Bryce James, the youngest son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, will take an unofficial visit to Ohio State this weekend. Last September, his older brother, Bronny, made his only known visit, visiting the Buckeyes and appearing on the sideline at a football game against Notre Dame. Bryce did not travel with Bronny, but his father LeBron, mother Savannah and LeBron’s agent Rich Paul spent the weekend with Bronny.
During Brownie’s visit, the family attended morning basketball practice, met with head coach Chris Holtmann and staff and had recruit photos taken, which is what all high-profile recruits typically do during their visit. Bryce will be in the same situation this weekend.
Bronny ultimately committed to USC, joining Isaiah Collier, the No. 1 recruit in his class. In August, Browne suffered a cardiac arrest while working out at the Galen Center. He later underwent surgery and is recovering well. LeBron told reporters at Lakers media day that he will dedicate his 21st season to his son Bronny.
“Nothing else matters except my family,” James said. “Obviously, because of the events that happened this summer, I’m going to dedicate this season to Brownie. Understand, it’s just about putting everything into perspective.
“Bronny is doing really well. He’s started the rehab process to get back on the field this season with his teammates and USC – his surgery was successful. But he’s continuing to improve.”
Bryce is a high school junior who transferred over the summer from Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). This spring he played at Campbell Hall (where Chris Paul’s son played) before transferring again and now at Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.). The 6-foot-4 shooting guard was scheduled to attend a prestigious USA Basketball training camp in Colorado Springs with the nation’s top high school students, but he canceled his plans and will instead visit Columbus this weekend .
Like his brother, Bryce’s recruitment is expected to be completely confidential. His only known offer is to Duquesne, according to 247 Sports.
Bryce showed improvement both at the basket and in his finishing style. His body control and handling in traffic have helped improve his game, and he’s not afraid to shoot from the outside. Bryce plays for the Strive For Greatness team in the under-16 division of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. He averaged 7.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 13 games and shot 23% from three-point range. During Peach Jam (LeBron was the head coach and Rajon Rondo was the assistant), Bryce averaged 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in four games.
Ohio State has committed to four-star point guard John Mobley Jr. and top-150 recruit Colin White in the 2024 high school class. Holtmann has been aggressive in the 2025 class, targeting some of the best players in the country. Five-star point guard Darius Acuff Jr., top-10 shooting guards Jalen Haralson and Jerry Easter, Dorian Jones and Niko Bundalo will join James in the juniors.
With his long frame and natural touch, James has plenty of room to grow in his game, especially offensively. He’s currently ranked No. 81 nationally, but he’s made significant strides this summer that could cause his stock to rise during his junior season.
The student section will likely chant “We want Bryce” during Saturday’s No. 4 Ohio State football game against Maryland. Just a year ago, fans gave Bronny the same energy when he tried to help recruit the son of one of the greatest basketball players to ever come out of Ohio State.