USC Basketball

Shareef O'Neal, who underwent open-heart surgery at age 18 to repair a coronary artery issue, said he spoke to Bronny James after the USC guard went into cardiac arrest at practice this week.

"I talked to Bronny. I sent him a message. I just said, 'Any questions you have, you can ask me because I can probably answer them for you,'" O'Neal said on GMA. "... I know people are going to be saying they're like praying for you and all that. You don't want to hear too much about it at the moment."

James, the son of LeBron James, is in stable condition and out of the ICU after being rushed to the hospital Monday due to cardiac arrest.

"Yesterday while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest," a James family spokesperson said in a statement. "Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information."

No further details have been made publicly available since the announcement was first made Tuesday.

James is a 5-star guard prospect and was ranked as the No. 22 player in the 2023 high school class in 247Sports' composite rankings. He was widely expected to be a one-and-done candidate, potentially lining him up to play with his father in the NBA.

James' basketball future is unclear. USC center Vincent Iwuchukwu, who went into cardiac arrest in a practice last summer, was able to return and play 14 games for the Trojans.

O'Neal was able to resume his career after spending a year recovering and is currently a member of the G League Ignite.

The sports world is coming together to support Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a practice session at USC on Monday.

Bronny's representatives said in a statement to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania that the 18-year-old USC freshman was transported to a local hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest during the 2022 NFL season and has since become one of the largest advocates for CPR and automated external defibrillator training, was among the athletes to voice his support for Bronny and the entire James family:

Bronny announced his commitment to USC in May after a standout high school career at Sierra Canyon, and he's now on a talented Trojans roster that includes No. 1 recruit Isaiah Collier.

Bronny was the No. 22 player and No. 5 combo guard in the class of 2023, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and he's expected to be among the biggest names available in the 2024 NBA draft.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman listed Bronny as the 36th-best prospect in his latest 2024 NBA draft big board, writing that he "checks a coveted mix of boxes with translatable shooting and IQ for smart ball-moving and defensive anticipation."

USC signee Bronny James suffered cardiac arrest during a practice session Monday.

His representatives said in a statement the 18-year-old, who's the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, was transported to a nearby hospital and remains in stable condition.

James has already built a national profile. A 2023 McDonald's All-American, he represented Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit this past spring and helped the United States earn a 90-84 victory over a World Select squad.

The 6'3" playmaker was the No. 22 overall player and No. 5 combo guard in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2023 class. He's part of an exciting freshman group at USC that includes Isaiah Collier, the No. 1 overall talent on the 247Sports composite list.

In his most recent 2024 NBA draft big board, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman listed James at 36th:

James checks a coveted mix of boxes with translatable shooting and IQ for smart ball-moving and defensive anticipation. The question is whether he'll be a tough-enough creator and two-point scorer to offer more on-ball value. Regardless, there should be interest in his three-and-D package and intangibles, a combination that hints at a high floor. Given his consistent development at Sierra Canyon and his play at All-Star events, this year's bright spotlight doesn't seem likely to negatively affect him.

LeBron James has on numerous occasions expressed a desire to play on the same team as his son once he reaches the pro level.

Bronny James grew up in the shadow of a basketball legend, so he knows better than most that athletic greats are often motivated by slights whether they are real or imagined.

And he is already responding to some of those slights before he even steps on the floor in a game for the USC Trojans.

James said he "can't wait to prove y'all wrong" with a picture of the basket on USC's floor:

It's unclear how many people are truly doubting the soon-to-be college freshman. He is the son of the legendary LeBron James, is a 5-star prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings, and is already showing up in the first round of mock 2024 NBA drafts.

But some extra motivation never hurt anyone, and James will look to use it to lead the Trojans to their first national championship in program history.

After the completion of the 2023 NBA draft this week, projections have already begun for next year's draft, which will likely feature Bronny James.

In their latest 2024 mock draft, ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have the Atlanta Hawks selecting James with the 17th overall pick (via the Sacramento Kings). They pegged him as a potential lottery pick in a previous mock draft back in February.

G League Ignite forward Ron Holland is projected as the top pick.

Givony said in February's mock draft that James was "developing into arguably the best perimeter defender in his high school class while making strides in his perimeter shooting and playmaking ability."

