This Arizona team is nothing but utter dominance. They beat 3 conference champions, LIU (NEC), Utah State (MWC), and Arkansas (SEC), to come into the Elite Eight. They were facing   the conference champion in Purdue and the Wildcats made them look like lightwork. Koa Peat scored 20 points while Ivan Kharchenkov contributed 18. Braden Burries and Jaden Bradley added 14 apiece as they stomped to a 79-64 victory. After the game, the Wildcats received a special message of support from none other than LeBron James. 

James himself never went to college. He was a prep-to-pro in 2003 since the one-and-done system did not exist in those times. Yet, as a basketball freak, he has been interested in all levels of men’s and women’s basketball, including March Madness, over the years. More importantly, his son Bryce James is a part of this Arizona side. So, after his son’s side punched their ticket to the final four, James sent a motivating message for his son’s team

“🐻 DOWN!!!! FINAL 4️⃣ BOUND @ArizonaMBB 🫡,” he wrote.  Arizona is headed back to the Final Four for the first time in 24 years. It has been a long wait but this team assembled by Tommy Lloyd is one of their best in recent memory. However, that caused a side effect for James’ son Bryce. 

Bryce was an intriguing prospect out of highschool. The 6’5 wing showed flashes of athleticism and shooting. However, he was never a finished product and forcing his way into this set, the experienced Arizona rotation, was next to impossible. So, to preserve his eligibility, Bryce decided to redshirt this season. 

“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.”

He is still traveling with the team and was present in the Purdue game, cheering on the sidelines. The Wildcats star was seen cutting the basket net to celebrate the win and could even celebrate the national championship in a few days. While LeBron and Bryce continue supporting Arizona in their March Madness run, his future might lie outside Tucson.

Bryce James Could Transfer Out Of Arizona Next Season

The Bryce James transfer rumors are nothing new. They have been in the mill for months. There have been multiple social media posts that went viral suggesting that James will transfer because of lack of playing time. However, they were all untrue. Even today, there are no signs that Bryce wants to leave Arizona. This March Madness run suggests that he probably should.

The team will lose many of its key pieces after this season. Koa Peat and Brayden Burries will most likely be drafted into the NBA. Motiejus Krivas, Jaden Bradley and Ivan Kharchenkov could leave for the NBA too. So, there are plenty of places to be filled. Nevertheless, it will still be a difficult task for Bryce to get into the rotation. This March Madness run has made it an even more attractive destination than it was before. 

They have a 5-star shooting guard in Caleb Holt and a 4-star forward in Cameron Holmes in their no. 4-ranked freshman class. Lloyd will probably make moves in the transfer portal too. So, a transfer could make sense for Bryce James. The destination? Ohio State. They were the runner-up in his initial recruitment back in late 2024. 

Heading into 2026-27, head coach Jake Diebler has kept the Buckeyes competitive in the Big Ten, finishing 21-13 this past season. His system, which needs versatile wings like Bryce, could get him minutes on the court. In addition, the university’s proximity to Akron where LeBron and Bryce have their roots, also brings in more fans for the Buckeyes.