Bryce James’ college career has been an anticlimax. Fans expected a thumping arrival from LeBron James’ son but they were met with no minutes and a redshirt season. Many fans anticipate him entering the transfer portal once it begins, as they don’t see him getting enough time on the court for one of the best teams in the country. However, coach Tommy Lloyd has just reinforced James as an Arizona star in the making. 

It’s true that Bryce James was never entering that elite rotation. He was always more of a work in progress rather than a plug-and-play star after averaging eight points and four rebounds per game as a senior at Sierra Canyon. He is not on the court but he is still practicing with the best players in the country like Koa Peat and Brayden Burries. Tommy Lloyd expects James to become a key part of the team after he completes his development and he is protecting James from the excessive media scrutiny too. 

“I’ve always told you we love Bryce. Bryce is an important part of our team and we’re going to give Bryce the space and opportunity to develop into a young man just like everybody else,” Lloyd said ahead of their Final Four game against Michigan. “We also understand there’s a certain scrutiny that comes with who he is, and we just want to protect him.”

Being the son of arguably the greatest player of all time is a tough weight to carry around. He is trolled on social media for not living up to his father. His older brother Bronny James went through the same thing when he was at USC. And it has followed through in his NBA career at the Lakers. Despite not playing for the Wildcats, LeBron understands that his son is developing at the pace he needs. 

“To have our kid be able to experience that, to see the joy on his face, the happiness that he has being there in Arizona, learning from a lot of the vets and learning from some of the guys that he came into class with,” LeBron has said. “I think it’s just a great experience and it’s going to pay dividends for him going into next year, but he’s just living in the moment.”

But will Bryce eventually play for Arizona? This program has evolved into one of the best after their No. 1 seed team qualified for the Final Four. At least 2 players are going to the NBA which will attract more talent. However, Lloyd maintained that Bryce will get his opportunity amid the intense competition. 

“I think he’s going to develop into a good enough player to play at Arizona,” he further said. “I’m not trying to be part of a media circus or him doing this or that. I want to help Bryce as a basketball player, and that’s been our focus, and we’re not going to change course on that.” For now, he will continue to learn and imbibe the system of the Wildcats as they challenge for the National Championship.

Bryce James Could Fit Into Tommy Lloyd’s System Despite His Flaws

Admittedly, there is a reason why Bryce James was not a part of the rotation this season. 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote, “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. ” There are rough edges to work out, as he lacked consistency. However, assuming he has worked on that over this season, James could be a part of Lloyd’s system. 

“We want to be a big, physical team that has some good athletes, is good decision makers, plays with pace, and is good defensively. So you start looking for those kind of players that fit the mold,” he said. “For me, I start evaluating body types a little bit, like will this fit in our system. If I want to dominate the glass, I probably want bodies that reflect that.”

At 6 foot 5, he is above average height for a wing. James shot at a 36% clip from the 3-point line over 14 games on the Nike EYBL circuit with Strive For Greatness in 2024. He had the base for becoming a good shooter and that number has likely gone up since then. “His left hand is advanced for his age and he also has a good early understanding of the game,” Finkelstein wrote. Lloyd has maintained that he prioritizes system fit over the raw numbers so James could arrive in the rotation and contribute next season onwards.