Fortunately for the Lakers, LeBron James didn’t have to skip any games or practices to watch Bronny James return to the court.
Bronny made his USC debut Sunday playing 16 minutes off the bench for the Trojans, scoring four points and grabbing three boards in an eventual Long Beach State OT win. His return to the court after collapsing on a practice court with a cardiac arrest over the summer was reason enough to celebrate something more significant than basketball, which is what LeBron said in an emotional Instagram post after the game:
Can’t even tell y’all how EMOTIONAL today was for me! I’m literally drained and all I can say is @bronny you’re simply INCREDIBLE!! Damn the wins and loses that will occur. You’ve already won the ultimate goal/championship and that’s LIFE!!! Proud of you kid and today you’ve given me more life! Thank you and I love you 🤎🙏🏾🤴🏾🥺
LeBron had flown back from Las Vegas — where his Lakers had just won the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament and he had been named MVP — for the game. He had said previously he’d told teammates that if the Lakers’ schedule conflicted with Bronny’s debut he would choose family, fortunately for the Lakers it didn’t come to that.
USC is now off until Sunday when it faces Auburn on the road, part of a two-game swing through Alabama before returning home and starting the final Pac-12 season after Christmas.
