LeBron James shocked the world with his recent commitment to Colorado State men’s basketball.
Bryce James, who is currently a senior in high school, recently announced his intent to play for the Rams. After fielding diligent recruitment efforts, he decided to commit to CSU as a shooting guard starting in the 2025-26 season.
Among all the excitement over Bryce James’ commitment, LeBron James issued a statement that flipped the basketball world on its head.
“I will be following Bryce to CSU,” LeBron James said. “After being part of the only father-son duo to play in the NBA, I have decided that becoming part of the first father-son duo to play in the NCAA is the only natural next step.”
LeBron James has decided to cut his contract with the Lakers short by one year, as a special clause allows him to play in college if he so pleases. According to his contract, he may come back to play for the Lakers once his tenure at CSU is over.
“I’m really excited to see what those two will accomplish on this team and for this program. -Niko Medved, coach
Because he never attended college, LeBron James still has full athletic eligibility. He intends to use this full NCAA eligibility time as a Ram.
Fans are polarized by the development of this news. Many Lakers fans are heartbroken by the loss of their star, but many college basketball fans are ecstatic at the idea of seeing the greatest of all time play in March Madness.
“Having LeBron and Bryce on the same college team sounds dangerous for the rest of the NCAA,” a fan said. “CSU could be looking at one, two or even more back-to-back championships.”
The Rams are excited to take on Lebron and Bryce James next year, but administration is still scrambling to find a solution to the influx of traffic that is likely to accompany the mega star. Moby is expected to be overhauled with an additional 10,000-person seating capacity over the next couple years.
Some sticklers for the NCAA rules have been skeptical of the situation, as the association doesn’t usually allow athletes who have played a sport professionally to come back and play at the collegiate level.
The NCAA issued a statement that because it is LeBron James, after all, they would make an exception to the rules.
“In his quest to cement himself as the greatest basketball player of all time, LeBron James has announced he will be playing at the collegiate level,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said. “We believe that supporting LeBron in his desire to play for Colorado State is in the best interest for all people.”
James’ move to college athletics has been plagued by controversy, as many doubters say he would be an unfair asset over the competition and having him on the team would not promote a level playing field.
To counter the naysayers, many have pointed out that LeBron James never got to play in college, so maybe it’s more unfair to deny the GOAT the chance to experience college.
Lebron James joining the Rams is the clear next step for his career.
Although Lebron James said his main intention is to play with Bryce James, there are many awards the future Hall of Famer could win in the NCAA to add to his legacy.
“I am primarily motivated to join CSU so I can play with both of my sons at one point,” Lebron James said. “The prospect of winning anything is not at the forefront of my mind with this decision.”
His humility about the situation is staggering. It is impressive to see such a famous athlete this down-to-earth. Lebron James will be a great addition to the Rams’ roster, and paired with Bryce James, CSU is looking like its near future is in good hands.
Aside from playing a big role on the court, Lebron James will add an insurmountable value to the program off the court. Being on a team with the GOAT will only encourage CSU’s roster to step up their game to another level.
“I’m really excited to see what those two will accomplish on this team and for this program,” coach Niko Medved said. “It’s not often your team gets an opportunity like this, and I’m excited to see what comes out of it.”
Reach Mark Fischer at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @mason_ford2891.
