The Arizona Wildcats celebrated the New Year by picking up a commitment from a son of NBA great LeBron James.
Bryce James, a three-star guard from Southern California’s Sierra Canyon school, announced his commitment on Instagram. His older brother, Lakers guard Bronny James, was among those reacting to his decision.
“Yessirrrrrrr,” Bronny posted.
James had also considered Ohio State, Duquesne and USC. He visited Arizona for the Wildcats’ Nov. 22 game against Duke at McKale Center, posting a photo of himself in a UA letter jacket with the words “Bear Down?”
Bryce James, son of NBA legend LeBron James, committed to the Arizona Wildcats.
That post drew positive reactions from UA guard KJ Lewis and Caleb Love, among others.
“Let’s do it,” Lewis posted.
“Pull up broskii,” Love posted.
Ranked No. 257 in the 247 composite rankings among class of 2025 players, James is considered a long-term prospect for the high-major college level.
Bryce James announced his commitment to the Arizona Wildcats on Wednesday.
Adam Finkelstein, 247’s scouting director, said Bryce has shooting potential, with a soft touch and compact release, along with a “good early understanding of the game.” He said Bryce has a solid build but is still growing into his body.
“Bryce James is the son of Lebron James and that means, like his older brother Bronny, he’s under the microscope,” Finkelstein wrote. “Bryce needs to be given time and space to run his own race though. He may not be the dynamic athlete or playmaker some expect at first, but he is a fundamentally sound player with solid perimeter size and a good early skill-set.”
Eric Bossi, a national analyst for 247 Sports, said Bryce is taller than Bronny, who spent last season at USC before going to the Lakers as the No. 55 pick in last June’s NBA Draft.
Bronny was measured a little under 6-foot-2 without shoes at May’s NBA Draft Combine, Bossi noted, while Bryce measured in two inches taller with 190 pounds in June at USA Basketball’s 17U National team trials.
“If we’ve learned anything over past few years it is that we should never underestimate genetics and there’s been a long line of late-blooming sons of NBA players to support this,” Bossi wrote. “Can Bryce be the next one?”
Bronny missed the first eight games of last season at USC while recovering from a cardiac arrest event in July 2023, but he had a breakthrough game of sorts against the Wildcats on Jan. 17 at McKale Center.
While starting his second game of the season because of an injury to starting point guard Isaiah Collier, James scored 11 points while shooting 5 for 11 from the field. He also picked up five rebounds and dished six assists to five turnovers — all while being regularly booed by Zona Zoo student fans.
Bronny James, left, and Bryce James walk out to present their father, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, with the award for best record-breaking performance at the ESPY awards on July 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
“I thought he played pretty good today,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said of Bronny after that game. “I don’t know him at all but I’m proud of how he’s handled everything, and the people that I know who know him say ‘First class kid, first class family.’”
Bronny James went on to start four more games and played in a total of 25 for the Trojans, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the season. He also faced the Wildcats in Los Angeles and in the Pac-12 Tournament, averaging 4.0 points and 0.5 assists in those two games.
Bronny declared for the NBA Draft after last season and has since split his time between the Lakers, where he played with his dad, and their G League affiliate.
