Back in 2023, when Bryce James’ mother Savannah James and LeBron felt that “some things that was happening at the school that we didn’t like,” they made their youngest son move to Campbell Hall in Studio City, Calif. But as fate would have it, after playing only a handful of games in the summertime, “the best shooter in this household for sure,” announced his transfer. This time, it would be to Notre Dame Sherman Oaks in Sherman Oaks, California for the fall semester. However, things didn’t work out there either with the local laws marking him ineligible to play for at least half of his junior year. And so, there came a point where the young star confronted his parents.

As Bron would put, Bryce plainly said that he was “not happy with the places that we sent him to.” Fast forward to his senior year, he was back at Sierra Canyon, when he had a big moment, perfect to leave the high school life behind. In January, Bryce and the Blazers were all set to take down their top-25 nationally ranked opponents – Grayson of Georgia – in the Hoophall Classic. He only played 15 minutes, but his eruption on the offense was enough to woo the crowd. Every time he touched the ball, they would cheer. If he picked a foul, the crowd would boo at the PA announcer. And with every rebound, the hall would echo with hushed gasps. And the result of the motivation?

A career-high 16 points including four 3-pointers and a dunk in Sierra Canyon’s 60-46 win over Grayson. The Saturday night only got louder as the youngest son of the James family clenched the MVP award of the event. Two months later, the James family bursting into celebration at Golden 1 Center as the Blazers won state championship. Needless to say, an MVP award and a state championship happened because of his loyalty to the program. And now, as he closes that four-year-long chapter to move to Tucson, Arizona, for he was “100% committed” to the Wildcats, the goodbye is not as easy.

Ashley Nitzel, the athletic trainer of the Sierra Canyon team, marked the end of an era by posting a heartfelt group photo of the 2024–25 squad on social media. Her caption, “Seniors Last Day,” accompanied by a holding-back-tears emoji, captured the emotional weight of their final moments together as high school athletes. In a meaningful gesture, the Arizona commit reposted the image to his own story, highlighting how much the moment meant to him as well.

After moving around and seeing that Sierra was his fit, Bryce will move to work under HC Tommy Lloyd at Arizona and carve his own identity. Of course, Bron skipped college to directly land in the NBA. Bronny, his elder brother, stayed one year with the USC Trojans to finally lead into the NBA with his father at the LA Lakers as well. However, for Bryce, many believe that him staying for more than a year at college can truly be helpful. But will the three-star recruit get an opportunity to shine at Arizona in his freshman year?

Did Bryce James make the right choice in Arizona?

“It was his decision to make,” LeBron James said a few days after Bryce announced the news on Instagram. Bryce had offers coming from three other colleges, USC, Duquesne, and Ohio State. But Wildcats were the one that convinced him the most. He is one of three commits to join Lloyd as he joins five-star Koa Peat and high four-star Dwayne Aristode.

According to MaxPreps, in his senior year, James is averaged 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game off the bench in the four games he’s played this season until January. He did, however, miss the first nine with an injury, so it is a possibility he’s still ramping up. ESPN has ranked Bryce as a four-star prospect, while other outlets have him as a three-star player. His talent was also recognized by USA basketball who invited him to the National Team camp.

Highly rated scout Adam Finkelstein describes him as “a fundamentally sound player with solid perimeter size and a good early skillset. He possesses clear shooting potential with a 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. Physically, he has a solid build for an underclassman, but is still just growing into his body a bit and so far from a finished product.”

Arizona has the top incoming 2025 class per On3. So James has strong competition. For his freshman year, he is mostly considered a developmental player, as the starting spots are mostly nailed down with Anthony Dell’Orso starting on the wings. Small forward or a third guard is the one starting position likely open for Arizona, so if James gels into one of those positions, then he might get some considerable minutes next season, considering many players do change their positions when they move to college.

James’ strong fundamentals give him a solid foundation to build upon, making his long-term upside especially intriguing. While other programs may have offered more immediate minutes, his decision to join an elite squad like the Wildcats, coming off of consecutive Sweet-16 appearances, reflects a commitment to development over comfort. Surrounded by top-tier talent and coaching, he’ll have every opportunity to grow—now it’s up to him to embrace the challenge, elevate his game, and fight for his place in the rotation.