It’s not easy being Bronny James. Now you may say that he has a cushy life as the son of LeBron James. But only Bronny can attest to the struggles and scrutiny he faces because of it. And it’s not just that. The 20-year-old had to fight an uphill battle with an illness that jeopardized his ability to play basketball professionally. But despite all the odds and scrutiny, Bronny showed us his mettle in the Lakers’ most recent game after which he came clean about his struggles.
If you hadn’t already then let us be the ones to tell you. Bronny James dropped a career-high 17 points tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks. Even though the Lakers were thoroughly decimated by the Bucks, Bronny was still among the standouts for the Purple and Gold. In fact, he was the joint-highest scorer. But after the game when a reporter asked him how he felt physically, Bronny made a personal revelation.
BRONNY HAD CAREER HIGH VS. BUCKS
• 17 PTS
• 5 AST
• 3 REB
• 7/10 FG
• 2/4 3PT pic.twitter.com/P8SlpNTOkW
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) March 21, 2025
“Yeah, I feel like it’s all coming back, just being out there all along. Stuff that I had to go through, wind-wise and lung-wise… Yeah, just I think I’ve been getting more comfortable as I get the reps under me, and get the games under me, and practices, and learning from the bench. And stuff like that, I feel like it’s good for me,” said Bronny James at the post-game press conference.
You see, Bronny James was born with a congenital heart defect. This defect almost proved fatal when he went into cardiac arrest in July 2023 during an offseason USC workout. This left him hospitalized for three days as the James family and the basketball world prayed for his recovery. Thankfully, Bronny successfully underwent surgery for this defect and was later cleared to resume playing in late November.
But you’ll want to hear from Bronny himself about how scary this ordeal was for him and his family.
Bronny James opens up on the “total reset” his cardiac arrest caused
Tonight’s post-game press conference wasn’t the first time Bronny James opened up about his attempts to return to normalcy after this harrowing incident. After joining the league in 2024, Bronny spoke to Men’s Health about what his experience was like.
LeBron James‘s oldest son talked about how it was a normal day for him till he blacked out halfway through running drills for USC. But it seems he doesn’t recall anything more about the incident. What he does remember though, is the things that helped him get back to feeling like himself again.
Feb 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) celebrates after making a three point basket during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
“I got real on top of my routines to get back to where I was. I had to do breathing exercises and stuff. It was a total reset. I have to stay on top of my heart medications,” said Bronny. He even revealed that he had a “heart pillow.” “What’s that?” you ask. “When I coughed, it used to hurt a little bit, but you get this pillow, and when you cough you just hold it so it doesn’t hurt,” is how Bronny explained it.
Back then, he confessed, “My days aren’t normal anymore. I still feel like I’m getting back, I’m getting to where I was.” And it seems that nearly two years after the incident, Bronny is still trying to gain a semblance of normalcy.
However, tonight’s performance and the plaudits he should receive for it must let him know he’s on the right path. We all know how tough it’s been for him. And apart from the haters, we all just want to see Bronny James succeed in the NBA after everything he’s been through!
The post Battling Heart Condition, Bronny James Comes Clean On Health Concerns In Moving Confession After Career-High Night vs Bucks appeared first on EssentiallySports.
