The son of NBA superstar LeBron James, has chosen to redshirt his freshman season at the Arizona Wildcats, sparking conversations about his development and the possibility of following his father’s path to the Los Angeles Lakers in the future.
Despite Arizona’s undefeated record in the season and Big 12 play, Bryce James has seen minimal time on the court, prompting a strategic redshirt to preserve eligibility and give him more time to grow within the program before competing at full capacity.
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Bleacher Report confirmed Bryce‘s decision online, noting that he will not play during the 2026/27 NCAA season, allowing him to avoid losing a year while gaining experience in practice and team preparation, strengthening his long term prospects.
“Bryce James has chosen to redshirt his freshman season with Arizona, HC Tommy Lloyd announced,” the Bleacher Report post on X.com, formerly Twitter, reported – emphasizing that the choice was made with both development and career planning in mind.
Lloyd has expressed full support, noting the redshirt year will help Bryce adjust to college-level competition and refine his skills, while positioning him as a key player for the Wildcats in coming seasons.
Bryce joined Arizona after a standout high school career at Sierra Canyon, including a CIF State Championship, but the depth of the roster limited his early opportunities to contribute meaningfully in games.
With a redshirt year, Bryce preserves one season of eligibility, allowing him to train, adapt, and prepare for eventual NBA consideration, without the pressure of limited game minutes reducing his prospects or draft stock.
Yet the decision has ignited online chatter, with some questioning whether he deserves to be on a path to the NBA as fans joke about LeBron‘s influence.
One wrote, “Is he getting drafted by the lakers too?”
A second said, “With the 57th pick, the Los Angeles Lakers select…”
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The claims of nepotism are particularly poignant after they followed LeBron‘s eldest son, Bronny, who has been criticized for perceived nepotism since his 2024 NBA Draft selection, largely because he joined the Lakers while his father remained an active player.
That created an unprecedented father son pairing as they made history despite his lowly draft spot, 55th overall and led to some critics to argue that family ties may have influenced his draft outcome more than his collegiate efforts.
In his lone season at USC with the Trojans, Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, with shooting percentages below typical NBA draft expectations – although he did fight back from a heart attack.
That raised skepticism about whether his statistics alone warranted a draft selection as analysts and former players outside the Lakers have called the situation an “abuse of power” and questioned the guaranteed multi year deal.
They suggested that LeBron’s presence within the organization played a role in Bronny‘s roster security, although the Lakers’ coach JJ Redick publicly stated the organization believes Bronny earned his chance through hard work, emphasizing merit rather than favoritism.
Ultimately, some fans feel as though history may be repeating itself with Bryce sitting on the sidelines for his first year in collegiate yet still tipped to reach the NBA, as critics ponder if it’s his skills or name carrying his ascent.
