The Arizona basketball team got its most notable commitment of the class of 2025 when LeBron James’ son, Bryce, declared himself a Wildcat on Thursday. While the Los Angeles Lakers star is excited about the move for his son, he joked that his only issue with the decision ties back to former teammates Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye.
“We’re happy to be a part of the Bear Down community now,” LeBron James said after the Lakers’ win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I got some terrible friends in Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye who are alum there, so not too excited about that. But other than that, we’re excited to be a part of the Tucson community.”
LeBron James revels in Ohio State’s Rose Bowl win and the celebrates his son Bryce’s decision to go to Arizona to play basketball (despite being wary of the bad influence fellow Wildcats Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye could be on him) pic.twitter.com/EF6tNShpbD
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 3, 2025
James, Jefferson and Frye were all members of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 championship team. The three veterans played together for two years, remaining on the Cavaliers during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons.
Despite their shared connections to Arizona, Jefferson and Frye were never teammates in college. The former was a Wildcat from 1998 to 2001, while the latter arrived in Tucson the season after Jefferson declared for the NBA Draft.
Jefferson was a part of the loaded 2000-2001 Arizona team that finished the season as national champion runner-ups. He played with eventual NBA talents Gilbert Arenas, Luke Walton and Loren Woods in college. Jefferson, Arenas and Woods would declare for the 2001 NBA Draft the following offseason, months before Frye arrived for his freshman season.
While not as successful, Frye’s Arizona teams twice made the Elite Eight and were once eliminated in the Sweet Sixteen. Frye played all four years in college, one more than Jefferson did, averaging over 15 points per game in each of his last two seasons.
LeBron James’s son, Bryce James’ commitment to Arizona basketball
Beginning in 2025, Bryce James will be expected to be the next superstar in Arizona basketball history. A 6-foot-4 shooting guard for Sierra Canyon, James is considered a three-star recruit and accepted Arizona’s offer over Ohio State.
Bryce James is LeBron James’ second-oldest son, behind Lakers rookie Bronny James. The brothers were briefly teammates at Sierra Canyon before Bronny James attended USC for the 2023-2024 season.
While maybe not the star prodigy that his father was, Bryce James will immediately draw attention to Arizona, much like the impact Bronny James had on USC. With his commitment, he became the Wildcats’ second confirmed member of the 2025 class, joining international four-star forward Dwayne Aristode.
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