The Ohio State Board of Trustees will recognize Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James with a Doctor of Public Service degree, a nod to his philanthropic contributions and impact on Ohio.
James has been a staple at Buckeyes home events over the years and routinely publicly shows support for Ohio State.
"Born in Akron, Ohio, LeBron Raymone James Sr. is a professional basketball player with a dedication to community engagement and improving the lives of children and families through education, opportunities, and community resources," the Ohio State Board of Trustees said. "Just as he's elevated the game of basketball, LeBron has redefined philanthropy to create a revolutionary model for community building in his hometown of Akron, Ohio."
James' I Promise School opened in 2018 and is supported by the LeBron James Family Foundation. The elementary school is aimed for at-risk students within the Akron community and now includes grades first through eight.
"I knew I always wanted to give back to my community," James said, via Ohio State News. "We took a deep dive into what we actually needed to do to create societal change. Being around families, being around the kids, listening to our community, they let us know and gave us the spearhead on what's needed. It was our job to listen, implement and apply things that were needed to create that societal change."
During his illustrious 22-year NBA career, James has won four championships and has led Team USA to gold medals in the 2008, 2012 and 2024 Olympics.
James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds a game this season as the Lakers' top player. After his final game this month, James offered no details on his future plans.
"I don't have an answer to that," James said when retirement was mentioned. "Something I'll sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens. And just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play. I don't know the answer to that right now, to be honest. So we'll see."
James has a player option for the 2025-26 season.
"It's a business," James said. "So you don't know what the roster will look like next year besides the guys that [are] locked into contracts. I got a lot to think about myself. So I don't know what the roster will look like. I don't know where I stand right now."
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