16 September 2023 , 23:00
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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James appears to have a new favourite college American football player, and the subject of his adoration carries a name familiar to many longtime sports fans.
James posted an awe-struck social media message about Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. for the second week in a row amid the school's blowout win over Western Kentucky. "MARVIN HARRISON JR!!!!!" he wrote during the Buckeyes game on Saturday. "TD!! SO [cold emojis]." Last week, he wrote, "Marvin Harrison Jr!!! H.I.M."
Marvin Harrison Jr. is the son of Hall of Fame NFL receiver Marvin Harrison, the longtime favourite pass catcher of Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts. The father finished his career, spent entirely in Indianapolis, with 14,580 career receiving yards.
But the younger Harrison could be a professional star in his own right. He's considered a future first-round NFL draft pick, possessing an almost unguardable combination of straight-line speed and the sharp route-running that runs in his family genes. On Saturday, he wowed James with a 75-yard touchdown catch in which he made Western Kentucky players look like they were stuck in molasses.
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Harrison Jr. finished the first half with more than 120 receiving yards and a touchdown. He's a potential Heisman Trophy candidate if the Buckeyes make it to the College Football Playoff.
It's easy to see why James is so excited. The 6-foot-9 forward was born in Ohio and would have likely attended Ohio State had he not skipped college to go directly to the NBA. He remains a fan of the powerhouse team, and during the basketball offseason, he has plenty of time to watch them.
The 19-time All-Star has long said he considered playing American football and claimed he almost tried out for NFL organisations during the delayed start to the 2011-12 NBA campaign. He fancies himself as a tight end because of his size. No defender could stop him from leaping up to grab high passes.
"I would have made the team," James said. "I would have tried out, but I would have made the team. One thing about it, I don't mind working for something, so if I would have had to try out for the [Dallas] Cowboys or the [Seattle] Seahawks, or if I'd have stayed home and went back home to Cleveland, I'd have tried out, but I would have made the team. I just know what I'm capable of doing on the football field. Especially at that age."
Now 39 years old, James' NFL dreams are long gone. He's rooting for the sons of the players he grew up cheering, with Harrison Jr. his pick of the bunch. When he sees the 21-year-old put opposing cornerbacks on ice, it's just like viewing Peyton Manning's beloved target.
"The greatest thing about Marvin's routes," Manning recalled of the eldest Harrison, "was that the first five-to-seven yards all looked exactly the same. They couldn't tell if it was a five-yard slant, a 10-yard out, a 12-yard hook, or a 40-yard takeoff. They were always afraid he was going to go deep. He was truly one of a kind receiver."