Bronny James was a mere teenager just entering his freshman year at USC. The 19-year-old had the spotlight brightly shining on him. His NBA aspirations were taking flight until in one moment they momentarily came to a halt. The elder son of LeBron James suffered from a cardiac arrest and collapsed during one of USC’s practice sessions.

He was immediately rushed to the hospital and scheduled for surgery. After months of recovery, he made a galloping return to join USC  for the rest of the season. As is with such injuries, Bronny wasn’t the same player immediately following surgery. His freshman year passed with underwhelming stats. James averaged merely 4.8 points and 2.1 assists.

A former McDonald’s All-American, Bronny James was now seen as unqualified to be a part of the NBA after his first collegiate seasons. Many agreed he needed to spend more time in college. In hopes of better opportunities and more game time, Bronny James entered the transfer portal after just one season.

Parallelly, he also declared for the upcoming NBA draft. Because of his innate heart condition, the teenager had to undergo fitness tests to participate in the pre-draft combine. Finally, the results are out.

Bronny James gets the draft combine approval

The doubts about Bronny James’ fitness and health were all put to a close after the NBA’s physicians evaluated him in the past week. He has officially been cleared to participate in the NBA’s pre-draft combine. Adrian Wojnarowski reported, “In the aftermath of his cardiac arrest and a procedure to repair a congenital heart defect nine months ago, the NBA’s Fitness to Play panel has medically cleared USC’s Bronny James to be drafted and play in the league,”.

Bronny James is now only a name-call away from officially being part of the NBA. And several suitors could line up to select him during the upcoming draft given the implication that might follow. Previously, LeBron James admitted his wish to play with Bronny. A team could draft the 19-year-old to lure the King to their franchise.

Moreover, the Los Angeles Lakers might also entertain such an option to hold LeBron James for a longer period. Of course, after another underwhelming playoff exit and James eligible to find a new franchise next season, Rob Pelinka will have a lot to work out. Even though Rich Paul, James’ agent, did state he wanted Bronny to take his journey, fatherly protection can never be ignored.

As a prospect alone, Bronny James offers several perks to a competing team. He is an elite perimeter defender with quick feet and busy hands. Bronny also plays the game with a heightened level of maturity as compared to his peers. His three-point shot being his most highly rated skill coincides perfectly with the modern NBA.

A future as a 3 & D option early in his career looks to be more probable than ever. While before teams would have to guess his ceiling, now Bronny James gets the opportunity to present his skills and dictate his journey. Do you think Bronny James will be drafted this year? Let us know your views in the comments below.