Good News: As Ohio State Buckeye Head Coach Welcome His New Baby………..

An Insider’s Perspective on LeBron James’s Effect on Ohio State Athletics

Columbus, Ohio — About half an hour before Ohio State’s Sept. 6 kickoff against Virginia Tech, Braxton Miller emerged from the recently remodeled Ohio Stadium tunnel wearing a dapper blue suit instead of his traditional Buckeyes outfit.

In his first public appearance since sustaining a season-ending torn labrum three weeks prior, Ohio State supporters greeted Miller with a hero’s welcome, chanting his name.

Even though the two-time Big Ten MVP was receiving a raucous ovation that evening, it was nothing compared to what happened a few minutes later.

 

Wearing a black and red Nike sweatsuit and a black Tackma snapback cap, LeBron James emerged from the same tunnel, energizing the soon-to-be record Ohio Stadium crowd.

As James strolled up the field to watch warm-ups, the Buckeyes’ student section erupted in unison, “Hey LeBron, O-H!”

The megastar player for the Cleveland Cavaliers turned around and waved to the audience.

Just a few weeks after James decided to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer sent out an open invitation to the four-time NBA MVP, and the scenario turned out precisely as he had envisioned it in July.

And although James’ connection to the Buckeyes actually goes back to his time attending St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron for his high school education, it has become even more evident since Meyer assumed leadership of the Ohio State program in 2012.

That hasn’t happened by coincidence however, as Meyer—who is clearly focused on recruiting—knows how important it is to have the strongest athlete in the world on his side. Meyer was a devoted fan of the Rubber City native who frequently defended James, even in the days when Ohio felt conflicted over James’ 2010 decision to join the Miami Heat instead of Cleveland.

Meyer remarked, “I hear people criticizing him and I’m like, ‘Criticize LeBron James?'” when he appeared on Mike & Mike on ESPN. “I understand the switching teams, but he’s a model citizen and leads a decent life.” LeBron James is amazing. LeBron James is someone I want my son to be around.

The Woody Hayes Athletic Center is replete with reminders of James’ connection to the Buckeyes, as are Meyer’s players and potential recruits. There’s a photo of James speaking to the audience during a pregame pep rally in 2013 amongst souvenirs from national championship seasons and images from victories over Michigan.

James even has his own locker at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center, an apparent recruiting ploy by Buckeyes basketball head coach Thad Matta, who sent James directly to the NBA out of high school back in 2003. The eleven-time All-Star doesn’t seem to mind being recognized in a venue where he has only ever taken home a high school state championship.

James remarked, “It’s very humbling,” on Monday prior to the Cavaliers’ preseason game in Columbus against the Chicago Bulls. “This program is amazing, according to Coach Matta, the coaching staff, the athletes, and the entire school. It’s an honor for this school to grant me a locker in their gym even though I’ve never worn a Buckeye uniform.”

Even though James makes his income on the basketball court, he has a history with the Ohio State football program that dates back to his connection with standout running back Maurice Clarett during the team’s 2002 national championship campaign.

When the former All-State wide receiver made an appearance as a guest picker on ESPN’s College GameDay in Columbus six years later, he revealed that he would have played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

“Absolutely, I wouldn’t have gone nowhere else,” stated James. “I would have been right here wearing this red and this gray, baby.”

Around this time, James grew close to Terrelle Pryor, the quarterback for Ohio State, who, like James, had attained a great deal of recognition at a relatively young age. Just a few days after Pryor’s Buckeyes were defeated by lowly Purdue in 2009, James talked about his friendship with the former five-star signal-caller while participating in a preseason game in Columbus.

“[I’m] trying to mentor him and get him through life in the spotlight, which I’ve been through,” added James. “I’m trying to be that guy who can really help him get through a lot of situations which he’s never seen before but now he’s seeing and understanding.”

James was booed loudly when he and Dwyane Wade went to an Ohio State-Duke basketball game in 2011, which put a strain on their friendship, but despite this, he was able to keep his bond with the Buckeyes even after moving to Miami.

James stood by the previous OSU head coach and the university when Jim Tressel was embroiled in a scandal that finally forced him to retire. He also succeeded in mentoring Miller, just like Pryor.

By the time 2013 arrived, everyone seemed to have moved past their differences, and James was welcomed when he showed up on the sidelines for Ohio State’s prime-time game against Wisconsin wearing a Buckeyes hoodie. That was the same evening he spoke at the crammed Skull Session pregame pep rally, reinforcing Ohio State as his pretend alma mater.

Although James’ absence from a single game was understandable, the Buckeyes benefited greatly from his decision to return to Cleveland in July of this year. James would be able to participate in events like Monday night’s preseason game in Columbus and attend games more frequently now that he is only two hours away from Ohio State’s campus.

It’s sizable. In recruiting, he is quite important, according to Meyer. The joy he had while watching an Ohio State game from the sidelines is indescribable. He genuinely adores Ohio State.

James plays basketball, and Meyer coaches football, so it might seem a bit extreme, but social media has made it clear how James’ comeback has affected recruiting. The fact that five-star talents Troy Gibson and Nick Bosa have both acknowledged LeBron James’ ties to the Buckeyes is no coincidence—there is currently no greater brand in sports than James.

Which takes us back to that evening on September 6, when James and his friends watched Ohio State lose to the Hokies while standing on the Buckeyes’ sideline. James may not have worn the Scarlet and Gray uniform or taken classes in Columbus, but judging from the hype he created, you wouldn’t know it. For this reason, Meyer has no problem designating the international superstar as an honorary alum.

He is the most refined professional athlete I have ever encountered. He speaks quite well. He is a CEO, and he enters the room. I simply think he’s a fantastic role model, and I know exactly where he’s from and the school he attended,” Meyer remarked. “He’s an Ohioan.”