USC 5-star freshman Vince Iwuchukwu had cardiac arrest in July; not medically cleared to play

USC football is doing really well. Meanwhile, USC basketball is dealing with a significant complication several weeks before the start of the new hoops season.

Vince Iwuchukwu was Andy Enfield’s latest high-profile big-man recruit. Following Onyeka Okongwu and Evan Mobley — two top-six NBA draft picks from the past few years — Iwuchukwu was next in line as an elite frontcourt force who would give USC length, defense, rebounding, and an imposing presence which would enable the rest of the roster to focus on wing and perimeter defense. This is part of the Enfield formula, which has worked very well for the Trojans in recent years. USC made the Elite Eight in 2021 and won the most games in a single season in program history in 2022. Getting that anchor big man and surrounding him with complementary role players who can defend and pass has been a winning equation for USC.

Now that equation has been altered.

Iwuchukwu told Matt Norlander of CBS Sports on Thursday that he suffered cardiac arrest during a July team workout. He was hospitalized. He is recovering and is in good spirits. His return, however, is entirely uncertain, with no timetable for possible medical clearance.

Norlander compared this story to another recent instance in which a college basketball player had an acutely worrisome health episode:

We send our prayers and best wishes to Vince Iwuchukwu for a complete recovery, and to his family as Vince continues to heal.

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Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire