Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd confirmed that the team is still considering a redshirt season for freshman guard Bryce James, the son of NBA star LeBron James, as the Wildcats focus on his long-term development.
James has yet to appear in a regular-season game, having only played in exhibitions and the Red-Blue scrimmage.
After Tuesday’s 35-point win over Northern Arizona, Lloyd said holding James out helps preserve his eligibility if the team chooses to redshirt him for 2026–27.
“Redshirting is on the table for both of them,” Lloyd said, referring to James and fellow freshman Mabil Mawut. “No final decisions have been made.”
Lloyd emphasized that the goal is to give James every opportunity to maximize his college career.
“You play Bryce in a game like this for three minutes, it burns a year of eligibility,” he explained. “I want Bryce to have the best college basketball career, the most options in his college basketball career, long term, whatever that looks like.”
Lloyd confirmed that he’s had ongoing discussions with James about the plan and that for now, the focus remains on protecting his redshirt opportunity.
“The decision as of now is to protect his opportunity to redshirt,” Lloyd said. “That’s the decision that’s being made.”
Bryce James Redshirt Decision Under Consideration At Arizona https://t.co/F6MXwTGxhW
— RealGM (@RealGM) November 12, 2025
