Bryce James starts, projected top-three pick Caleb Holt shines in Arizona's first exhibition game

The youngest son of LeBron James redshirted during his freshman season with the Wildcats and is expected to be part of Arizona's rotation this season.

Oct 14, 2026 at 10:45 am ET • 3 min read

Arizona played its first exhibition game of the 2026-27 college basketball season on Tuesday, marking the first time projected top-three pick in the 2027 NBA Draft Caleb Holt faced college competition. Holt was in Arizona's starting lineup next to Motiejus Krvias, Ivan Kharchenkov, North Carolina transfer Derek Dixon and Bryce James, the youngest son of current Philadelphia 76ers star and NBA superstar LeBron James.

James, who redshirted during his freshman season, appeared in two exhibition games during the 2025-26 season, but Arizona's 93-69 win over San Francisco marked his first start. James started the game by knocking down a corner 3-pointer and finished the game with three points and a steal in 14 minutes of action.

Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey, who is seeking a fifth year of eligibility, didn't play in Arizona's exhibition game. His status remains unclear with the season less than three weeks away. If Godfrey is cleared, he projects as Arizona's starting power forward.

After the game, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd was asked directly why he started James instead of going with a smaller lineup.

"I didn't want to overthink it," Lloyd said. "Bryce has had a good fall for us and continues to grow as a player. I think starting Bryce kinda puts the rotation in the right way and maybe have some good impactful guys coming off the bench. I kinda wanted to see how that looked and felt today. I don't know what I'm going to do Friday (against San Diego State). ... Again, I'm not going to overthink that one. It's the first few minutes of a 40-minute game."

JJ Mandaquit, Cameron Holmes and Maksim Brnovic played more minutes off the bench than James against San Francisco. However, James started two of Arizona's three games during the program's Lithuanian tour earlier this summer and is set to earn a rotation role with the projected Big 12 favorite.

James was part of Arizona's loaded 2025 recruiting class that helped the Wildcats reach the Final Four for the first time since 2001. James committed to Arizona on New Year's Day in 2025, just a few months before Koa Peat and Brayden Burries — two players drafted in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft — pledged to play for the Wildcats.

Peat told CBS Sports at the Final Four in April that James played a role in getting him to commit to Arizona.

"He hit me up and told me to go to school together," Peat said. "So obviously, yeah. When guys like that come to Arizona, it's super cool. It definitely could have an impact on your recruitment for sure."

Holt shows why he will be an early pick in 2027

Arizona's returning duo of Krivas and Kharchenkov is among the best in the sport, but the key newcomer on the roster is primed to be Holt. The No. 3-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting cycle by 247Sports is expected to be in the conversation as the best first-year player in the sport because of his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor.

Holt finished with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals in 28 minutes of action. He also finished an efficient 6 of 10 from the field and knocked down all four of his free throw attempts.

The play of the night that stood out was during the opening minutes of the second half, when Holt got a steal near the 3-point line and went coast-to-coast for a tough bucket in transition on the other end. Holt, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, used his strength to his advantage on the play to create separation against a bigger defender, which is something he should be able to do often.

"Caleb is really motivated to be a great all-around player," Lloyd said. "And to really understand the nuances of the game. He has really shouldered the heavy burden on his own of trying to learn. You are talking about a guy who has risen through the ranks at the highest levels of high school basketball and international basketball with his effort and raw instincts. Now he's trying to refine himself a little bit. ... He's a really skilled and unique player."

Arizona has two scrimmages (San Diego State on Friday and Eastern Washington on Oct. 23) before opening the 2026-27 campaign against UCLA in Las Vegas. That game will feature two of the best freshmen in the sport in Holt and UCLA star Nikola Kusturica, facing each other head-to-head. While Holt projects as an early pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, Kusturica is ineligible for this summer's draft due to the NBA's age requirement.