There wasn't an explanation as to why exactly he dropped out of the lottery in this edition of the mock draft, but it likely won't be the only time his projection shifts before next year.

James is set to star at USC next season after committing to the school early last month and joining a recruiting class that includes top prospect Isaiah Collier and 4-star center Arrinten Page. He was ranked as the No. 5 combo guard in the class of 2023 by 247Sports' composite.

It was recently revealed that the 18-year-old will wear No. 6 for the Trojans in honor of his father LeBron James, who wears the same number for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The landing spot of Bronny James in next year's draft will likely dictate his legendary dad's future in the NBA. LeBron James has frequently expressed a desire to play on the same team as his son, and he said as recently as last month that he's "still serious about it."

Bronny James will honor his father, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, while playing college basketball at USC.

The Trojans revealed Thursday that James intends to wear No. 6 in 2023-24. LeBron has worn Nos. 23 and 6 during his NBA career and currently wears No. 6 with the Purple and Gold.

Bronny, a five-star prospect in the class of 2023, committed to USC last month after also receiving offers from Ohio State and Memphis.

The 18-year-old is ranked the 22nd-best prospect and the fifth-best combo guard in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' Composite Rankings. He's widely expected to play one season at USC before making the jump to the NBA.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony projected James to be selected 10th overall in the 2024 draft, though a standout season with the Trojans could alter his projection.

Bronny James is tentatively scheduled to make his collegiate debut for USC on Nov. 6 against Kansas State in Las Vegas, according to College Hoops Today's Jon Rothstein.

The 18-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James figures to be the most closely followed star of the 2023-24 college basketball season. The Trojans commit is the No. 22 overall player and the No. 5 combo guard in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2023 class.

Having LeBron for a dad meant James was bound to garner a lot of attention, but the hype surrounding him wouldn't be so plentiful if he weren't also as good as he is.

247Sports' Adam Finkelstein evaluated the 6'3" playmaker in April and came away impressed:

In fact, Bronny's best attribute may be his understanding of how to impact the game without dominating the ball or forcing bad shots. He's unselfish, a more than willing passer, and engaged defender. The best part of his individual offense is his ability to shoot the ball from long-range. He has good mechanics and consistently knocks down open rhythm threes.

Jonathan Givony of ESPN also projected James to be a top-10 pick in his early 2024 mock draft.

"As most of his peers have flatlined the past 12 to 18 months, James has grown, filled out his frame, found another gear with his explosiveness and become an absolute terror off the ball defensively thanks to his outstanding intensity and feel for the game," Givony wrote.

James won't be the only freshman who will be under the watchful eye of NBA talent evaluators on Nov. 6.

USC signed point guard Isaiah Collier, the No. 1 player in 247Sports' composite rankings. The Trojans' backcourt dynamic figures to be a fascinating subplot all season.

USC men's basketball will enter a new era of scrutiny and national attention when Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, plays for the program in the 2023-24 season.

And the school is already making preparations.

"This year, to contend with the star power, the school could create a separate entrance for celebrities and other VIPs who want to watch Bronny and USC men's basketball," Myron Medcalf of ESPN reported Thursday. "It also plans to adjust security measures for players as general attendance increases."

Even without his famous father, Bronny James would be an attraction. He's considered a 5-star recruit by 247Sports' composite rankings and is the No. 21 player in the Class of 2023, the No. 5 combo guard and the No. 4 player from the state of California.

James is a potential NBA lottery pick in 2024 and will pair with top overall prospect Isaiah Collier and 4-star recruit Arrinten Page to give the Trojans an incredibly intriguing freshman class.

Even in Los Angeles, they'll be one of the hottest tickets in town.

A new report from The Athletic's Justin Williams, Nicole Auerbach and Bruce Feldman lifted the lid on the circumstances leading to Mike Bohn's sudden resignation as athletic director at USC.

They describe how issues arose with both the Trojans and at his previous stop, Cincinnati:

In the days since his resignation, The Athletic has spoken to multiple individuals who worked with Bohn at USC and Cincinnati, as well as athletic directors and others who engaged with him professionally, probing Bohn's history in college athletics and why it all went wrong at USC. That insight was reinforced by documents obtained from his time at Cincinnati that detail racially insensitive comments made by Bohn and claims of another 'toxic atmosphere.'

