Ohio State diehard LeBron embraces enemy Michigan QB stud Bryce Underwood

LeBron James usually avoids controversy.

In the past couple of days, the NBA's all-time leading scorer and 40-year-old living legend seems to be going against type.

While all of NBA Twitter hotly debated the Los Angeles Lakers power forward doubling down on his "face of the league" stance, he might have done something more outrageous for college football fans after the Lakers victory over their cross-town rival Los Angeles Clippers, 106-102.

Luka Doncic/LeBron James — Feb 28, 2025: Los Angeles Lakers power forward LeBron James celebrates with guard Luka Doncic during the second quarter against the LA Clippers. | Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

If you missed it, James said, "Why do you want to be the face of the league when all the people that cover our game and talk about our game on a day-to-day basis s--t on everybody? To have that responsibility, it's just weird. It's weird energy."

The Akron, Ohio native, very much an unabashed diehard Ohio State Buckeyes fan, got his photo taken with prized former No. 1 overall QB recruit Bryce Underwood, now the Michigan Wolverines savior after famously flipping at the last second thanks to a secret NIL collective Hail Mary to keep him in his home state.

Underwood, still only 17, posted on his Instagram Stories the future star meeting his enemy's most famous fan.

Bryce Underwood, LeBron James — Bryce Underwood/Instagram

Underwood simply captioned the post, "LEBRONNNNNNNN."

What's striking is the 17-year-old Underwood, listed at 6-foot-4, doesn't look much smaller than the usually physically imposing 6-foot-9 LeBron.

Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore is already thoroughly impressed with Underwood, hinting on the "Next Up" podcast with Adam Breneman that he could be the starter this fall as a true freshman.

Jan 27, 2025: Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood participates in a T-shirt toss. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

"So you see this No. 1 player in the country," Moore revealed. "You have this vision of what it could be, and he's the exact opposite of the prima donna, I think I got all the answers guy. I mean, the guy's the first guy in the building. He's the last one out... You got to tell him to get out the building... And the dude just does not want to leave the building. So he's an awesome, awesome teammate, awesome player, and excited to watch him."

For Ohio State fans, they have their national championship, but Wolverines fans own the bragging rights in arguably the most heated rivalry in college football.

It might be the last time LeBron is ever nice to him - at least until Underwood leaves Michigan.

Bronny James, LeBron James — Feb 1, 2025: Lakers guard Bronny James checks in for dad LeBron James. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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