USC’s Bronny James hits the road: Top questions after debut

USC freshman guard Bronny James passed a major hurdle in his comeback from cardiac arrest during last Sunday’s debut in a 84-79 upset loss in overtime to Long Beach State.

Now that he is back on the court, James turns his attention to his first college road games, including a Sunday clash against Auburn (1 p.m. ET, ESPN) followed by a contest against Alabama State on Tuesday.

After playing in front of a sellout crowd at the Galen Center, including his father, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, the younger James will need to navigate what should be an electric crowd on Sunday.

«It could be one of the hottest tickets in Neville Arena history for a nonconference game,» Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl told AL.com on Wednesday.

But the road show won’t end after two games in Alabama. James and USC will begin Pac-12 play at Oregon (Dec. 28, ESPN2) and at Oregon State (Dec. 30). USC will not play at home until Jan. 3 against California.

James is expected to remain on a minutes restriction against Auburn. Regardless, it should be a raucous atmosphere for two teams that are looking to bolster their résumés for the selection committee.

Here’s three questions facing James and the Trojans as they close out their nonconference schedule.

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What stood out about Bronny James in his USC debut?

James, who had 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 17 minutes in the loss to Long Beach State, showed that athleticism runs in the family.

The freshman, listed at 6-foot-4, had a spectacular chase-down block in the first half that looked a lot like the patented defensive swats by his dad.

James also displayed defensive skills, moving his feet quickly and being disruptive with his hands. He had a big steal late in regulation before the Trojans lost in overtime. Staying in front of Auburn’s scorers, such as former five-star recruit Aden Holloway, could be tougher.

Offensively, James can be a connector, moving the ball and making the right play. He doesn’t force anything offensively. He will also look to help USC stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting.

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What will he need to improve and work upon?

Watching James return to the court, it is easy to forget that he is working his way back from the cardiac arrest he suffered at a USC practice on July 24, for which he underwent treatment for a congenital heart defect.

Before the Long Beach State contest, James had only gone through two consecutive full-contact practices. In 17 minutes of game time off the bench, he played mostly in three-minute stints. That included pivotal stretches for USC at the end of regulation and at the start of overtime.

James needs to improve his conditioning in the limited minutes he’s expected to see against Auburn. He also is searching for his place in the offense behind fifth-year senior guard Boogie Ellis, freshman point guard Isaiah Collier (the current No. 1 pick in ESPN’s 2024 NBA mock draft) and junior starting guard Kobe Johnson.

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Can Bronny really help this struggling USC team?

After starting the season ranked No. 21 in the AP poll, USC is 5-4 with disappointing home losses to UC Irvine and Long Beach State. Ellis and Johnson missed the against UC Irvine game with injuries, although both have played since then.

James will help the second unit and strengthen the guard rotation. USC coach Andy Enfield could also play four guards at times. But the Trojans need to rebound, get stops and prevent second-chance points. They also need to hit more free throws after the 20-for-36 performance Sunday, when they blew a 15-point halftime lead. How effective James will be in restricted minutes will be key against Auburn.

Nonetheless, his return is a boost. The freshman certainly appears to be a heady player who produces more positive plays with increased playing time.

«He’s built for it,» said Ellis of James’ handling of the spotlight. «I feel like he embraces that. He put in the work and he’s a great player. We’re going to get him back and he’s going to continue to get into the rotation, but he’s built for it. He handles it very well.»