Blue Devil Country

Duke basketball recruiting: Second son of LeBron James emerging

Bryce James has hit a scary growth spurt.

Matt Giles

LeBron James (Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
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With all the hoopla surrounding Sierra Canyon (Calif.) rising senior and potential Duke basketball recruiting prospect Bronny James, the sudden growth spurt of his younger brother and Sierra Canyon teammate, Bryce James, has gone relatively overlooked.

RELATED: What's new with the Bronny James sweepstakes?

But some claim Bryce James, now 15 years old and entering his sophomore year, could be the better long-term prospect among Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James' two sons.

Seemingly in the past few months alone, the 6-foot-6 small forward has passed his 6-foot-3 older brother in the height department while creeping up on his father's 6-foot-8 stature.

Then this week, Bryce James showed off his clutch gene for his Strive For Greatness 16U AAU squad. Down two points with one second left on the clock, he drew a foul on a 3-point attempt and calmly knocked down all three free throws for the win over Showtime Elite.

Only time will tell if Bryce James' athleticism and skill set will catch up with his height. However, note that his dad recently referred to him as "my twin" in the comments section of an Instagram post that put the undeniable resemblance on display:

On Tuesday, Benyam Kidane of The Sporting News broke down the most noticeable difference in abilities between Bronny and Bryce James:

"While Bronny is more of a playmaking guard, Bryce's size allows him to attack the basket at will, swallow rebounds, and get out in transition. The striking feature of his game is his ability and confidence shooting the ball, an area you can tell he has focused on. In 2018, LeBron declared the then 11-year-old was already the 'best shooter in the household.'"

Ishaan Bhattacharya of Fadeaway World explained it in these words:

"Bryce is developing a solid game but still doesn't have the same athletic gifts as his elder brother or father. He doesn't have the explosive jump, but he has a steady shot, good court awareness, and could seemingly grow to be a very tall player. His high school season is going to get a lot more eyes this year."

As one can see in the brief highlight package below, there is some craftiness to Bryce James' game around the basket:

A Duke basketball longshot for either James brother?

Bronny James, who has exhibited an interest in the Blue Devils by wearing Duke gear in the past, ranks No. 43 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Composite. He and his camp haven't reported any offers in his oh-so-secretive recruitment.

Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports pointed out last week at Peach Jam — where first-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer showed up for at least one of Bronny James' games — that "the perception is that Bronny James is not going to play college basketball."

Meanwhile, most sites have yet to rank 2025 recruits, yet it's worth noting that Bryce James does not appear on the 2025 ESPN 25.

Not yet, anyway.

So considering Bryce James is not yet one of the premier players in his class, it's too early to determine if he'll be on the Blue Devils' radar down the road. Still, his dramatic growth is worth keeping an eye on.

Duke basketball's 2025 offer sheet consists of three players: power forward Cameron Boozer (No. 1 in the class, per ESPN), small forward Cooper Flagg (No. 3), and point guard Cayden Boozer (No. 24).

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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