Jizzle James left the Cincinnati basketball setup in July 2025. After a month of his unexplained absence, the program decided to clear things up. However, that announcement fetched more questions than answers. UC head coach Wes Miller said in the release that the star is out because of some “personal issues” and refused to comment any further. Now, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James has officially returned to the squad. 

Here was Wes Miller’s full statement while announcing the suspension: “Jizzle James has been dealing with personal issues throughout the summer. We removed him from the team last month. He is currently not a member of our basketball program. As this is a personal matter, I have no further comment at this time.” 

At one point, he was trending towards leaving Cincinnati. In his 1 month absence before the announcement in August, there were multiple Instagram stories that confused the fans. Initially, he posted a conversation with his agent, Noah Reisenfield, who implored him about his situation: “Called teams. They laughed and let’s talk something serious. They genuinely thought I was joking. We need to play at Cincy this year, bro. Plain and simple. I will be up there Monday if you still wanna be there. I can’t help if you don’t wanna be there at Cincy. That is the only option right now.” 

To which Jizzle James replied, “Tell them I’ll go G-League.” It seemed the relationship between the guard and the Cincinnati staff had reached an end. The 20-year-old had shown some erratic behavior on his social media, like revealing conversations with his agent. A week before the coach announced the suspension, he hinted at a return. There is still no information on what exactly the problem was.

James had never left Cincinnati, as he was attending online classes while training in Houston, Texas. He was back in town just before the Bearcats played Louisville earlier this season. When asked about James’ status with the roster, Wes Miller had said that he had been using the facilities but wouldn’t comment on his official place. 

James was in the stands at Cincinnati’s win over Tarleton State. He was then seen sitting on the bench with the injured Jalen Haynes in Atlanta for UC’s game against Georgia. Whatever it was, it’s been solved as he is back on the roster after 120 days and will boost this 6-4 squad, possibly bumping them to the NCAA contention. 

Can Jizzle James push Cincinnati to an NCAA berth?

Wes Miller was 0-9 against Quadrant 1 teams last season (per Warren Nolan) and missed the NCAA tournament again. He has yet to lead the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance since being hired in 2021. However, his teams have won 20-plus games total in seven of the last nine seasons and have a genuine chance for the NCAA tournament this year with Jizzle James back in the squad.  

As a sophomore, James averaged 12.7 points per game and dished out a team-high 124 assists. He shot 40% from the field, 29% on 3-pointers, and 77% from the free throw line. His addition gives Miller an experienced ball handler and secondary creator. While he was poor from the outside, Day Day Thomas, Kerr Krissa, and Shon Abaev are currently combining for 6.7 threes per game, reducing the outside shooting responsibility on James. Playing with Miller, Thomas, and Abaev, these four can form a better offense. 

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So far, the Bearcats have yet to win a game against a team beyond Q3, but the Big 12 gives them multiple opportunities to get high-profile wins. To be fair to Miller, they have a pretty much restructured team. The Bearcats brought in a total of 12 newcomers to the roster, and the return of a familiar face like James could improve this squad. 

On the flip side, there could be friction between James, the squad, and the coach behind the scenes. His return could affect team morale and dissociate it further. Their current NET ranking of 129 doesn’t help. Jizzle James’ return raises the ceiling for the Cincinnati Bearcats, but the problems don’t suddenly disappear. The path to an NCAA berth is there if the chemistry holds and James delivers and possibly improves. Whether this comeback becomes a turning point or another missed opportunity will define Cincinnati’s season.