• Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest while training with the USC Trojans on Monday
• A similar incident cost Boston Celtics’ star Reggie Lewis his life in 1993
• Lewis is the only NBA player to pass away on the court due to cardiac arrest
The recent cardiac arrest suffered by Bronny James has served as an awakening to the sports world, realizing that even the healthiest of athletes could secretly be struggling with heart issues. This is quite common in young athletes, as cardiac arrest has been a leading cause of death for decades.
The NBA has lost members of the brotherhood due to cardiomyopathy, the condition people are assuming Bronny has. In July 1993, the league had to unceremoniously part ways with Celtics star Reggie Lewis, who passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest on the basketball court of Brandeis University in Massachusets. He was just 27 years old at the time.
Earlier that year, Lewis had seen his career end after he collapsed on the court during a playoff game against the Charlotte Hornets.
He was diagnosed with focal cardiomyopathy and told he wouldn’t play again. But that turned out to be a misdiagnosis after Lewis got a second opinion, with the condition neurocardiogenic syncope, a non-fatal condition. This led him to continue working out to come back for the 1993-94 season, which cost him his life during the summer 30 years ago.
Reggie Lewis Was A Star On The Court
Due to the tragic end to his career, people often forget that Lewis was establishing himself as one of the premier scorers of the league in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He was drafted by the Celtics with the 22nd overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. He was a crucial pick for Boston as they couldn’t compete atop the East without shaking up their aging core featuring Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Their 1986 Draft pick Len Bias passed away from an overdose, putting further pressure on Lewis to live up to his potential.
He barely played as a rookie, averaging 4.5 points per game in 46 appearances. His sophomore season saw him showcase his full array of skills as he shot up to averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2,7 assists, and 1.5 steals in the 1988-89 season. He cemented his spot on the roster and didn’t average less than 17.0 points a season till the end of his career.
In his last two seasons, Lewis broke out as a star in this league. He became a 20-point scorer and was named an All-Star in 1992. He made the Celtics look competitive in an Eastern Conference that was dominated by the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately, he never got to fulfill his potential on the court. He averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 450 regular-season games over six seasons for the Celtics.
Bronny James will have the benefit of modern medicine to deal with whatever ailment caused his cardiac arrest, but the story of Lewis is a cautionary tale. He was so determined to continue in the NBA that he couldn’t stop preparing himself to make it back onto the court.
Everyone will be praying that Bronny can make it back onto the court. Reports suggest we can be optimistic, but our fingers will be crossed until we know his status for sure.
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