Bryce James, the younger son of NBA superstar LeBron James, has officially committed to the University of Arizona. The three-star shooting guard made the announcement on Instagram after sharing an image of himself photoshopped in a Wildcats jersey wearing the No. 5 in a pair of Kobe Bryant sneakers.
Bryce captioned the post simply, “100 percent committed,” signaling his decision to join the Wildcats after a high-profile recruitment process. LeBron James celebrated his son’s decision with an IG post featuring the caption, “BEAR DOWN!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS Maximus!!”
The announcement drew instantaneous engagement from the NBA world, including congratulations from Bryce’s older brother, Bronny James, who was selected with the No. 55 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Other notable hoopers and media standouts, including NBA champion Kevin Durant, Rachel Nichols, and Jamal Crawford, also praised Bryce’s decision.
Bryce is ranked as the No. 257 player nationally and the No. 47 shooting guard in the Class of 2025. He attracted interest from several major programs, including Duquesne, Ohio State, and USC, where his older brother Bronny played. Bryce received his first offer from Duquesne in July 2023, followed by an Ohio State offer three months later. Arizona extended its offer on Dec. 31, 2024, and Bryce publicly committed to the Wildcats on New Year’s Day.
Although Bryce’s high school statistics show a player still developing as a prospect, he has shown flashes of promise like his brother. Playing for Strive For Greatness on the Nike EYBL circuit, he averaged 6.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 39.0 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three-point range over 14 games.
During the Peach Jam tournament, he posted more modest numbers, averaging 5.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 31 percent from the field and 17 percent from beyond the arc. While Bryce may not yet appear in future mock drafts for the NBA classes of 2026 or 2027, he has already established himself with a star-like presence off the court.
With 2.1 million Instagram followers and a NIL valuation of $1.3 million, the Klutch Sports athlete is one of the most marketable high school players in the country. His move to Arizona will only elevate his profile as he joins a storied program with a rich basketball history that’s produced the likes of Andre Iguodala, Steve Kerr, Gilbert Arenas, and Richard Jefferson.
Arizona assistant head coach Jack Murphy was credited as the most influential throughout Bryce’s recruitment process. Murphy is the man responsible for the Wildcats landing five-star small forward Dwayne Aristode, four-star international prospects Azuolas Tubelis and Kerr Kriisa, and current NBA player Bennedict Mathurin. He’s also responsible for the development of NBA center Deandre Ayton.
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