Cardiac arrest, basketball, and conspiracy theories: What happened to LeBron James’ son Bronny?

Bronny James is recovering in stable condition after his cardiac episode

LeBron "Bronny" James Jr, the 18-year-old son of NBA legend LeBron James, was hospitalised after he experienced cardiac arrest while practicing basketball at the University of South Carolina.

Bronny collapsed on Monday while practicing at USC, where he is expected to play college basketball beginning next season.

The rising basketball star was rushed to the hospital, where he was treated and later released from an intensive care unit. He is now in stable condition.

While many fans of Bronny, his father, and of basketball in general poured out in support of the young man's recovery, others took a more conspiratorial tone, co-opting his health condition in an effort to push their own agendas.

Here's everything we know about Bronny James' collapse and hospitalisation.

Cardiac arrest

Bronny James was practicing at USC early on Monday morning. At some point, he collapsed, prompting USC medical and athletic staff to call 911.

At 9.26am, Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics were called to the Galen Centre — where USC practices — to handle a medical emergency. When they arrived, they found and began treating Bronny.

Once he was loaded into an ambulance, he was taken "code three lights and sirens" to a hospital for treatment, according to the Los Angeles Times, citing a spokeswoman for the LAFD.

Bronny was treated in an intensive care unit. He was eventually released from the unit in stable condition.

The following day, TMZ reported on the incident, prompting a statement from James and his wife, Savannah, Bronny's mother.

“LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes,” the James family said in a statement.

The statement also said the family would provide updates on Bronny's condition as they learned more.

Sierra Canyon's Bronny James warms up at halftime during a high school basketball game against Christopher Columbus at the Hoophall Classic (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Who is Bronny James?

Bronny is James' eldest son. His younger brother, Bryce, is also a basketball player. His younger sister, Zhuri, is 8-years-old.

At age 10, Bronny was already showing promise as a basketball player, earning media attention for his skill on the court. He played competitive basketball throughout middle and high school. He led the Sierra Canyon High School basketball team in his senior year, and played alongside his younger brother, Bryce.

After high school, Bronny committed to play for the University of South Carolina Trojans during his freshman year of college. Basketball analysts believe he will likely be drafted into the NBA within a few years.

James Sr has made it clear he desperately wants to compete either alongside or against his son once he reaches the NBA.

“I need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” James Sr told ESPN in January. “Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him. But I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr and Jr thing. That would be ideal for sure.”

Bronny James #6 of the West team talks to Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers after the 2023 McDonald's High School Boys All-American Game at Toyota Center on March 28, 2023 (Getty Images)

Support and conspiracies

Social media flooded with support for Bronny in the wake of his health scare, especially among professional athletes.

Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills offered words of support and encouragement for the young basketball player on social media.

Hamlin was especially sympathetic, as he also suffered a cardiac incident in January. After a short period of uncertainty, Hamlin rapidly recovered thanks to the efforts of the University of Cincinnati healthcare workers.

"Prayers to Bronny & the James family as well," he wrote on Twitter. "Here for you guys just like you have been for me my entire process."

He noted in a follow-up post that he has been on a "mission" to ensure that defibrillators were available at every practice session at schools across the country.

Other professional athletes — including NBA stars Donovan Mitchell, Lamar Odom, and Magic Johnson — also offered words of support on social media.

However, not all who commented on Bronny's situation were offering well-wishes. Many, including the owner of Twitter, — now apparently called "X" — Elon Musk, made conspiratorial comments linking Bronny's health scare with the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We cannot ascribe everything to the vaccine, but, by the same token, we cannot ascribe nothing. Myocarditis is a known side effect. The only question is whether it is rare or common,” he wrote in response to a news story about the rising basketball star.

Because Twitter's verification system now allows anyone willing to spend money on the site to obtain a blue checkmark — and because many of those who do purchase the subscription are supporters of Mr Musk — many of the top comments on any post mentioning Bronny include conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 vaccine causing cardiac episodes.

Hamlin was the subject of similar conspiracy theories following his cardiac event in January.

While many of the posts claim a young basketball player suffering a cardiac event is unheard of, those claims are false.

Last summer, Vincent Iwuchukwu, an incoming freshman at USC, suffered a cardiac event and had to be hospitalised. He recovered and played 14 games with the Trojans last season, according to The New York Times.

In 2020, prior to the existence of the Covid-19 vaccines, Keyontae Johnson, a rising star in Florida, went into cardiac arrest during a game. He also recovered and resumed his career with Kansas State. Johsnon will begin his NBA career with Oklahoma City this year.

Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of non-accidental death for young athletes, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Dr John Higgins of UT Health Houston advocated for Texas House Bill 76, or Cody’s Law, which was passed in 2019. The law requires school districts to provide information on SCA — sudden cardiac arrest — and electrocardiograms (ECGs) to parents of student athletes. The law was necessary due to the increased risks SCA poses to student athletes with certain heart conditions.