News that Bryce James, the second-oldest son of LA Lakers star LeBron James, has reportedly declared for the 2026 NBA draft is false.
On Thursday, the popular X satire account, NBACentel, tweeted that the younger James would enter the upcoming draft. No report from a credible source or a reputable outlet has confirmed this information. The X account is a parody of NBACentral, which posts basketball news.
Bryce James committed to the Arizona Wildcats in January 2025 and was part of coach Tommy Lloyd’s recruits alongside top prospects Koa Peat and Brayden Burries. In February, Lloyd said the 6-foot-5 guard will redshirt his freshman season to give him options for his career.
“The redshirting decision was just a long play, to give Bryce the most options in his career as his career unfolds,” Lloyd said. “I have real strong belief that Bryce will be a contributor at Arizona in the near future. He’s really shown a lot of progress, not only learning our system but just physically maturing.”
Before the announcement of his redshirt year, James did not appear in a single game for Arizona, which had a deep roster. James will likely make his collegiate debut next season due to the expected departures of guards Burries and Jaden Bradley.
What did LeBron James say about potentially playing with Bryce James in the NBA?
LeBron James currently plays with his eldest son, Bronny James, with the LA Lakers. Bronny was the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft. Last season, LeBron and Bronny became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game together.
Before this season began, James was asked about potentially playing with his other son, Bryce James.
“No, I’m not waiting on Bryce,” James said in September. “I don’t know what his timeline is. He’s his own young man now. He’s down in Tucson. We’ll see what happens this year, next year, but he has his own timeline. I’ve got my timeline. I don’t know if they quite match up. We’ll see.”
There is a possibility that LeBron James, who is in his league-record 23rd season, could play with both of his sons in the NBA. However, the four-time champion has not said anything concrete about his future beyond this season.
Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos
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