The Ohio State Buckeyes are fresh off a national championship victory and are already retooling for a title defense. Could LeBron James be a part of those plans?
Ryan Day Recruiting LeBron James?
Of all the adjectives that many would attribute to Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, funny would not be one of them. The normally reserved head coach stopped by “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” to discuss his program’s championship run and speak a little about one of his state’s most famous athletes.
From there, Fallon took the opportunity to share a 2022 tweet from Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James jokingly pondering if he still had football eligibility left to use. Without a beat, Day, in uncharacteristically witty form, stated the following:
“LeBron is a great supporter. With that said, he’d have to start with the freshman in the back of the room and work his way up. He doesn’t get any special treatment.”
James, never one to shy away from social media, replied, “I don’t mind it one bit Coach Day! Earned Not Given! 🙏🏾”
For context, the Akron-born James spent his first seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, taking some rather talent-thin teams to appearances in the NBA Finals.
When he left for Miami, an emotional pall fell over the city as they felt their chosen one, a local product, betrayed them for a chance to win rings.
After capturing two championships, James headed home to Cleveland, capturing the city’s first title in any sport since 1948. While he did end up leaving for Los Angeles, that 2015-16 title endeared him to the state once again.
James has fully embraced his Ohioan roots and heritage in recent years. After taking grief from fans for wearing New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys apparel, he supports his home.
Ryan is not an Ohio native. He grew up in New Hampshire, playing football at UNH. Ohioans take their Buckeyes and their state pride seriously. Go yell “O-H” anywhere from Toledo to Washington County and wait for the response.
When Urban Meyer retired, Day filled in as interim coach. Many expected Luke Fickell to assume the throne.
After all, Fickell grew up in Columbus and started 50 games as a defensive tackle for the Buckeyes. He eventually left for Cincinnati after OSU hired Day.
Meyer retired, and people believed that Fickell would come home. Instead, the team rolled with Day. Fickell decided to serve up a one-finger salute by taking the Wisconsin job following his tenure with Cincinnati. In hindsight, with a 70-10 record, the school made the perfect choice in Day.
KEEP READING: Ryan Day Spotlights Ohio State’s Unsung Heroes From Championship Run
After the Buckeyes dropped the 2024 regular-season finale against Michigan, that dropped his record against their rivals to 1-4. Social media exploded with calls for his firing. In his critics’ eyes, an outsider sitting in the hottest seat in Ohio needed to go.
You could not find a Day supporter. Yet, the administration stood by him as the Buckeyes took to the field and started hanging at least twenty-eight points on every playoff opponent, winning a national title in the process.
That momentary silence you heard on Jan. 10 was the stunned quiet of Buckeyes fans before the explosion of cheers. Day won an entire state over. With the monkey firmly off his back, Day had a chance to enjoy a sight of relief.
James and Day share a bit of commonality among their vast differences. They know what it’s like to incur the wrath of a state that desperately wanted to win a championship. Each endured the slings and arrows from both local and national media that criticized every choice. Also, fanbases that took their critiques too far.
Ryan Day on the vitriol his family faced:
“I think there were a lot of lessons learned by my children. I hope they use this as an opportunity to say ‘I remember when Dad was down and they counted him out and he just kept fighting.”’ pic.twitter.com/BCqQcPBN5q
— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) January 29, 2025
Now, armed with championship rings, the two can trade jokes, knowing they took care of business when it mattered most. As mentioned, Day showed off a humorous side that most didn’t think he had, looking comfortable engaging with global icons.
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