LOS ANGELES - Bronny James, 18-year-old son of LeBron James, has been discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and is resting at home, three days after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Dr. Merije Chukumerije, cardiologist consultant for Bronny James, said in a statement issued by the hospital on Thursday that James was "successfully treated for sudden cardiac arrest" thanks to "the quick and effective response of the athletic medical staff at USC" after the incident on Monday at the Galen Center of the University of Southern California, where James was participating in a basketball practice.
"He arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center fully conscious, neurologically intact, and stable. Mr. James was immediately attended to by highly trained personnel and has been discharged to his home, where he is resting. Although his evaluation will continue, we are hopeful that he continues to progress and we are encouraged by his response, resilience, and the support of his family and community."
On early Thursday, LeBron James said his family is "safe and healthy" in a message of gratitude posted on social media by the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The words were the superstar of the Los Angeles Lakers' first public comment since Bronny, his eldest son and 18-year-old player, was hospitalized on Monday morning.
"I want to thank the countless people who sent love and prayers to my family," LeBron James wrote. "We appreciate that, and I am very grateful. Everyone is doing great. We have our family united, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. I will have more to say when we are ready, but I wanted to let everyone know how much your support has meant to all of us."
He concluded his message with the hashtag "JamesGang," his nickname for the family unit built around his three sons by James and his wife, Savannah.
Bronny James spent only a brief time in intensive care. That is a positive sign for his long-term recovery after the episode at USC's Galen Center, where school medical staff quickly treated him.
He was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was stable on Tuesday when the family made their first public statement about the incident. Bronny is expected to undergo thorough testing to investigate the cause of his cardiac arrest, which is typical in this situation.
Bronny James has built a promising basketball career for himself despite the considerable shadow of his father. The 6-foot-3-inch (1.91-meter) teenager became one of the top recruits as a two-way point guard for Sierra Canyon School in the suburbs of Chatsworth.
He decided in May to attend USC, which is expected to have one of the most intriguing teams in the nation. The Trojans were holding summer practices in preparation for a 10-day tour in Europe next month.
With his family's fame and a large number of social media followers, Bronny James has the highest valuation by name, image, and likeness in sports at $6.3 million, according to estimates from On3.com.
Bronny James was the second high-profile basketball recruit at USC to suffer cardiac arrest in the past year. Vincent Iwuchuwku also got injured during a workout last July but the 7-foot-1-inch (2.16-meter) center returned to the court six months later, eventually appearing in 14 games for the Trojans as a freshman.
It is too early to know how Bronny James' basketball career could be affected by this health setback. Dr. Sameer Amin, cardiologist and medical director of L.A. Care Health Plan, told The Associated Press that the teenager's departure from the intensive care unit this week was encouraging.
"It's a really positive sign that he didn't suffer too much brain damage or any significant heart damage in the context of the cardiac arrest," said Amin, who is not treating Bronny James. "Usually we see that when someone's heart restarts very quickly after it stops. Also, in young people, you tend to recover much faster. It's a really positive outcome that he has already been discharged from the ICU."
Amin said it is too early to speculate on whether Bronny James can return to basketball or how fast it might happen.
"If (the cardiac event) happens due to an unusual chest blow like in the case of Damar Hamlin, often those people can have a positive outcome because it was a rare and unusual event that caused the heart to stop," Amin said. "In those where there is an underlying genetic issue or underlying electrical issue, it may be a little bit more complicated to get someone back on the playing field."