Los Angeles Lakers' Bronny James Opens Up About Lingering Effects From Cardiac Arrest

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James is heading into his second NBA season. James suffered a sudden cardiac arrest the summer before his season with the USC Trojans and recently opened up about how the lingering effects have impacted him.

Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) reacts during warm-ups against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James is coming off a strong summer league performance as he prepares for year two in the NBA. The former USC Trojans guard is working towards playing a larger role with the Lakers, but his health condition could be impacting his development.

In July 2023, while heading into his freshman year with the USC Trojans, James suffered cardiac arrest during a workout. It was later revealed that it was due to a congenital heart defect. James managed to work his way back and play for the Trojans for one season before joining the NBA, but the issue left a lingering effect.

Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) reacts during warm-ups against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

James Opens Up About Conditioning

As James heads into his second season with the Lakers, he recently opened up about the lingering effects of his cardiac arrest in 2023. James spoke to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin about how it has affected his conditioning.

“I get kind of sick easier now,” James said. “Which is kind of weird, but I think it messed with my immune system a little bit. So, I would have times where I have to sit out, and that conditioning that I’m working on just goes away in that week of me being out.”

Feb 29, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) controls the ball against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum. Washington State Cougars won 75-72. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Over the summer, James missed the first game of the California Classic due to an illness. He ended up playing in the second game, but he only played 11 minutes, giving him a slow start. It took some time, but James ended up finishing the summer league as one of the top-performing second-year players.

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James has more confidence heading into this season and is looking to control what he can about his game. It will take time for the body to rebuild the immune system, but with James’ age, he has a higher chance of overcoming the issues at a quicker pace.

“Anytime you have a situation like this, it takes some time for the body’s collaborative immune system to build back up,” Lakers athletic trainer Mike Mancias told McMenamin. “It’s very normal to have even elite athletes experience this. But because of Bronny’s age and condition, it [will happen] even faster.”

Jul 10, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) prepares for the start of the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Ahead of the summer league, James was open that one of the aspects of his game that he is working on the most is his conditioning. He is running more often and staying on top of his diet. James is doing what he can to make sure he can control his conditioning with the lingering health issues, the best he can.

James' Uphill Battle Towards Rotation

This is a tough challenge that the second-year player has to go through as he works towards playing time. James has shown his best performances come from earning consistent playing time, but as long as his health holds him back, it is challenging for the former Trojans guard to stay on the court.

Mar 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick on the sidelines against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Lakers coach JJ Redick revealed that what he wants to see from James the most is for him to work on his conditioning. If he can do that, he could earn more minutes in the NBA. This puts James in a tough place with his conditioning being a lingering effect from his sudden cardiac arrest, but he is putting in the work that will best help him moving forward.

Although it is an uphill battle for James, the Lakers guard is working hard to earn more minutes in year two. There may be games where he misses time due to an illness, but he could still earn more time as a rotational player.