Bryce James scored the first points of his college career on Thursday night as the Arizona Wildcats secured a 104-84 victory over Cal Poly. The 19-year-old contributed five points across 17 minutes of playing time in his second career start.
College Career Progress
James, the youngest son of LeBron James, made his collegiate debut earlier in the week on Monday. During that initial appearance, he logged six minutes and missed all three of his field-goal attempts in an 84-75 defeat against No. 22 UCLA.
The Thursday matchup against Cal Poly offered the freshman guard extended playing time to adjust to the college level. He recorded his first career basket on a catch-and-shoot three-pointer during the early stages of the first half.
Development and Future Outlook
James was a member of the 2025 recruiting class and chose to redshirt his true freshman season. Head coach Tommy Lloyd stated in February that the choice was part of a long-term plan to provide the player with an adequate development period to maximize his potential.
Lloyd expressed confidence in James’ trajectory, noting that the coaching staff believes he will become a contributor for the program in the near future. The head coach added that James has demonstrated significant progress in learning the team’s system and undergoing physical maturation.
The Wildcats began the season positioned at No. 5 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, placing James in a high-profile program as he continues his development.
James and the Wildcats will return to the court on Tuesday to host Northern Arizona in their next home game.
