Bronny James opens up about battling mental health after cardiac arrest: 'It's difficult, but I'm trying to work at it every day'

Since being drafted into the NBA, Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James has been the subject of criticism and even ridicule. Many don't believe LeBron Jr. earned the right to be drafted by the "Purple and Gold," while others don't think he is good enough to play in the league.

But while it has been easy for his detractors to point to his poor performances on the basketball court, they never consider the fact that Bronny suffered a heart attack less than two years ago. In a recent interview, the 20-year-old admitted that his scary experience gave him mental health issues, which he continues to struggle with up to today.

"Trying to get past that," James said. "It's difficult, but I'm trying to work at it every day."

A difficult road back

It may be an understatement to say that it's been a difficult road back. Bronny was ranked as a possible lottery pick before entering USC. But while practicing on campus on July 24, 2023, a young guard collapsed on the court after suffering a cardiac.

He underwent a procedure to treat what was called a congenital heart disease. Although he was given the medical clearance to play again, his college debut was delayed.

He went on to have an underwhelming freshman season at USC, and his draft stock fell. The Lakers picked him 55th overall in the 2024 NBA draft despite that. Last October, LBJ and LeBron Jr. became the first father-and-son duo in league history to play together on the same team.

"My family, my parents, they are extremely thankful that I'm not only able to play basketball but also just walk around and speak to other people," Bronny continued. "It's a blessing to be able to play this sport that I love. There's a chance I wasn't going to be able to. So, I wake up, and I'm thankful for that every day."

Showing improvement in the G League

So far, Bronny has played seven games for the Lakers. He was disappointing in those games, averaging just 0.6 points, 0.1 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game on a horrendous 12.5% shooting clip. But since he's spent time with the Lakers' G League affiliate, Bronny has shown progress.

"I'm just showing up every day, trying to get better every day, trying to learn every day, and playing my game every day," LeBron Jr. added. "And I feel like that's what is getting me to have fun and enjoy this sport that I love every day."

After seven games for the South Bay Lakers, Bronny is averaging 13.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. On December 12, James scored a career-high 30 points, and with performances like that, he is slowly but surely proving his critics wrong.