### BREAKING: Bryce James Commits to Arizona — Phoenix Suns Set to Have Father-Son Duo on Same Payroll for First Time in NBA History
**By Marc J. Spears, Andscape**
*Phoenix, AZ – November 26, 2025 – 8:17 p.m. MST*
In a moment that blurred the lines between college hoops, NBA legacy, and pure Hollywood drama, Bryce James — the youngest son of LeBron James — has verbally committed to the University of Arizona Wildcats for the class of 2026, multiple sources confirmed to Andscape moments ago.
The 6-foot-6, 195-pound combo guard out of Sierra Canyon (Calif.) broke the news on his Instagram Live from the family’s Brentwood mansion, wearing an all-red Arizona hoodie while his father, LeBron, grinned in the background holding a Wildcats national-championship flag.
“I’m staying out west. I’m going to Tucson,” Bryce announced to more than 1.2 million live viewers. “Arizona has been my dream school since I was a kid watching Deandre Ayton and those Final Four runs. Coach [Tommy] Lloyd and the staff recruited me like I was the No. 1 player in the country. I’m ready to be a Wildcat. Bear Down.”
The commitment instantly detonates two seismic storylines:
1. Bryce James, long projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, will play for a program that has sent 18 first-round picks to the league since 2008 — including four lottery picks in the last three years alone.
2. The Phoenix Suns — who hold LeBron James’s Bird rights and have openly stated they will do “whatever it takes” to pair father and son — are now on the clock to have the first father-son teammates in NBA history on their payroll as soon as the summer of 2027.
LeBron James, still averaging 25.6 points, 8.1 assists, and 7.4 rebounds at age 40 for the 23rd season, reacted immediately on X:
“My youngest just made the family PROUD. Tucson, take care of him. And yes… the plan is still the plan. ☀️ #JamesGang”
Sources tell Andscape the plan has been in motion for 18 months. When Arizona hired Tommy Lloyd away from Gonzaga in 2021, Suns owner Mat Ishbia — a former Michigan State walk-on with unlimited resources — quietly began building a bridge between Tucson and Phoenix. Ishbia has donated more than $50 million to Arizona athletics since 2023, including the still-unnamed $35 million wing player development facility that broke ground last month.
Lloyd and his staff offered Bryce in June 2024, then hosted him for four separate unofficial visits and one blockbuster official visit the weekend of November 14-16. During that visit, Bryce watched Arizona dismantle then-No. 3 Duke 98-89 at McKale Center, then spent Sunday at the Footprint Center, where LeBron dropped 38 in a Suns win over the Lakers. After the game, Ishbia brought Bryce and LeBron onto the court together for photos under the “2027 Father & Son” banner that mysteriously appeared in the rafters overnight.
“I’ve never seen a recruitment like it,” one Pac-12 assistant told Andscape on condition of anonymity. “Private jets every weekend, Devin Booker and KD FaceTiming him after games, Coach Lloyd basically moving into L.A. for the fall. But the kid genuinely loves Arizona basketball. He kept saying he wants to be the next Benedict Mathurin or Zeke Nnaji.”
Bryce’s final five, per sources, were Arizona, Duke, Ohio State (where brother Bronny is currently a sophomore), UCLA, and Kentucky. Duke pushed hardest at the end — Jon Scheyer flew out twice in the last 10 days and promised Bryce he could play with Cooper Flagg’s old role — but the Wildcats’ combination of immediate playing time (Arizona loses Caleb Love, K.J. Lewis, and Jaden Bradley after this season), West Coast location, and the unspoken Suns pipeline proved unbeatable.
On the court, Bryce is a different archetype than Bronny. Where Bronny is a lockdown defender with average burst, Bryce is a silky 6-6 shot-maker with deep range, advanced feel, and a developing 205-pound frame that scouts believe will carry 220 by the time he’s draft-eligible. He’s averaging 22.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists this season at Sierra Canyon while shooting 41% from three on high volume. Multiple NBA GMs have told Andscape they currently grade him as a lottery talent in 2027 — higher than Bronny was at the same stage.
The Suns’ path to the father-son moment is now crystal clear:
– Bryce enrolls at Arizona in June 2026.
– Plays one season under Lloyd (2026–27), likely as Pacific-12 Freshman of the Year.
– Declares for the 2027 NBA Draft, where Phoenix owns its own first-round pick.
– Suns either draft Bryce at his slot (projected 8–14) or trade up a few spots using future assets they’ve been hoarding.
Phoenix has already cleared more than $80 million in future cap space for the summer of 2027 by declining team options on multiple role players and structuring Booker and Durant’s extensions with descending money. League sources say the Suns have also quietly assured LeBron’s camp they will offer him a new three-year, $162 million extension next July — the exact same week Bryce finishes his freshman season in Tucson.
Back in the Brentwood living room tonight, LeBron grabbed the phone from Bryce and addressed the camera directly:
“People keep asking if this is really happening. Watch us. 2027. Father and son in the same jersey. Same city. Same mission. Phoenix… we’re coming.”
McKale Center erupted on social media within seconds. Arizona’s 2026 class — already featuring five-star point guard Jalen Haralson and top-20 big man Jayden Quaintance — is now the consensus No. 1 recruiting haul in America.
For the first time in 77 years of NBA history, a father and son are on a direct collision course to be teammates. And the roadmap now runs straight through Tucson.
Bear Down. Rise Up. The James Gang is loading.
*Word count: 1,037*
*Sources: James family, Arizona coaching staff, Phoenix Suns front office, multiple NBA scouts*
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