LeBron James and his wife Savannah have opened up for the first time about the terrifying moment their son, Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2023.
The now-20-year-old was just 18 when he collapsed during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California.
Speaking in the premiere episode of Netflix's new docuseries Starting 5, LeBron, 39, and Savannah, 38, reflected on their son's frightening health scare, which was caused by a congenital heart defect.
"I think at the end of the day, it was just about us supporting each other and just being super grateful for the outcome," Savannah tearfully said during the episode.
The episode also followed LeBron and his mother Gloria James as they visited with members of USC's medical staff who rushed to treat Bronny following his collapse.
"Shout out to the man above," LeBron said in his interview segment as footage of Gloria meeting medical responder, Erin, is shown.
© Getty Images"And to the whole coaching staff, training staff, members of that program," he added, before calling Erin a "lifesaver, literally."
"Erin performed CPR on Bronny when he went down," LeBron told his mother during their visit to the university's campus.
LeBron had nothing but praise for the school's medical staff, saying they are "the reason Bronny is alive now and smiling and thriving and doing what any 19-year-old should be doing, and that's living out their dream."
© Getty ImagesBronny spent three days at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles before he was evaluated at the Mayo Clinic and the Atlantic Health-Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey.
He was diagnosed with "an anatomically and functionally significant congenital heart defect" according to a family spokesperson at the time.
© Getty Images"[It] can and will be treated," they added. "We are very confident in Bronny's full recovery and return to basketball in the very near future."
Bronny underwent "successful surgery" soon after before beginning his rehabilitation process.
However, LeBron revealed in Starting 5 that Bronny's biggest concern following his cardiac arrest was when and if he would be able to return to basketball.
© Getty Images"It's crazy with kids, when they love something and they want something, that's all that matters to them," LeBron explained.
"As a parent, you're like, 'You had a cardiac arrest, like...,' and in his mind he's like, 'Can I or can I not play ball again and if the answer is yes, when can I play ball again?' I love that."
© Getty ImagesReflecting on his son's heart condition, LeBron added: "You're like, wow, it could have been, you know, so much more worse for our family."
Bronny needn't have worried as after only one season at USC, the Lakers selected him as the 55th pick in the second round of the draft in June.
© Getty ImagesOn October 6, he and LeBron made history when they became the first father and son to play alongside each other in the NBA during the Lakers' preseason game against the Phoenix Suns.
Calling playing on the same team as his son "the greatest thing that's ever happened," LeBron added during an interview on Today: "There's no greater accomplishment that will be able to overtake me being on the same floor as my son."
