When will Bronny James play for USC? Potential timeline for 2023 return to basketball from cardiac arrest

When No. 23 USC took the floor Monday, Nov. 6, for its season-opener against Kansas State at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, star freshman Bronny James was not available.

On July 25, news surfaced that the son of Lakers star LeBron James was in stable condition after suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing during a basketball workout the day before. The condition was later diagnosed as "a treatable congenital heart defect," and, thankfully, every update along the way has been positive.

James was discharged from the hospital after three days. He has since returned to his normal school life at USC, attending classes and football games this fall. When the men's and women's basketball teams had their "Trojan HoopLA" season kickoff event on Oct. 19, James was able to join in on the fun with all of his teammates.

And although it seems that James is getting closer to retaking the floor, there is still no official timetable for his return.

The Sporting News has you covered with the latest updates on the situation below.

When will Bronny James play for USC?

There is no clear date for James to make his return, but his father provided an update following the Lakers game on Nov. 6.

LeBron told the media that Bronny is going to get a checkup at the end of November and, if he's cleared, he will practice with the intention of returning to game action this season, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Bronny was seen warming up with his teammates ahead of USC's game against Brown on Sunday, Nov. 19. This was a first, and it's a step in the right direction for the star freshman.

Bronny James out warming up pregame for USC hoops before tonight’s game against Brown. Kobe Johnson and Boogie Ellis, who both missed last game v. UCI, are also warming up. pic.twitter.com/i8s2IEuT4m

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) November 20, 2023

"Today's game was the first game he got an opportunity to warm up with his team," LeBron said following the Lakers' game on Sunday. "So, he's almost there. He's almost there."

On Sept. 25, USC head coach Andy Enfield said, "Bronny is doing very well, but we just can't comment on anything medically.

"He's going to class and doing extremely well in school, and we're really excited for him. He's around when he can be and he's getting caught up [with] some schoolwork and doing very well. His grades are excellent right now, and he's being the true student-athlete."

At Lakers media day on Oct. 2, LeBron gave another positive update that Bronny intends to play for USC at some point this season.

"Bronny is doing extremely well," LeBron told the media. "He has begun his rehab process to get back on the floor this season with his teammates at USC.

"The successful surgery that he had ... he's on the up and up. It's definitely a whirlwind and a lot of emotions for our family this summer, but the best thing we have is each other."

Check back for more updates on the steps toward James' return as they become available.

Bronny James' potential timeline for return

With Bronny expected to remain out through the rest of November, he is set to miss at least the first seven games of USC's season.

The Trojans will play four more non-conference games at the start of December before Pac-12 play kicks off after Christmas.

If Pac-12 play were to be a hypothetical target date, USC's first conference game takes place Dec. 28 at Oregon. The Trojans' first home Pac-12 game will be Jan. 3 vs. California at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.

While a timeline for recovery from a heart condition cannot be compared, it is worth noting that James' teammate, Vincent Iwuchukwu, also went into cardiac arrest on July 1, 2022, during the summer before his freshman year.

After making a full recovery, Iwuchukwu made his debut in a Pac-12 game against Colorado on Jan. 12, 2023, going on to play in 14 games last season.

Once James does return, he'll join a USC squad that has Pac-12 title and national championship aspirations alongside 2023 No. 1 recruit Isaiah Collier and returning super senior Boogie Ellis.

USC men's basketball schedule schedule 2023-24

Here is the rest of the Trojans' non-conference schedule for the 2023-24 season.

Basketball fans can watch the biggest games of the 2023-24 season on Sling TV, which is now offering HALF OFF your first month! Sling base packages (Sling Orange or Sling Blue) start at just $20 for your first month, or you can get Sling Orange + Blue starting at $27.50 for your first month.