When news broke earlier this month that Bryce James had signed on to play basketball at the University of Arizona in the fall, many wondered: Who is Bryce James? For a family that seemed to promote their eldest son Bronny early and often, to find out that parents LeBron and Savannah James also have another son who is a talented athlete may have surprised some of even the most ardent NBA followers. Let’s explore the young career of the budding star, whose high school regular season career winds down this week.
Born on 14 June 2007, in Cleveland, Ohio, right around the time LeBron was playing in his first NBA finals, Bryce is the middle child in the James family. He is seven years older than his sister Zhuri (who already boasts more national television commercials than Bryce) and three years younger than brother Bronny. The two brothers, however, play much different positions. The 6ft 2in Bronny, who made his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season, is a defensive-minded point guard. Bryce, who looks far more like a typical NBA player at 6ft 6in, is a slashing shooting guard with a slick jumper and strong finishing skills at the rim.
A senior today, Bryce plays for the same high school as Bronny: the prestigious Los Angeles-area Sierra Canyon, despite bouncing around a few other schools over the past few years. About halfway through the year, with offers in hand from colleges such as Ohio State, USC and Duquesne (which gave him his first D-1 offer when he was 15), Bryce signed to play at Arizona. LeBron praised the decision after a recent Lakers game, while also poking fun at former teammates and Arizona alums, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye.
“It was his decision to make,” LeBron said a few days after Bryce announced the news on Instagram. “He went where he felt comfortable. Coach [Tommy] Lloyd, straight shooter, gave him exactly what they believe in him or what they thought about him as a player and as a person. We’re happy to be part of the Bear Down community now. Got some terrible friends in Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye that are alums there, so not too excited about that, but other than that we’re excited to be a part of the Tucson community.”
Despite the lack of coverage and television commercials for 17-year-old Bryce, many may have encountered him for the first time years ago when this video went viral. After a fan pestered him in public, Bryce was praised for his poise in what could have turned in an embarrassing story. He has also been featured in social media videos posted by LeBron and highlighted by major basketball outlets. Yet, Bryce continues to be much less of a public person than his brother Bronny, even when the latter was still in high school. It seemed back then that Bronny was getting shoutouts all the time, from national ads to social media posts from the biggest names in the NBA. Bryce, in contrast, seems to shy away from the spotlight.
In terms of his game, Bryce is less heralded coming out of high school than his brother, let alone his father. ESPN has ranked Bryce as a four-star prospect, while other outlets have him as a three-star player. Bronny, meanwhile, was generally seen as a four-star recruit. But Bryce undoubtedly has talent: he has participated in Team USA’s junior national team camp, along with Kiyan Anthony (son of Carmelo) and Alijah Arenas (son of Gilbert). Known for his strong outside shot, LeBron even dubbed Bryce the “best shooter in the household” when he was just 11-years-old.
But there remain questions about whether Bryce will make the NBA. Like his brother before him, he is not the most highly touted player – he is not listed in this 2026 or 2027 mock draft, though the same site calls him “one of the top players to watch in the 2025 recruiting class.” And, as with Bronny, some say that if Bryce’s last name wasn’t James, he would be relatively anonymous. But being on the fringe of the draft didn’t stop Bronny from making the jump to the pros. “Ultimately, there is no rush for [Bryce] to be one-and-done at Arizona,” says Matthew Valento of Lakers Nation. “Seeing how things pan out his freshman year will be worth monitoring as having potentially all of the James family in the NBA would be another historic feat.”
Indeed, that’s the question. Will Bryce be NBA-bound? And will he play with dad? Is it all pre-ordained?
“Oh shit,” said LeBron in October when asked about the idea of extending his career long enough to see his second son in the league. “Bryce is a senior. I don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll see. That would be pretty cool. It’s all about my mind and then seeing how my body reacts over these next couple of years.” LeBron, who turned 40 in December, added, “[Bronny] said from day one, his little brother [Bryce] said from day one, the game of basketball is what they love and that’s what they want to do. Between myself and Savannah and our supporting cast of friends and family, it was just for us to be their support, give them the guidance, give them the tools, give them whatever they need to be able to possibly reach their goal to where it could become a reality.”
As a senior at Sierra Canyon two years ago, Bronny averaged 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Bryce, though, comes off the bench and averages about half of that with a handful of games to go in the schedule. He did miss a significant portion of the beginning to his senior year due, in part, to injury, which could contribute to the relatively low output. Still, scouts like Adam Finkelstein have offered praise, calling Bryce a “fundamentally sound player with solid perimeter size and a good early skillset.” Finkelstein adds, “He possesses clear shooting potential with 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.”
On his Hoop Collective podcast earlier this season, NBA insider and longtime LeBron-ologist Brian Windhorst joked that the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron’s first NBA team, should draft Bryce to perhaps entice “The King” to suit up for the squad one final time. He’s also said that he’s heard some scouts believe Bryce is a better prospect than his older brother was. It’s a real possibility Bryce’s basketball career ends after college. But maybe the Cavs will try to nab him. Or perhaps the Lakers will swoop him up at the appropriate time. Or maybe he will be so good at Arizona that another team will work to find a way to get Bryce on their roster with a top pick. Whatever happens, while some maintain that “Bryce is not considered to be on the radar of NBA teams at this time,” given the family’s hoops history, it’s quite possible that sentiment will change.
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