The world-renowned athlete probably went to Ohio State University for his undergraduate studies and will likely maintain close ties to the university in the future.

The top 2021 Ohio basketball recruit, Malaki Branham, has just pledged to play for the Buckeyes and stay within the state.

The 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School is presently ranked in the top five of his position and 27th in the country by 247Sports’ in-house composite rankings for his class. To this day, Branham remains the highest-ranked commit during Chris Holtmann’s era, and he is widely regarded as the finest player to emerge from SVSM—a formidable program—tomorrow.

Since a particular SVSM alumnus by the name of LeBron James was the most highly anticipated prospect of all time, it stands to reason that we would say the past fifteen years. If James couldn’t have entered the NBA Draft straight out of high school in 2003, he probably would have enrolled in Ohio State. Now, he is possibly the best basketball player of all time.

LeBron has always been forthright about his feelings for and connection to Ohio State. When questioned about the Fair Play to Play Act that was recently passed in California, he subtly inserted a few references to Buckeye into his answer.

James made the following statement during a September Lakers media session: “Indeed, I would have been one of those kids that went off to Ohio State (or any one of these major schools) and that 23 jersey would have been sold everywhere.”. If I had been present, the Schottenstein Center would have been completely sold out every night.

Back in 2013, LeBron went to Ohio State Football’s “Skull Session” at a crowded St. John Arena. He spoke to the audience while his two sons wore Buckeye hats.

“If I had had the opportunity to attend college for just one year, I would have chosen to attend Ohio State right here in Columbus,” James declared with enthusiasm. “I will always rock Ohio State colors, no matter where I go in the world.”

He has maintained his support for Ohio State Athletics in multiple ways. Before the 2015 College Football Playoff national title game against Oregon, he helped distribute “Beats by Dre” headphones to every player on the squad. The player received it as part of a $400 gift cap for bowl games. Just before last year’s Fiesta Bowl matchup with Clemson, James sent headphones to every player.

Over the past decade, the Buckeyes have sported Nike LeBron James clothing, ever since their 2007 NCAA basketball tournament run. LeBron James wore his clothing to Ohio State for the first time, and during the holiday season, Nike sold an Ohio State “alumni jersey” featuring him for $120.

This most recent recruiting class will undoubtedly increase his personal and emotional engagement in the basketball side. He congratulated Branham on his pledge and called Garfield Heights’ Meechie Johnson, another 2021 commit, his nephew. LeBron was reared by Johnson’s uncle and father.

James and his teammates led St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to three consecutive OHSAA state victories, including a 2003 national championship. In 2005, the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement was passed, increasing the league’s age limit to 19 and mandating that players spend a year abroad. He just missed it.

If the “King” had gone to university, he probably would have spent a year in Columbus performing with Scarlet and Gray on 71 South. In any case, we can probably expect to see him around campus for a little longer.