Distressing Deja Vu in LeBron James Family as Son Bryce James‘ Fails to Make an Impact

The name James on a Sierra Canyon jersey once carried expectations of dominance, of highlight-reel plays, and next-generation greatness. But under the bright lights of the Mission League semifinals, Bryce James found himself caught in a story that’s starting to feel all too familiar. His older brother, Bronny James, endured a crushing playoff loss two years ago. Now, history has repeated itself. And as Sierra Canyon fell to Notre Dame 83-72, the murmurs around Bryce’s impact—or lack thereof—grew louder.

According to an Instagram post by @slam_hs, Stokes “went off for 28 PTS & 8 REB in an 83-72 win over Sierra Canyon in the Mission League semifinal 😤🔥.” His dominant performance highlighted what Sierra Canyon lacked—an elite presence to rise to the occasion.

Sierra Canyon entered the semifinal riding high with a perfect 6-0 record in league play. But against Notre Dame, they faltered early, managing just 10 points in the first quarter and giving up a lead that they could never reclaim. While the spotlight was on Bryce, it was Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 ranked junior, who stole the show.

Meanwhile, Bryce James had an underwhelming performance: 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, and 1 block. While the numbers weren’t terrible, for someone carrying the weight of the James name, they fell short.

For the James family, this scene is eerily reminiscent of 2023, when Bronny James led Sierra Canyon into the same tournament—only to suffer a blowout loss to Notre Dame. That night, Notre Dame’s Dusty Stromer (21 points) and Caleb Foster (20 points) torched Sierra Canyon, handing them an 88-61 defeat.

At the time, Bronny had been recovering from injury, and his 19 points weren’t enough to prevent the team from unraveling. Now, two years later, Bryce is facing a similar fate—except this time, there’s no injury excuse. The game was there for the taking, and he simply didn’t seize the moment.

Bryce James struggles in Sierra Canyon’s reality check against Notre Dame—Is the spotlight too much?

For all of Sierra Canyon’s talent, their struggles in high-stakes games continue to haunt them. Notre Dame hit 11 three-pointers on the night, compared to Sierra Canyon’s six, exposing a lack of firepower beyond Max Adams (20 points) and Jayden Alexander (16 points).

And while Sierra Canyon still holds the second-best record in the Mission League (6-1), this loss was a reality check. Notre Dame (5-2) is closing in, and the Trailblazers’ recent one-game losing streak raises concerns as the postseason looms.

Meanwhile, the expectations around Bryce James remain murky. Unlike his father and brother, Bryce’s recruitment has been relatively quiet. His numbers—though solid—haven’t been eye-popping, and performances like this only add to the uncertainty.

For Sierra Canyon fans, this loss felt like déjà vu. For Bryce James, it was another opportunity that slipped away. And for LeBron James, watching from afar, it was another night where his son struggled to leave a mark on the game that made their family name legendary.