Opts for college transfer portal
USC freshman Bronny James, the son of Lakers superstar LeBron James, is entering the NBA draft and the college transfer portal, he announced on social media.
James, 19, played in 25 games for the Trojans after making his college debut Dec. 10 against Long Beach State, less than five months after going into cardiac arrest during a summer workout at USC. A James family representative said at the time it was likely caused by a congenital heart defect.
“I’ve had a year with some ups and downs but all added to growth for me as a man, student and athlete,” he wrote on Instagram. “I’ve made the decision to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility, and will also be entering the NCAA transfer portal.”
James thanked USC for an “amazing freshman year, and as always thankful for my family, friends, doctors, athletic trainers and fans for their support.”
He had been expected to have a major impact on USC after earning McDonald’s All American honors in high school, but the cardiac arrest episode and treatment sidelined him for five months and severely impacted his productivity at USC.
The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists over 19.4 minutes per game while shooting 36.6% from the field as a freshman.
James will need to be evaluated and approved by the NBA’s Fitness to Play Panel before he can become eligible to participate in team workouts, the draft combine in May or be selected in the draft, according to ESPN. He can conduct interviews with teams without the medical clearance.
