LeBron James Stays Busy While Luka Doncic Puts Lakers’ Worries to Ease

Back in high school, LeBron James had a choice to make. A trained wide receiver in football and an equally skilled forward in basketball. But for him, the decision was easy: Follow Michael Jordan. However, that football fever never left him. And now, the same fever has the Akron Hammer in a chokehold of excitement. His favorites, the Ohio State, are back in action against Texas with Arch Manning’s debut road start.

James has always had his heart tied to THE Ohio State. The 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers legend grew up in Akron, Ohio, and while the 4x NBA champion and most valuable player never went to school there, the Buckeyes became his lifelong team.

Now Saturday began with a bang for the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, who sat comfortably before his television. Tuned into the Texas vs Ohio State game and shot an Instagram Boomerang. Yes, the King has taken his eyes off basketball for the day!

Sharing this important update on his IG Story, LeBron James let his 158 million followers know that he isn’t missing out on the game. Interestingly enough, the four championships and an Olympic gold medal adorn the space below his TV. What a marvelous sight!

Well, not too long ago, like a true unwrapping influencer, King James let the world in through his Instagram Stories, unveiling a gift with excitement. His devotion to the College Football team turned into a flashy gesture for the reigning national champions.

“Yessir!!,” LeBron wrote. “Just a couple of days before the Champs head back out there! Had to make sure they go out in style beforehand.” And what did the die-hard Buckeyes superfan send the No. 2-ranked Ohio State ahead of their showdown with Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns? Sleek custom Ohio State Beats by Dre headphones, powered by one of James’ most lucrative sponsorships.

What’s more interesting is the fact that Bron is skipping the 2025 EuroBasket. Well, his Lakers teammate, Luka Doncic’s Slovenia, was up against Victor Wembanyama’s France. But there is a big twist that LeBron James missed out on witnessing! Looks like Luka is wearing the cape everyone has been waiting for him to put on.

LeBron James’s Ohio State game diverts him from Luka Doncic’s rare moment

Luka Doncic wasted no time making EuroBasket 2025 his stage. In Limassol against France, he racked up 28 points on 15 of 16 free throws, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals, dragging Slovenia through a tight 68–70 battle after three. Yet the buzz peaked on defense, where a razor-thin foul exposed the striking gap between FIBA’s whistle and the NBA’s flow.

Meanwhile, the broadcaster said, “You know what? It was an elite defense. Once you go for that block, well, let’s have a look here. Stats attack. It’s a foul. And I agree with you. The thing is, the NBA, that’s probably not going to be a foul. Probably could be. It’s a 50-50, but here in the international game. Now, Luka is trying to say to the referee, there was a kick-out.”

Luka Doncic’s defense looked flawless by NBA standards, yet FIBA cut it differently. In FIBA, even the lightest hand checks or palm slaps trigger whistles, creating chippy stop-start battles like Slovenia vs Poland. The NBA allows more contact, with officials often overlooking light palm slaps that FIBA calls instantly. Luka feels that gap matters, yet against France, he controlled his emotions and made his defense roar.

The King may have crowned Ohio State with his full attention, but halfway across the world, Luka Doncic was scripting his own saga. While LeBron James flexed Buckeye pride with custom Beats and an IG spectacle, Luka turned a FIBA whistle into theater, clashing with Wembanyama’s France. Two worlds, two screens, one weekend. And somehow, both felt like blockbuster premieres you could not afford to blink on.