LeBron James Responds to Ryan Day’s Joke About NBA Star’s ‘Recruitment’ to OSU

James respected the Ohio State coach's answer.
NBA star LeBron James throws a football around at an Ohio State game.
NBA star LeBron James throws a football around at an Ohio State game. / Joe Maiorana-Imagn Images
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As an Ohio native, LeBron James is a well-known Ohio State supporter. He even tweeted about possibly playing college football at one point, which was something brought up to Buckeyes coach Ryan Day when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon this week.

Is it even possible for James to join the Buckeyes? And, if he did, how would being a freshman go for him? Day didn't hesitate when saying the NBA legend would be treated just like any other freshman who walked through the team's doors.

“LeBron is a huge fan of Ohio State and has been a great supporter. With that being said, he’d have to start with the freshman in the back of the room and we'd have to work his way up," Day said on the show. "He doesn’t get any special treatment.”

James replied to Day's comment on X, formerly known as Twitter, by admiring the coach's honesty.

"I don’t mind it one bit Coach Day! Earned Not Given!" James wrote.

Day and the Buckeyes made James and Ohio State fans pretty happy this month when they won the College Football Playoff title. James may be a four-time NBA champion, but that doesn't put him above any other college football players if he were to ever try out for a team.


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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.