LOS ANGELES — The crowd at the Galen Center rose to its feet with 12:58 to go in the first half Sunday afternoon. USC students created a line that wrapped around the arena two hours before tipoff. Other Trojan fans have waited months to finally see this.
Bronny James, a McDonald’s All-American guard, made his collegiate debut, with his father and NBA superstar LeBron James sitting courtside. The crowd welcomed him with a standing ovation, grew louder every time he was guarding a Long Beach State ball handler and held its breath when he took his first shot in his first game since suffering cardiac arrest in July.
James, who was expected to be on a minutes restriction, played six minutes in the first half. He didn’t score — he missed his only shot attempt — but still found a way to create a highlight with a chase-down block that was eerily reminiscent of his father. That moment sent the crowd into a frenzy. He followed that up with a nifty assist on the other end of the floor moments later.
He finished the first half with one block, one rebound and one assist and with a plus-minus of 8 as USC led 45-30 at halftime, then sunk a 3 for his first college points early in the second half. Vincent Iwuchukwu, Kobe Johnson, Boogie Ellis, Isaiah Collier and Harrison Hornery started for USC.
Doctors cleared James to return to basketball on Nov. 30. He returned for full-contact practice Thursday after receiving clearance from USC’s medical staff. During the pregame shootaround Sunday, James threw down a windmill dunk.
“All indications are he feels great, and he looks good,” USC coach Andy Enfield said this week. He added that James had been increasing his cardio, individual drills and lifting weights. The coach said it will take time for James to get his rhythm back and to get into game shape.
“It’s hard enough to adjust to the college game for anybody, but when you’ve been out for six months, it takes time,” Enfield said. “But Bronny has been incredible. His attention to detail, his work ethic, he’s taken this step by step with our athletic trainers, our doctors and our strength coach.”
LeBron said Thursday he “can’t wait to see (Bronny) run out with his teammates,” and that when he checks into the game, “it’s going to be a big moment for (their) family.”
“Obviously it will be a big moment for him. But he can speak upon that once he decides he wants to talk,” LeBron said. “But it’s a big milestone for our family, for sure, and it’s another step for him on his journey in his basketball career.”
After entering the season in the top 25, USC has slipped to a 5-3 record after losses to UC Irvine, Oklahoma and Gonzaga. The Trojans are currently unranked, with three games remaining before conference play.
USC is led by a pair of guards in the senior Ellis, who is ranked eighth in scoring nationally at 22.4 points per game and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and the freshman Collier, the No. 1 prospect from the 2023 class and one of two freshmen to average over 17 points and four assists per game.
In October, conference coaches voted Long Beach to finish second in the Big West behind UC Santa Barbara. Through 10 games, the team is 6-4, with its best win coming against Michigan on the road on Nov. 17. LBSU is led by senior Marcus Tsohonis, who is averaging 17.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
Long Beach State features four players with scoring averages of 11 points or more, including Lassina Traore (11.6), Jadon Jones (11.2) and Aboubacar Traore (11.1). Long Beach State seeks its first victory at USC since 1987 and its first win against the Trojans since 2013.
How to watch Bronny’s debut
USC-LBSU tipped off at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday on the Pac-12 Network.
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(Photo: Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
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