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Bryce James, Son of NBA Superstar LeBron James Chooses Arizona University Over Multiple Schools

Bryce James, the youngest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, will be playing Division 1 college basketball after officially announcing his commitment to the Arizona Wildcats. We discuss it here!

 

Bryce James Commits to the University of Arizona

By: Joshua Martin

Bryce James, the youngest son of NBA superstar Lebron James, will be playing Division 1 college basketball after officially announcing his commitment to the Arizona Wildcats on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

Bryce played shooting guard at Sierra Canyon (California) and is considered to be a three-star recruit at the position in the class of 2025. According to reports, James selected Arizona due to Head Coach Tommy Lloyd’s ability to develop players and his patience with that process. He previously made visits to USC, where his older brother Bronny played for a season and also Notre Dame earlier last fall. The Fighting Irish, Ohio State and Duquesne also made offers to James throughout his recruitment. 

Lebron took to social media to express his excitement about the news of his son’s commitment.

Bryce James began his high school career at Sierra Canyon before moving to Campbell Hall in May 2023. He later moved to Notre Dame High before returning to Sierra Canyon in November of 2023. The 6-foot-4, 165 pound guard currently holds an NIL deal from Klutch Sports, who have been a long representative of his father. 

Bryce is a bit of a different athlete than his brother Bronny, which yields to great potential if he remains patient and develops. 

"Bryce James is the son of Lebron James and that means, like his older brother Bronny, he's under the microscope. Bryce needs to be given time and space to run his own race though. He may not be the dynamic athlete or playmaker some expect at first, but he is a fundamentally sound player with solid perimeter size and a good early skill-set.” - 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstien

Bryce becomes the second player to verbally commit to the Wildcats, joining five-star small forward Dwayne Aristode, who signed his national letter of intent in November.

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Bronny James Commits to USC

Bronny James makes his college decision by committing to USC, igniting a new era of basketball for the Trojans. We discuss it here!

 

December 15th, 2019: LeBron "Bronny" James Jr. (0) during the H.S. basketball game between the St. V. Irish and Sierra Canyon Trailblazers at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. Mark Alberti/1022

Credit: 1022 Project via Shutterstock

By: Joshua Martin

After much speculation, it's official!! Bronny James Jr., the eldest son of NBA Legend LeBron James, is staying on the West Coast and attending the University of Southern California. 

Bronny wrote in his instagram caption “Fight On ✌🏿 #committed” while dawning his Sierra Canyon High School basketball uniform in the Trojans’ locker room. 

After the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the western conference semifinals, LeBron said in a postgame press conference that his son picked “a great university.”

“Unless it was one of my great-grandmothers or great-grandfathers or someone way before my time, to my knowledge this is the first one out of the James Gang to go to college.”
— LeBron James

Currently James Jr. ranks as a top 5 point guard according to ESPN and as a Trojan, Bronny has a chance to develop his impressive on ball defensive skills, while also honing his scoring ability and playmaking skills.  

Bronny’s decision was interesting to say the least. Especially since the Trojans haven't made it to a Final Four since 1954 and hasn't had a deep tournament run in decades. One could only speculate that the allure of staying close to family and the bright and sandy beaches of SoCal played a major role in his decision. 

Ask yourself. How often has college basketball been the topic of conversation for fans of USC’s athletic program? It’s usually the coliseum for a Trojan football game on saturdays. With Bronny on campus, the buzz around the Galen Center is destined to become a fever pitch.

Unlike most prospects, Bronny’s game has been under the microscope since becoming a rising freshman at Sierra Canyon High School. Initially, many believed his growth was small and incremental but after an impressive performance at this year's McDonald's All American game, the adulation of Bronny’s game has been on the rise. And rightfully so.

The 6-foot-3 athlete has great speed and lateral quickness and the explosiveness that should transition nicely to the college game. A pure shooting stroke with range and the mental capacity to out-think opponents at the amateur level.  

USC’s basketball program has been buried behind the dominance of its cross town rival UCLA with its 11 National Championships over 60 seasons. The Trojans have had their moments but even the best USC teams can't hold a candle to the squads that dominated the sport during the Wooden era. We are now living in a new reality. As of now, Bronny provides USC with the sort of glitz and glamor it has never had. 

Opting to avoid traditional blue blood programs, it's obvious Bronny wants to be a part of history. If the Trojans are successful next season, Bronny could help snap a 70 year Final Four drought, a 39 year PAC 12 title drought and it's been 53 years since USC finished in the top 5. 

