One of the most notable new faces in college basketball next season will be Arizona’s Bryce James, the youngest son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. James is part of a star-studded Wildcats recruiting class that ranked No. 3 in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports.
Two years after his older brother, Bronny James, played his freshman season at USC, Bryce will make his college debut this fall for the Wildcats. During his first media availability since arriving on campus, Bryce opened up about the advice his father gave him ahead of his first college season.
“Just working hard and coming in and doing what you do best,” James said Tuesday. “Making sure if you’re not having some good days, always have to stay positive. … miss a shot, maybe get a turnover or something, don’t hang your head down. Always keep your head up. Push through and stay positive.”
James, a three-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, California, committed to Arizona earlier this calendar year after receiving offers from Duquesne and Ohio State. James is one of six incoming freshmen entering the program, which includes five-star guard Brayden Burries and five-star forward Koa Peat.
James ranked as a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class and was ranked the No. 52 shooting guard in the 247Sports rankings.
What is expected from Bryce James at Arizona?
Arizona is expected to have one of the deepest rosters in the Big 12. Burries and Peat — both of whom ranked in the top 15 in the 2025 recruiting class — are potential first-round picks next summer. The Wildcats also added four-star forward Dwayne Aristode and international prospects Sidi Gueye and Ivan Kharchenkov to round out their freshmen class.
The Wildcats added just one transfer to their roster in former Harvard guard Evan Nelson and lost big man Henri Veesaar (North Carolina) and KJ Lewis (Georgetown) to the transfer portal. Carter Bryant, a former top-30 recruit, was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 14 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.
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It’s unclear what kind of playing time James will have this season for Arizona because of how crowded the backcourt will be. Star guard Jaden Bradley is expected to take on a significant role after starting all 37 games during the 2024-25 campaign. Anthony Dell’Orso, who started 28 of 37 games, also projects to start in the backcourt.
“We treat Bryce just like we treat every other guy,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said earlier this summer. “He shows up every day with a smile on his face. … My hope for him is everybody gives him space and let’s him develop into his own version of Bryce James. He is a great young man, so let’s let that come out and not overwhelm him with stuff he has no control over.”
The Wildcats finished 24-13 overall (14-6 Big 12) during the program’s first season in their new conference. Arizona’s season came to a close with a 100-93 loss to Duke in the Sweet 16. Arizona (35-1) has the 16th-best odds alongside UCLA, Illinois, Iowa State and Gonzaga to win the 2026 national title, per FanDuel.
