Arizona guard Bryce Jamesson NBA superstar LeBron James has yet to play in his team's first three games of the 2025-26 season, including the Wildcats' 84-49 win over the Wildcats. Northern Arizona on Tuesday. While players outside the regular rotation typically play non-conference games during garbage time, James has yet to appear, leading to speculation about when or if he will play this season.
After the game, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said that by redshirting James and his teammate, Mabil Mawutis “on the table”.
“No final decisions have been made yet” Lloyd said. “It's hard. This puts you in a difficult situation. In this game you play as Bryce. [against Northern Arizona] three minutes burns up a year of eligibility. I wish it were easier.
“I would like there to be a certain number of games where you can play a guy like they do in football. I think it would make sense for some of these kids, but we don't do it. I want Bryce to have a better college basketball career and more opportunities in his college basketball career long term, whatever that looks like. Abandoning a child with great potential, who is developing, he or Mabil, for a few rubbish minutes – it may be good now, but it could potentially be regretted in the future.”
James, a three-star recruit from Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, Californiatraveled to Arizona earlier this calendar year after receiving offers from Duquesne And Ohio. James was not expected to play a significant role for the Wildcats this season due to roster depth, so a redshirt year could make sense for his long-term development as a college player.
Why Redshirting James Is the Right Move for Arizona
Arizona finished with No. 2 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle. in the 247Sports team rankings. Wildcats land five-star recruits Braden Burris And Koa Peas and signed five more players: Dwayne Aristodes, How, Ivan KharchenkovMavut and James.
The Wildcats also return key players from last year's team such as Jayden Bradley, Anthony Dell'Orso, Don't be at home And Motey Krivas. The amount of returning talent and top-notch recruits entering the program made it a tough task for James to log significant minutes in his freshman year.
During Arizona's first three games, Lloyd used an eight-man rotation. And it worked. The Wildcats pulled off an upset win over the defending national champion. Florida on the opening night of the season, largely due to Pete's performancewho finished with 30 points against a strong opposing frontcourt.
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Pete and Burris were in the starting lineup in each of the first three games, and Gueye, Kharchenkov and Aristode played in at least two games, meaning all of those players hypothetically burned their red shirts. In the case of Peete and Burris, it won't matter much because both are projected as first-round picks in the 2026 draft. NBA Draft.
Near the end, Arizona's victory over Utah Tech last week fans started chanting “We want Bryce!” And while it would be logical (on the face of it) to give James some minutes this season, taking advantage of a redshirt year while Arizona has a Final Four-caliber roster will benefit all parties in the long run.
“I was very direct: he's facing a redshirt,” Lloyd said. “That's why he hasn't played a game yet. Otherwise he would have played a few minutes in some of these games, especially at the end. We discussed this with Bryce several times. I think we're on the same page. The final decision has not yet been made. The solution at this point is to protect his opportunity to redshirt. This is a decision that is made.”
So if you're expecting James to play this season, you might have to wait another year.