“Obviously, his dad didn’t go to school. His mom didn’t go to college. It’s super cool. … USC is getting a great kid. He’s there to play basketball, [but] they’re going to be super surprised at how great a kid he is, even though they’ve been recruiting him for a while.”
— LeBron James

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March Madness: The NCAA is Under Fire Following Women’s Tournament Disparities

The NCAA is under fire for lack of financial support for Women's basketball during March Madness compared to their male counterparts. Women athletes deserve the same treatment as men. We discuss it here!

 
247 Live Culture

Jan. 16, 2020 The University of Oregon’s Kelly Graves, Minyon Moore, Ruthy Heard and Sedona Prince rejoice after a victory over Stanford University in Eugene, Oregon.

Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard/TNS

By: Tialena Evans

Every year basketball fans from all around the nation look forward to the madness that is the NCAA Tournament, but this time around March Madness made a name for itself…. literally. 

Both the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments are currently in progress, but in two separate parts of the country. The men’s tournament being held in Indianapolis, Indiana and the women’s in San Antonio, Texas. 

But that isn’t the only disparity between the two. The NCAA is now under fire after a women’s basketball player, Sedona Prince for the Oregon Ducks shared a TikTok video on Twitter showcasing the vast differences between the men’s and women’s facilities.

The women’s teams were given a single rack of dumbbells as a part of their “weight room”, which was placed on the same court as their practice gym. 

Meanwhile, the men’s weight room was shown to be an actual room on its own, equipped with ample space and equipment for players to train. 

“Let me put it on Twitter too cause this needs the attention,” she wrote — hoping the transparency between the two facilities would invoke a response from the public and action by the NCAA.  

And if you think that was bad, it doesn’t stop there. 

It was also shown that the gender disparities stretch from the foods that they eat to the quantity of gifted NCAA paraphernalia to even the quality of COVID-19 tests given to players. 

You don’t have to be a fan of college basketball or even basketball period to realize that something is wrong here. 

Social media blew up over what they saw and even NBA players expressed their outrage and discontent with how the NCAA has handled how the women’s tournament is treated. 

South Carolina’s women’s basketball head decided to chime in on the issue. 

The situation moved so many people that even big name brands have decided to step up and help out where they could.  

Companies such as Tonal and Dick’s Sporting Goods reached out and donated fitness equipment for the women’s tournament teams within a day. 

So far the NCAA has put out a statement apologizing for the disparities between the men’s and women’s facilities and claims “ [they] have intentionally organized basketball under one umbrella [at the NCAA] to ensure consistency and collaboration.”

In response to the extensive negative outrage, the NCAA has also made upgrades to provide the women’s with an actual weight room facility with plentiful equipment to train.

While the quick response of the NCAA is nice, it shouldn’t have ever had to get to this point. Sexism and gender equality is such a huge issue in the world and you would think the NCAA, being such a big platform that it is, would try harder to make sure that this wouldn’t be an issue to address. 

Many people justify these disparities by pointing out that men’s basketball brings in more income than women’s, but if the NCAA is funding the tournament, then both parties should receive equal treatment. 

The NCAA tournament is a package deal, men’s and women’s, regardless of who fans want to spend their day watching. 

Hopefully this issue promotes a greater effort in the equal treatment of women’s sports, because they are just as hard working and deserving as their male counterparts.

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Michael B. Jordan Partners with Non-Profit to Start Up HBCU Tournament in Hometown

Actor and philanthropist Michael B. Jordan has partnered up with Hoop Dreams to organize an HBCU basketball tournament in December of 2021.

 
247 Live Culture
COURTESY OF COACH

COURTESY OF COACH

By: Baigen Seawell

Actor and philanthropist Michael B. Jordan has partnered up with Hoop Dreams to organize an HBCU basketball tournament in December of 2021.

The Newark, New Jersey native chose to launch the event after the turbulent year that has just recently passed. With the growing desire for young prospects to go back to their roots by attending and participating in programs fostered to build up Black athletes, the desire to appreciate the culture and vitality that exists at these programs has become more prevalent. 

Examples of the HBCU Exodus include Deion Sanders making his move to Jackson State University as the head coach; followed by his son Shilo, who is the highest recruit to sign to the Tigers in school history. Makur Maker also decided to take his talents to Howard University, and a slew of other athletes have transferred into these historically rich programs.

