When the much-anticipated showdown between UConn and Arizona was announced, college basketball enthusiasts were left speculating whether LeBron James might make an appearance in the rural setting of Storrs, Connecticut.

With LeBron’s son, Bryce, listed on Arizona’s roster and ‘King James’ himself recovering from an injury during a four-day break in the NBA schedule, fans were hopeful of seeing the legendary player if Bryce took to the court.

However, neither scenario came to fruition. Bryce has yet to make his debut for the Wildcats this season, and it appears unlikely he will. Meanwhile, LeBron just returned to the court for his first NBA game of the season.

This situation is underscored by the fact that while Bryce remains on the sidelines, freshman standout Koa Peat has emerged as a key player, bringing hope and excitement to the Wildcats.

Peat’s impressive performance, particularly in the paint, was instrumental as the Wildcats secured a thrilling 71-67 victory over the third-ranked UConn team.

Bryce James, the son of LeBron James, has not yet appeared for Arizona this season

But Arizona’s other talented freshman, Koa Peat, has shown how bright his star can be

It’s worth considering that, without the famous last name, it might be more understandable why a recruit with a unanimous three-star rating and not ranked among the top 30 in California has yet to see game time.

But of course, there is a last name attached to Bryce James. It’s an iconic one, belonging to one of the greatest of all time.

His recruiting profile by 24/7 Spots’ Adam Finkelstein notes, ‘He may not be the dynamic athlete or playmaker some expect at first, but he is a fundamentally sound player… [he] is still growing into his body a bit.’

Despite the relation, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd has felt no inclination to play the freshman – publicly mentioning he may ‘redshirt’ Bryce. This will likely eliminate him from the same one-and-done track his brother Bronny had at USC.

Meanwhile, another Arizona freshman commands the spotlight: Chandler, Arizona’s Koa Peat. The 6-foot-8 forward was ranked 11th in the nation for the 2025 class – but has already cemented himself as a top-5 rookie in the game this year.

Peat comes from an athletic lineage. His father Todd Peat spent nine seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman. His mother Jana also played sports in high school while all of his six siblings (four brothers – including Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Andrus – and two sisters) competed at the college or professional level.

Koa’s college basketball debut against defending champions Florida saw him put up 30 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in an upset.  

His ability to rise to the occasion made a top-five matchup at Gampel Pavilion a must-watch affair for any basketball fan.

Peat made his presence known early. His frame towered over many Huskies in the paint. A massive block at the 5:40 mark showed how his listed height betrayed how big he was. Under three minutes, Peat shot, missed and rebounded his miss twice before finally putting back a layup – flexing his muscles as he headed up the court.

Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd has floated the idea of ‘redshirting’ Bryce for this year

UConn coach Dan Hurley calls out a play as Alex Karaban (11) watches on against Arizona

Without big man Tarris Reed, UConn tried compensating for Peat and 7-footer Motiejus Krivas with floaters and mid-range shots. It varied in effectiveness, but the No. 3 team in the country showed their mettle and went into halftime down only two points.

UConn has been without their own star freshman – Braylon Mullins – but the Huskies never truly went away as the game clock ticked under eight minutes.

UConn super senior Alex Karaban hit his first triple of the night at the 4:38 mark to cut the deficit to one. German freshman 7-footer Eric Reibe, deputizing for Reed tied the game before the Huskies would eventually lead.

If Arizona was going to succeed, it would be Peat to take them there. His strong defense led to a crucial turnover late to give the Wildcats with the lead. Guard Jaden Bradley, who led the Cats with 21 points, called his own number for a lay-in to make it 67-64 and the Cats held out from there.

Like a few days prior with BYU star AJ Dybantsa, Hurley had plenty of praise for the talented young freshman Peat: ‘He plays like a 10-year NBA vet. He knows his identity… he’s just a classy, classy player and he’s gonna be a great NBA player.’