LeBron James may be widely regarded as the best NBA player of his generation. But that does not mean he would get special treatment from Ryan Day.
On Monday, the Ohio State football coach appeared on “The Tonight Show” a week after leading his team to a national title. During one segment, host Jimmy Kimmel brought out a placard showing one of James’ old social media posts.
“Do I have college eligibility if I went to play another sport besides basketball? How does that rule work?” James pondered on X back in 2022.
Do I have college eligibility if I went to play another sport besides basketball? How does that rule work?
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2022
James, a known Ohio State supporter, has the physical frame to be a game-changing tight end on the gridiron. Even at 40, LeBron could potentially be a matchup nightmare in the college ranks.
Day qualified that just because James is closer to being an actual senior citizen than any Buckeyes player out there, that would not give him seniority on the team.
“First off, LeBron is a huge fan of Ohio State and he’s been a great supporter,” Day said. “But that being said, he’d be right in line with the freshman in the back of the room. He’d have to work his way up. He doesn’t get any special treatment.”
James reposted the clip of Day on “The Tonight Show” and said he “didn’t mind one bit.”
I don’t mind it one bit Coach Day! Earned Not Given! 🙏🏾 https://t.co/ymM3bpcauc
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 28, 2025
James was the No. 1 high school football prospect in the state of Ohio back in his day. As a junior wide receiver, James caught 60 passes for 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns.
While James was merely throwing out a hypothetical scenario, he would actually be allowed to go back to college and play for Day at Ohio State if both sides agreed to it.
Professional players cannot return to college and play the NCAA sport they turned pro in. However, they’re free to try out a different sport, which is what LeBron’s former teammate did a few years back.