These examples partnered with the now present appreciation for HBCUs pushed to build a partnership between the Black Panther actor and CEO of Hoop Dreams, Jessica Estrada. 

The Hoop Dreams Classic will showcase men’s basketball for the first year, but will look to expand to women’s in the coming launches. The tournament will also host bands and other external events to keep fans entertained. 

Jordan told HBCU Sports in a report that “As a Newark native, I am committed to bringing change to the community and am honored to be able to present The Hoop Dreams Classic as a way to celebrate the value of community, education, and Black college experiences. Through our shared love of basketball, I look forward to bringing the communal spirit of HBCUs to the city that helped shape me into the man I am today.”

But where can this go, and how can this assist Black communities? In numerous ways.

How this Helps Prospects and Communities

With the growing interest in attending HBCUs, young students in Newark and surrounding areas will gain early exposure to the culture and experience gained at HBCUs. This, partnered with the showcase of athletic talent, will build interest for the incoming generations, which in turn keeps a level playing field and opens the pool of decisions for young prospects. 

In the long run, these prospects will be able to choose a school that can not only help build their athletic careers, but their academic careers as well. With the financial support secured from a big celebrity and native of the city, Michael B. Jordan will be able to bring more eyes and dollars to the city of Newark, youth facilities and schools that house this talent. 

Estrada mentioned in a press release that “After seeing firsthand the lack of resources and information available to basketball players, I was determined to make Hoop Dreams the vehicle that could provide the tools these kids need to be successful in life beyond the game.” Estrada added that the vision for the communities are matched and would create a large impact.

The pipeline that streams from an event with the accessibility of Hoop Dreams, partnering up with the household name of a superstar like Michael B. Jordan will directly impact the exposure and appreciation given to HBCUs on the recruiting scale. This, along with the long term positives for prospects such as financial support, broadening options to build academic success and career development create what HBCUs are known and given praise for. 

While the first Hoop Dreams Classic is a year out, the excitement to bring an event of this scale to the Brick City already has New Jerseyans eager for what it will do for their city.

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5 Star Prospect Makur Maker Commits To Howard Paving The Way For Other Top Prospects

5 Star basketball Prospect Makur Maker made a monumental move by committing to Howard University over UCLA, Kentucky, and Memphis.

 
247 Live Culture
5 Star Prospect Makur Maker Commits To Howard Paving The Way For Other Top Prospects

By: Omar Cook

5 Star basketball Prospect Makur Maker made a monumental move by committing to Howard University over UCLA, Kentucky, and Memphis. Maker becomes the highest ranked prospect to commit to an HBCU since the start of the ESPN recruiting database in 2007.

 
 

Maker is 6’11 with a versatile skill set and is ranked No. 16 in the ESPN 100 for the class of 2020. He is also the cousin of Detroit Pistons forward Thon Maker! Maker is also expected to submit his name for the NBA draft but will withdraw if he is unexpected to go in the 1st round.

"I was the 1st to announce my visit to Howard & other started to dream 'what if,'" Maker wrote on Twitter. "I need to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow. I hope I inspire guys like Mikey Williams to join me on this journey. I am committing to Howard U & coach Kenny Blakeney."

This move is major as it paves the way for other top rated recruits to make commitments to HBCUs. Highly touted basketball recruit Mikey Williams has made it known that he is seriously considering going the HBCU route as well. Wake Forest forward, Sharone Wright Jr announced that he would be transferring to Morgan State joining a host of other highly rated recruits at MSU.

 
 

HBCU recruiting often struggles compared to major D1 programs but with the help of recruits deciding to commit, this could change the landscape of recruiting and bring in more revenue to HBCU athletics. At the end of the day, it’s the athletes who bring the school wins and attention. Expect to see more top rated recruits going the Black College route in all sports.

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Life University Basketball: Atlanta’s Biggest Secret In Athletics

Atlanta is a hot bed for athletic talent, but one school in particular has been under the radar! Life University Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Anthony Maxwell, discusses Atlanta’s biggest kept secret in athletics!

 
247 Live Culture
Life University Basketball: Atlanta’s Biggest Secret In Athletics

By: Baigen Seawell

In 1990, Sid Williams of Life College in Marietta, Ga., would hire Roger Kaiser to be the school’s first head basketball coach. Kaiser, a two-time All-American at Georgia Tech, and former coach at West Georgia College (now University of West Georgia) would be tasked with recruiting players to play for the Running Eagles.

