Why Bryce James Didn't Play for Arizona vs. Alabama, Will LeBron's Son Play This Year?

No. 1 Arizona put together a strong second-half performance to secure a 96-75 win over No. 12 Alabama at Legacy Arena on Saturday night.

Wildcats freshman Bryce James, the youngest son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, didn't suit up in the blowout victory.

Bryce has yet to play in a game during the 2025-26 season, opening the possibility for him to redshirt and preserve an additional year of college eligibility.

Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd previously discussed James using a redshirt year in order to prepare for a larger role in the future instead of utilizing him in a smaller rotation spot right away.

"Putting him [Bryce] in the game like this for three minutes burns a year of eligibility," Lloyd said on Nov. 11, per Yahoo Sports' Tarohn Finley. "I wish it was easier, I wish there were a set number of games you can play a guy like in football."

Even if James plays just one game this season, he'd lose the opportunity to redshirt.

The 18-year-old committed to Arizona on Jan. 1. James was a 3-star prospect in high school, receiving offers from Ohio State and Duquesne before choosing to join the Wildcats (via 247Sports).

He played four years at Sierra Canyon High School, helping his team capture a CIF State Division 1 championship as a senior. James also averaged 6.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 36 percent from behind the arc on the Nike EYBL circuit in 2024.

With Saturday's win, Arizona improved to 9-0.