For all the excitement surrounding Bryce James, the freshman’s first season in Arizona colors may never actually start.
And head coach Tommy Lloyd isn’t hiding his frustration with the NCAA rules that make it that way.
“You play Bryce in a game like this for three minutes, it burns a year,” Lloyd said after Arizona’s 84-49 win over Northern Arizona. “I wish it was easier. I wish there was a set number of games you could play a guy like they have in football.”
The Wildcats used 14 players in the blowout, emptying the bench late. Bryce James wasn’t one of them. Lloyd said the decision is about protecting his long-term future. However, his tone made it clear basketball’s eligibility model is outdated.
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James arrived in Tucson as a three-star prospect coming out of high school and, of course, as the son of NBA legend LeBron James and younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James. The family name brings attention, but the path to the floor is no easier under current NCAA rules.
In college football, players can appear in up to four regular season games without losing a redshirt. Even bowl games and playoff appearances are exempt.
In college basketball, the standard is far harsher: one minute of action erases an entire season of eligibility.
“It puts you in a tough situation,” Lloyd said. “You want to reward a kid with a few minutes in a game like this, but you have to protect his career. I just think the rule should make more sense for these kids.”
Lloyd confirmed that redshirting remains ‘on the table’ for both Bryce James and freshman Mabil Mawut, saying the staff has had “multiple conversations” about preserving future options.
“We’re protecting his opportunity to redshirt,” Lloyd said. “I want Bryce to have the best college basketball career, the most options long term, whatever that looks like.”
For now, the son of a basketball icon remains on the bench, another freshman caught between a promising future and an NCAA rulebook that has not caught up to modern reality.
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