LOS ANGELES — Bronny James returned to full-contact basketball practice on Thursday for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest in July, paving the way for the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James to make his college debut with Southern California.

“He’s excited,” USC coach Andy Enfield said after practice. James did not speak with reporters. Last week, the 19-yearold was cleared by his doctors, and the Trojans had been waiting for their medical staff to give James the go-ahead to join them for full-contact practice.

“He looked good, he looked a hundred percent,” guard Kobe Johnson said. “Just being able to have him back out on the floor, it definitely raises the team morale. It was awesome to have him out there.”

The Trojans (5-3) host Long Beach State on Sunday before playing four straight road games.

“It’ll be a determination how he feels personally and our doctors and trainers and our strength coach, but all indication is he feels great and he looks good,” Enfield said.

James would come off the bench and be on a minutes restriction in his debut.

“We’re expecting him to help us right away because he’s a very good player,” Enfield said, “but at the same time we have the expectation that he’ll get better as time goes on.”

The elder James has said he would attend his son’s first game regardless of whether the Lakers were playing the same day. They are off Sunday.