Will Bryce James skip college basketball like father Lebron? Exploring possibilities that prized recruit takes a different path than Bronny James
The Bryce James hype train is taking off and after a growth spurt and impressive showing at the 2023 Peach Jam, talk about his future is intensifying.
LeBron James' story is well-known. He went straight from high school to getting drafted No. 1 overall to the NBA in 2003. Could his son, Bryce Maximus James, repeat that feat?
James is only 16 and yet, he already received his first college offer from Duquesne last year. While he will receive more offers, the James family has ties with head coach Keith Dambrot who also coached LeBron in high school.
Bryce already moved schools from Sierra Canyon to Campbell Hall, which was seen as a strategic move. The school has produced NBA players with the Holiday brothers being the most famous example.
David Grace, the school's new head coach and former Vanderbilt coach, also has a history of coaching players who make it into the NBA. Most recently, he has coached Lonzo Ball and Zach Lavine at UCLA.
Bronny James decided to go the college route and committed to USC. It is thought that he will be a one-and-done player before declaring for the 2024 draft. Could Bryce follow in his father's footsteps instead?
Bryce James is ranked No. 75 by On3 in the class list of 2025 prospects. There has been no indication as to what path Bryce will take.
It seems unlikely that he will go straight from high school to the NBA since he would have to rapidly improve his game to even get the chance.
While LeBron's wish to play with his son in the NBA was aimed at Bronny James, Bryce will also be eligible for the draft in 2026. Could the whole James clan play in the NBA together?
LeBron will be 41 years old at the earliest possible time that Bryce will be eligible.
Some basketball fans are already predicting that Bryce James will end up being a better player than his older brother, Bronny James. With Bronny already a five-star recruit versus Bryce who's a four-star recruit, the speculation seems premature just yet.
The Bryce James hype train
There were several NBA teams keeping an eye out for talent at the just concluded Peach Jam tournament. One of the most scouted players was Bryce James who played for LeBron's team, 'Strive for Greatness'.
The New York Knicks have been credited with an interest in Bryce James and their scouts attended all of his games. Other teams that had a keen interest in him included the Lakers, Hawks, Heat, Suns, Cavaliers and Mavericks.
Bryce averaged 8.3 points and 2.3 assists during the tournament. He was also named in Sports Illustrated's Future Power Players list alongside stars like Victor Wembanyama and Caitlin Clark. His journey to a potential NBA career will be interesting to watch.