“The best shooter in this household for sure,” LeBron James wrote regarding his youngest son, Bryce James, in 2018 when James was 11 years old. James had quoted a highlight clip of the youngster who was showing his range in long shots, layups, and signature passes. Now, he is all grown up after going to high school at Sierra Canyon, the same as Bronny.

Bryce played most of his high school basketball at Sierra Canyon but briefly transferred to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame for the fall of his junior year. He returned to Sierra Canyon in November 2023 without playing a game for Notre Dame. This journey shaped him into the player he is today, ready to take on the next chapter.

James is going to Arizona! ‘100% committed‘ he wrote on Instagram along with a graphic of him and Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd.  About halfway through the year, with offers in hand from colleges such as Ohio State, USC, and Duquesne. The middle child in the James family bid an emotional farewell to his juniors at Sierra Canyon.

Ashley Nitzel, the athletic trainer of the Sierra Canyon team, marked the end of an era by posting a heartfelt group photo of the 2024–25 squad on social media. Her caption, “Seniors Last Day,” accompanied by a holding-back-tears emoji, captured the emotional weight of their final moments together as high school athletes. In a meaningful gesture, the Arizona commit reposted the image to his own story, highlighting how much the moment meant to him as well.

High school is a pretty fun time for almost everyone, and the fun time is over for Bryce as he moves to a more serious phase of his career. Till now Bryce was only known as LeBron James’ son so far, but now he gets to carve his own identity with the Arizona Wildcats. But will the three-star recruit get an opportunity to shine at Arizona in his freshman year? Let’s find out.

Did Bryce James make the right choice in Arizona?

“It was his decision to make,” LeBron James said a few days after Bryce announced the news on Instagram. Bryce had offers coming from three other colleges, as mentioned above but Wild Cats was the one that convinced him the most. He is one of three commits to join the Wildcats as he joins five-star Koa Peat and high four-star Dwayne Aristode.

There has been a supreme lack of media coverage for Bryce’s highschool career, considering he is the son of one of the best basketball players of all time. So we don’t know much about his statistics as a schooler, but many scouts have recorded various aspects of his game that could interest Tommy Lloyd. ESPN has ranked Bryce as a four-star prospect, while other outlets have him as a three-star player.  His talent was also recognized by USA basketball who invited him to the National Team camp.

Highly rated scout Adam Finkelstein describes him as “a fundamentally sound player with solid perimeter size and a good early skillset. He possesses clear shooting potential with a naturally soft touch, compact release, and the ability to make both threes and pull-ups. His left hand is advanced for his age and he also has a good early understanding of the game. Physically, he has a solid build for an underclassman, but is still just growing into his body a bit and so far from a finished product.”

Arizona has the top incoming 2025 class per On3. So James has strong competition. For his freshman year, he is mostly considered a developmental player, as the starting spots are mostly nailed down with Anthony Dell’Orso starting on the wings. Small forward or a third guard is the one starting position likely open for Arizona, so if James gels into one of those positions, then he might get some considerable minutes next season.

James’ strong fundamentals give him a solid foundation to build upon, making his long-term upside especially intriguing. While other programs may have offered more immediate minutes, his decision to join an elite squad like the Wildcats reflects a commitment to development over comfort. Surrounded by top-tier talent and coaching, he’ll have every opportunity to grow—now it’s up to him to embrace the challenge, elevate his game, and fight for his place in the rotation.