LeBron James took his day off on Monday night and flew to Atlanta, Georgia to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes win the national championship. The LA Lakers star was even caught on camera celebrating Will Howard's clutch touchdown pass as fans online reacted to his surprise cameo.
Growing up in Akron, Ohio, "King James" has always been a fan of the Buckeyes. He has even confirmed in multiple interviews over the years that if he went to college, it would have been at Ohio State. Even his sons Bronny and Bryce were linked to the Buckeyes before choosing USC and Arizona, respectively.
With Ohio State leading 31-23 against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Will Howard found wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for a 56-yard pass. It put the Buckeyes within field goal range, essentially sealing the win and the program's ninth national championship.
The play energized the crowd, with the camera panning towards Howard's ecstatic parents, as well as James giving away high fives in excitement.
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Some fans noticed LeBron James' surprise cameo during the celebration, eliciting reactions online. There were some sarcastic remarks about the LA Lakers superstars, while others were just thrilled about the Buckeyes' first national championship since 2014.
"Thank God you put LeBron in this! Don’t know what I would do without it!" a fan tweeted.
"Which is worst? The annoying pans of LeBum or Swift?" one fan asked.
"Tell me how is LeBron relevant here??? ESPN is so terrible with crap like this," another fan remarked.
Ohio State initially appeared to be heading to an easy win, leading 31-7 midway through the third quarter. However, Notre Dame came crawling back to make it an interesting game until Will Howard's fantastic pass with three minutes left.
"LeBron glazing... yuck," a fan wrote.
"What years did this guy go to Ohio State????" one fan jokingly asked.
"Why LeBron actin' like he went to college? another fan questioned.
LeBron James won't have time to fully celebrate Ohio State's win since he will likely need to return to Los Angeles for Tuesday's Lakers game against the Washington Wizards. James is currently listed as probable due to a left foot injury, so he could get an extra day off.
LeBron James would have played for Ohio State if he didn't go to the NBA in 2003
Speaking to Cleveland.com way back in 2013, LeBron James opened up about his fandom of the Ohio State Buckeyes. James also revealed back then that if he played college basketball, it would have been at Ohio State.
"I promise, I say this all the time, if I had one year of college, I would have ended up here," James said. "No matter where I go in the world, no matter where it is, I will always rock Ohio State colors."
Instead of playing one season of college ball, James went directly to the NBA out of his school. He was still the No. 1 pick of the 2003 draft and went on to become one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
Ohio State Buckeyes Fan? Check out the latest Buckeyes depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place