When LeBron James shared the court with his son Bronny James, it marked the first father-son duo to play together in league history. Now, with younger son Bryce James coming through the ranks, the question has naturally shifted. Could LeBron really pull off playing with both his sons? That curiosity is exactly why a recent viral post caught so much attention.
A claim from Shane Tuttle began making the rounds on social media, stating that Bryce James would “forego the NCAA Tournament to prepare for the 2026 NBA Draft.” But the claim didn’t just stop there. He also added that Bryce is averaging 0.0 PPG and is mocked to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. The post quickly went viral, racking up 5+ million views and sparking widespread speculation. After all, his father famously skipped college to jump straight to the NBA from high school.
But here’s the reality.
BREAKING: Arizona G Bryce James will forego the NCAA Tournament to prepare for the 2026 NBA Draft.
The freshman guard averages 0.0 PPG and is currently mocked to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2nd round. pic.twitter.com/lmzmfy7HnI
— Shane Tuttle (@ShaneTuttleNCAA) March 19, 2026
The claim is not legitimate.
Tuttle’s X bio clearly states, “Everything I do is satire.” So the post was never meant to be taken as factual reporting.
While it played into the ongoing narrative around the James family, particularly the possibility of LeBron one day sharing the court with both his sons, it doesn’t reflect Bryce James’ actual situation.
In fact, Bryce hasn’t played a single minute this season for the Arizona Wildcats. The freshman guard decided to redshirt and reset for the 2026–27 season, making any immediate NBA Draft decision unlikely and certainly not something that he has publicly confirmed.
That said, a small thread of truth is buried inside the viral claim.
Bryce will not be participating in the NCAA Tournament, but not because he’s preparing for the draft.
So, as for the bigger picture? Whether LeBron James shares the floor with both Bronny and Bryce remains a possibility fueled more by imagination than reality.
Why did Bryce James decide to redshirt his freshman season at Arizona?
Bryce arrived at the Arizona Wildcats following a standout high school career at Sierra Canyon, highlighted by a CIF State Championship. But stepping into a loaded roster and a highly touted freshman class featuring Koa Peat and Brayden Burries meant opportunities weren’t going to come easy.
Therefore, instead of forcing minutes or chasing early playing time, Bryce James decided to take a more patient route, one built around long-term growth rather than immediate impact.
“The redshirting decision was just a long play, to give Bryce the most options in his career as his career unfolds,” head coach Tommy Lloyd said back in Feb. “I have real strong belief that Bryce will be a contributor at Arizona in the near future. He’s really shown a lot of progress, not only learning our system but just physically maturing.”
In today’s landscape, where young players often feel the need to fast-track their way to the next level, this kind of patience stands out.
For Bryce, it’s less about following hype and more about timing it right.
