USC basketball freshman Bronny James' sudden cardiac arrest last month was likely caused by an "anatomically and functionally significant" congenital heart defect, a James family spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
The defect "can and will be treated" and there's confidence that James will be back on the court in the "very near future," according to the statement.
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“After a comprehensive initial evaluation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center led by Dr. Merije Chukumerije and follow-up evaluations at the Mayo Clinic led by Dr. Michael J. Ackerman and Atlantic Health/Morristown Medical Center led by Dr. Matthew W. Martinez, the probable cause of Mr. James’ sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) has been identified," the statement read. "It is an anatomically and functionally significant congenital heart defect which can and will be treated.
"We are very confident in Bronny’s full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future. We will continue to provide updates to media and respectfully reiterate the family’s request for privacy.”
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RELATED: What is a congenital heart defect?
On July 24, James suffered a cardiac arrest during a practice at the University of Southern California's Galen Center. He was treated by the school's medical staff before being hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
A James family spokesperson announced on July 27 that Bronny was no longer in the ICU. He was seen out at dinner with his family the following night.
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James, the 18-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, was a McDonald's All-American and ESPN's No. 20-ranked player in the 2023 recruiting class. He received offers from the likes of Kentucky, Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon before he committed to USC in May.
Earlier this week, USC head coach Andy Enfield said he was hopeful James would be on the court "at some point" in the 2023-24 season.
The Trojans are slated to begin their season on Nov. 6 against Kansas State.