And Coach Max has been there through it all. 

Anthony Maxwell, affectionately called “Coach Max”, is a 1999 Alum of Life College, now University, and head Women’s Basketball Coach. Coach Max would be a contributing player to the Running Eagles 1999 National Championship team; one of three acquired in the 90’s.

The Program’s history is that of a hidden gem in Georgia collegiate basketball; Maxwell is that of a historian in his own right, being there since the early stages of the program’s conception to present day.

THE HISTORY

The Running Eagles would compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA, a smaller division of competitive athletics, was considered a subsidiary of the NCAA. Many athletes would look to go Division 1 versus other routes to continue their athletic career. But, Kaiser would recruit vehemently throughout 1990, while the pieces would come together to start the first year for the program. 

Almost Immediately, the program would have a stint to participate in the NAIA National Tournament in 1994, and finished as a runner-up. 

At the same time in Hartwell, Ga., Maxwell would be recovering from multiple knee injuries sustained in the early stages of his budding college basketball career. Recruited at the D1 level, after sustaining those injuries, he would be in idle.

“I was a high school All-American, McDonald’s All American. […] had a few knee injuries, few surgeries, so I sat home for a few years. After two years, I had the opportunity to play at Life University.”

Maxwell would go on to play for the Running Eagles in the height of their success. After winning their first National Championship in 1997, and having seasons with 30 wins or more, he would join the team looking to get back into playing basketball and getting his business degree. 

In 1999, the Running Eagles would have the opportunity to go to the National Tournament again. But throughout the season, doubts would still present themselves around the NAIA despite the positive program history. Kaiser would bring in numerous D1 and Junior College Transfers to Life during this season, establishing early that there were points to prove. 

“Going into the year a lot of people didn’t think we would do well even though we did well in the previous years,” said Maxwell. “It was a complete team effort… We lost one game that year […] you go to the hotel, the lobby is crowded, elevator’s crowded; as the rounds go on, you get more and more room and you’re the last team standing; it’s a wonderful feeling.”

Life would acquire another championship in 1999, and 2000. At the national level, the program was gaining notoriety for their efforts; at the local level, they were something of a diamond in the rough for athletics and culture alike. 

Life was known for their chiropractic program, and the energy and passion that Dr. Sid Williams had for said school. Williams had the ability to market and sell his school, with adamant advertisement campaigns. This would prove to be a positive, making the school alluring for aspiring athletes and established ones alike.

Professional athletes such as Dikembe Motumbo, Steve Smith and other legendary Atlanta Hawks would frequent the campus to practice, play games of pickup, or even get a haircut from Maxwell, who, at that time, ran a twenty-four hour haircut business that would make house calls to executives and celebrities around Metro-Atlanta.

“A lot of people don’t know this but, I’m a licensed barber, so I ran a business that actually started back when I was at Life,” Said Maxwell “During the 90’s Life University was the Atlanta Hawks practice facility. So I would cut all these guys hair on Life’s team, and some of the Hawks players. Then they’d have friends on other teams who would come to town to play the Hawks and say the barbershops are closed or they don’t want to get harassed at the barbershops they would call me to cut their hair.”

NOT THE CONVENTIONAL ROUTE

After graduating, Maxwell would continue cutting hair for nearly a decade, but the passion to coach would start to creep into his psyche. At 37 years old, “Max” would then become “Coach Max” in 2011 at his Alma Mater, starting out as an assistant coach.

He was nothing like the conventional coach. 

He had no High School, AAU, or College experience coaching, and to get a foot in the door for Collegiate Coaching is difficult. He would push through the ranks before finally becoming the Head Women’s Basketball Coach in 2016, after a defunct team dissolved in the early 2000’s. 

Again, he was not like his counterparts in the NAIA, or the Mid-South Conference. This would not only be Coach Max’s first time coaching as a head coach, but his first time coaching women’s basketball, and… he would have ten freshmen. 

Through trials and growing pains the program would face in their four years, they become grounds for growth for collegiate athletics in Metro-Atlanta in their own right. Coach Max looks to establish his own legacy coaching at Life University, adding onto successes acquired in the previous seasons, and establishing the institution further.

“Life University Athletics is here, and Life University Women’s Basketball. […] We just want people to know in the surrounding area that we have play at a top level of basketball and athletics period. I think we’re Marietta, even Atlanta’s biggest secret still. But piece by piece we’re looking to change that.”

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