Sophomore football defensive back Rickey Gibson III joined Austin Price to talk about his growth during his first season on Rocky Top. While talking about the sports he played growing up, he mentioned basketball. But that’s not all that he mentioned. Apparently, he’s got a juicy story surrounding Bronny James back to when they were 12!

When asked about balling, Rickey stated, “I was okay” but then he dropped a dime, “I have a video of me shooting a step back 3 in Bronny James face…he was little, we were probably like 12 but I did it.” These young ballers are now tearing it up in the NCAA – one on the hardwood, the other on the football pitch. Looks like young Rick might have bagged the bragging rights in this childhood clash.

Rickey v. Bronny: From Playground Brawlers to NCAA Stars

A talented cornerback, Ricky from Hewitt-Trussville, Alabama, joined the University of Tennessee in December 2022.  Highly regarded by recruiting services, he was ranked the 17th-best cornerback nationally and secured a coveted spot within the top 200 overall recruits (at No. 172) according to On3. Major recruiting services consistently recognized him as a top-25 player emerging from Alabama.

On the other side of the ring, we got Bronny James, son of the legendary basketball player LeBron James, who encountered early hurdles in his freshman year at the University of Southern California (USC). During pre-season training, he experienced a cardiac arrest. This medical setback forced him to miss the initial part of the season, sitting out a total of 9 games until he was medically cleared to resume playing.

Coming off the bench, Bronny’s slowly finding his groove. The Trojans themselves are having a bit of a rough season, currently sitting at the no. 9 seed. Across the first 14 games of his collegiate career, despite the slow start, James has averaged 5.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in his average 20.1 minutes per game. Defensively, he’s averaging 0.9 steals, and shows good ball control with just 1.4 turnovers per game. His shooting’s a work in progress, with a 37.2% field goal rate (including 27.5% from three-point land). He attempts an average of 2.9 threes per game and knocks down 65% of his free throws.

The Trojans might be a long shot for the NCAA tournament, but they just pulled off a major upset! DJ Rodman and Kobe Johnson went OFF for 19 points each, crushing the mighty #5 Arizona Wildcats 78-65! Isaiah Collier chipped in with 16 points, and Bronny James bagged 5 points and 6 rebounds coming off the bench. This win marked the Trojans’ third win in a row.

Both these young athletes have different paths, but they both have the potential to be superstars. Who will rise to the top? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Read More: Nike X LeBron Latest Release: Bronny James’ Personal Edition Spotted With Striking Details at USC vs Arizona Thriller