Loyola tabs Cameron Joyce as basketball coach, son of LeBron James' high school coach

Joyce is the son of Dru Joyce II, who coached LeBron James at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio.

St. Ignatius head coach Cameron Joyce argues a call with an official in the second half against McKinley in the OHSAA Regional Finals held at Kent State’s Mac Center Saturday, March 8, 2025. / Kevin Whitlock / Massillon Independent / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Loyola High has a new boys basketball coach in Cameron Joyce.

Joyce is the son of Dru Joyce II, who coached LeBron James at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. Dru is still at the helm of the Fighting Irish to this day. Cameron's older brother, Dru Joyce III, is currently the head men's basketball coach at Duquesne University.

Cameron Joyce has been the boys basketball coach at St. Ignatius High in Cleveland since 2019. When appointed he was the first African-American head coach in school history, according to a report from Cleveland19.com.

St. Ignatius went 118-44 under Joyce and won a state championship in 2024, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

"It's a unique opportunity for me to coach at another Jesuit school," Joyce said to the Beacon Journal. "The Mission League is one of the best leagues in the country. To have that opportunity to coach in one of the best leagues (and) in one of the biggest markets in the country is something I look forward to. It's the opportunity to get to compete at some of the highest levels in high school basketball."

Joyce's experience before St. Ignatius included stops at Ohio State University as the Director of Operations for the men's basketball program; two seasons at the University of Florida; and at Northwood University as an assistant.

Joyce played for his father at St. Vincent-St. Mary where the Fighting Irish won three district championships, one regional title and reached the state tournament semifinals.

High School On SI was the first to report when former Loyola coach Damaine Powell stepped down from the position on March 18. Powell was 72-46 in four seasons with the Cubs.

Loyola's new President, Jamal Adams, was the boys basketball coach for 16 years until he stepped away to pursue administrative goals in 2021. He left to be the principal at La Salle High in Pasadena before coming back to Loyola to be the principal — now he's running the show.

Monster high school boys basketball coaching names were swirling around the Loyola job, including Brentwood's Ryan 'Moose' Bailey, Redondo Union's Reggie Morris, La Mirada's Randy Oronoz, and even Cal Lutheran University's Russell White, who was a longtime successful coach at Crespi.

The job was appealing for many reasons: a private institution, supportive athletic staff and admin, and accessible location in Los Angeles — but the biggest attraction being its participation in the Mission League, which is arguably the best high school basketball league in the country with Harvard-Westlake, Notre Dame Sherman Oaks, Sierra Canyon, St. Francis, Chaminade, Crespi and Alemany.

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