It was a hot Thursday night back in June 2007 when LeBron James pulled an all-nighter as his then-girlfriend, Savannah, gave 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to another dribbling James. It may not feel like a long time ago when Bryce was just 21 inches long and weighed just 8 pounds, 6 ounces. From then to handsomely outgrowing himself 17 years later, this 6-ft-6-in and 190-pounder made his mama real proud when he officially signed to become a part of the Bear Down community just weeks ago. “That’s another bird out the nest,” said LeBron as reality soon kicked in. But duty calls, and Bryce will soon be headed to Tucson to train with coach Tommy Lloyd, but not without taking a moment to celebrate his mother.
Bryce, being the middle 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, has always been adorably called “the mystery of the family.” That’s Savannah’s love pouring in, and it practically meant he always enjoyed the freedom to do anything he wanted. But naturally, he gravitated toward what he had seen his father do all his life. For Savannah, she was only 20 by the time the couple had their second 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, and in between raising them and being the closest confidant to a notoriously famous husband, it was tough. She was the ‘helicopter mom,’ so to speak. No wonder she would often turn to jazz to give herself some grace in the quieter mornings, just before it starts getting crazy for the rest of the day.
Looking back, Savannah doesn’t regret a tad. She knew she was raising kind, respectful, humble human beings. As Savannah would like to put it, and excuse her language, but “we, a dope family.” With Bryce and Zhuri having a 10-year age gap, that helped. “I feel good about the position that I’ve left them in. So I feel comfortable with seeing where my passions are able to take me,” Savannah would say in 2023. Bryce was transferring from Sierra Canyon at the time, and just a year on, he was “100% committed” to the Arizona Wildcats. And before he finally leave for college, Bryce took a moment to honor his mother, who had been the sole witness to the ‘silent hustle’ in the background as the media took turns to focus on Bronny and Bron.
It was Mother’s Day on Sunday, and Bryce wrote, “Happy Mother’s Day to my Day 1, Love you.” Along with the caption was a picture of him and Savannah against each other’s backs wearing Wildcats gear, a nod to Bryce’s future.
Bryce James is set to join the Arizona Wildcats in the Big 12 Conference next season, where he’ll team up with top-tier recruits, including five-star standouts Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, as well as four-star forward Dwyane Aristode. He wrapped up his senior year at Sierra Canyon High School on a high note, playing a key role in leading the Trailblazers to a state championship and an impressive 27-7 overall record. In fact, LeBron James and Savannah were in attendance to see Bryce James lift the championship title in March.
Despite being such a huge part of their 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s lives, LeBron James and his wife, Savannah James, always prioritize their 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s needs and allow them to make their own choices. Whether it was Bronny James’ commitment to USC or any other decision, the couple has constantly emphasized the importance of personal growth and independence. This was something seen when Bryce James returned to Sierra Canyon in 2023.
LeBron and Savannah chose to transfer him to different schools in hopes of finding a more supportive environment for his growth. He first attended Campbell Hall in the summer of 2023, followed by a stint in Notre Dame in the fall. But neither move made Bryce happy and he confronted his parents about it.
Because of the way we raised him and some of the things going on at school that we didn’t like, we pretty much forced him to transfer in the summer. He wanted to stay, but finally, he came to us and said he wasn’t happy with the places we sent him, so he ended up coming back,” LeBron explained in an interview.
Since then, Bryce not only found his footing but has emerged strongly, earning himself a move to the Wildcats. This huge career decision will shape not only his career, but could impact his father’s future as well.
Bryce James makes a bold career move that could affect LeBron James
It has been a season full of surprises for LeBron James and his family. Just under a year ago, James’ oldest son, Bronny, was drafted into the league by the Los Angeles Lakers. This allowed the 40-year-old veteran to fulfill his lifelong wish of sharing the NBA center-stage with his son for the first time. The father-son duo shared the floor in several games, but the move was the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons. While the Lakers’ season was wrapped up earlier than expected, there has been a new development in the James household.
That’s because LeBron and Savannah’s younger son, Bryce, has made a pivotal move in his hoops career. The 17-year-old hooper is set to start his college basketball journey at the University of Arizona this fall after committing to their prestigious program. Bryce enters the collegiate circuit as the 86th-ranked player in his class according to 247 Sports.
Moreover, he’s viewed as a three-star prospect, unlike his brother Bronny, who was a five-star prospect out of high school. Nonetheless, Bryce is still developing as a player and could become a really lethal shooting guard in the future.
USA Today via Reuters
Meanwhile, his father is really proud of his son’s massive move in the hoops world and got a bit emotional while speaking about it. “My youngest son is headed off to college soon, so that’s another bird out the nest. Another emotional moment coming up with Bryce going off to Tucson to be an Arizona Wildcat.” James said on his podcast.
Indeed, it’s an emotional move for the entire James family as it could also affect King James’ career as he might want to share a similar moment with Bryce as he did with Bronny. Will that happen? Only time will tell as we wish Bryce the best for his future in Arizona.