From the outside, it looked like USC's athletic department was thriving.

The school poached Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma, and the football team went 11-3 with Caleb Williams winning the Heisman Trophy in 2022. The basketball team secured a commitment from Bronny James, which promises to bring plenty of attention since he's the son of NBA star LeBron James. Bohn also oversaw the Trojans' eventual move to the Big Ten.

That made it all the more surprising when the 62-year-old abruptly departed on May 19.

There was far more to the story, though, and it extends back to before he was hired by USC.

According to The Athletic, Bohn was the subject of two investigations in 2019 as he was on his way to the West Coast.

Karen Hatcher, who works in Cincinnati's athletics foundation, made allegations of "discriminatory and other professional misconduct." In one exchange, Bohn allegedly instructed her to "be careful with diverse pools" of candidates for an open job position. He also allegedly said she had "pulled the race card" when she drew attention to the lack of minority employees earning promotions with the school, per the report.

The other inquiry centered around "the climate and culture of the athletics department as a whole," according to The Athletic.

Similar issues emerged at USC.

As Bohn's resignation was announced, the Los Angeles Times' Ryan Kartje reported there was growing "internal criticism of his management of the athletic department."

"Bohn made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female colleagues, including remarks about their dress, hair and weight, that staff members said made them feel uncomfortable, according to two USC sources with knowledge of the incidents," Kartje wrote.

His report also cited two people who worked with Bohn at Cincinnati who saw him allegedly "make unwanted physical contact with women" that made the women "visibly uncomfortable."

Both the Los Angeles Times and The Athletic painted the picture of an absentee athletic director as well. Kartje spoke to people with the Trojans who "described him as a poor manager who missed meetings he was expected to attend and was often absent from key events, including USC national championship victories."

According to The Athletic, Bohn worked remotely from his home in Boulder, Colorado, "for the better part of his first two years on the job at USC" amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, he struggled to build relationships with or even know some of the people who worked within the athletic department.

For USC, this is yet another administrative failure in a string of them.

Nobody remembers former athletic director Pat Haden's tenure all that fondly, particularly because the football team experienced such a quick decline from the Pete Carroll era.

Lynn Swann replaced Haden. His inexperience presented clear challenges, and the "Varsity Blues" scandal unfolded while the Hall of Fame wide receiver was in charge.

Bohn was both a USC outsider and the kind of seasoned administrator who could finally bring some stability. Instead, the cycle of dysfunction continues in Los Angeles.

USC head coach Andy Enfield isn't feeling any additional pressure since Bronny James committed to playing basketball for the Trojans on May 6.

Speaking to ESPN's Myron Medcalf, Enfield said LeBron James and his wife, Savannah, have been "extremely supportive" of Bronny since he made his decision:

"They have a great understanding of what it takes to become a great player. I think the expectations—there are certainly expectations—but the expectations are not unreasonable as parents. They want what most other parents want. They want their son to come get an education, develop on the basketball court, play with other good players and to have a coaching staff that can help them develop and help him become a better player. We think, as coaching staff, LeBron and Savannah have a great understanding of what it's going to take for Bronny to be a great college player and get to the next level."

LeBron and Savannah have spoken about their oldest son with great pride since he committed to USC.

"They are amazing," Savannah told Sylvia Obell of Cut Magazine about her children. "They surprise me every day just with how intelligent and kind and amazing they are. I pat myself on the back, as well as give high-fives to my husband, because I tell him all the time, 'We did that. We did that.'"

Having just completed his 10th season at USC, Enfield has transformed the program into a prime destination for top recruits. The Trojans have made the NCAA tournament in three consecutive years and five times in the past eight seasons.

USC made the tournament just six times in the previous 16 years before Enfield was hired in April 2013. One of those appearances is from the 2007-08 season that was vacated due to a violation of NCAA rules.

Bronny's commitment adds to what looks like a loaded freshman class for USC next season. The Trojans are ranked eighth in the 2023-24 recruiting rankings, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

James is the highest-profile player in that group as the son of arguably the greatest player in NBA history, but he might be the second-best player on talent. Isaiah Collier is the top-ranked overall recruit.

Having already played under an intense spotlight for most of his life, Bronny should have no problem adjusting to life in college when he arrives on campus in the fall.