LOS ANGELES — LeBron James expressed his support for his son Bryce’s choice to join the University of Arizona to play basketball next season. After an impressive night where LeBron scored 38 points for the Los Angeles Lakers, marking the third-highest score by an NBA player post-40, he praised Bryce’s decision, which he made public on Wednesday.
“It was his decision, and he chose somewhere he felt at home,” LeBron stated. “Coach Tommy Lloyd is straightforward and provided a clear vision of what they believe about him, both personally and as an athlete. We are thrilled to become part of the Bear Down community now.”
Bryce James is recognized as a four-star recruit from Sierra Canyon School located in Chatsworth, a private school where his brother Bronny showcased his skills during his senior year in 2022-23. After one year playing at Southern California, Bronny entered the draft, where he was selected in the second round by the Lakers, making history alongside LeBron as the first father-son duo to compete in the NBA together, which occurred in October.
While LeBron celebrated Bryce’s choice of college, he couldn’t resist making a playful comment about two of his former teammates. “I’ve got some pretty terrible friends in Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye, who both went there,” he joked with a grin. “I can’t say I’m thrilled about that, but other than that, we are looking forward to integrating into the Tucson community.”
In addition to Arizona, Bryce had also received a scholarship offer from Ohio State, where he took an unofficial visit last fall, a notable school for his family. LeBron, a longtime supporter of Ohio State athletics, has been closely following the football team’s journey into the College Football Playoff semifinals. After a reporter mentioned the Buckeyes’ impressive win over top-ranked Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, LeBron humorously responded, “Ohio State did what? We did what?” before showing off a Buckeyes cap with a smile.
