James, who is a freshman at the University of Southern California, sustained sudden cardiac arrest on July 24 while working out on the USC campus. He was hospitalized in intensive care before returning to stable condition.

The 18-year-old four-star recruit committed to the Trojans in May after averaging 14 points, five rebounds and three assists in his senior campaign at Sierra Canyon (Los Angeles) School last season. He possesses many of the unselfish skills as his dad.