LeBron James got his name simply because his mother liked it. The NBA legend has admitted to rarely coming across anyone who shares his name, something he has always taken as part of his uniqueness. “I never heard it growing up,” he confessed. But that’s about change. LeBron now has another rising star who doesn’t just have the exact same name (with a capital ‘B’) but, at nearly half his age, is showing the same prodigious talent that the NBA legend once showed in a completely different sport.

That athlete is a 21-year-old named LeBron James from the New Mexico Junior College in Mt. Pleasant, Tobago. And on May 14, he delivered the biggest moment of his season at the NJCAA Division I Championships. He won the national title with a record-breaking 77.91-meter javelin throw. In doing so, he beat the previous championship mark of 76.29 meters set in 2018 by Markim Felix.

With that said, the “Trini” nicknamed athlete defended his crown from last year and also picked up All-American honors. However, the interesting thing about his win is how the season played out before that last shot.

LeBron James started his season at the Miners Invitational with a throw of 68.68m, and then climbed to approximately 71.40m at the Masked Rider Open later in March. The improvement continued in April. On April 3, he threw 73.21m at the SPC Alumni Elite Invitational and topped it on April 24 with 74.63m at the Don Kirby Tailwind Twilight, a new school record at the time.

Just a few days later, on April 30, he threw 75.04m at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout, setting another school record. Interestingly, the timing of his season lines up with a familiar name on the other side of sports.

The NBA legend LeBron James too has just completed the 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He had an average of approximately 20-21 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists while playing at a high level, even though he didn’t make it to a title run at the end of the season.

However, the javelin thrower LeBron’s story began way before 2026, during his freshman year, when he was building consistency.

LeBron James lays the groundwork before his Championship breakthrough

Back in 2025, during his freshman year at New Mexico Junior College, LeBron James was already showing signs of what was coming next. His outdoor season had moments of real progress and consistency across big meets.

At the Wes Kittley Invitational, he opened with a 65.31m throw, enough to qualify at the national level. A week later at the Texas Relays, he made a big jump with 73.86m, also marking a school record and one of his standout early performances.

LeBron James season continued through a packed schedule. He threw 66.26m at the Masked Rider Open and 65.34m at the Jo Meaker Classic. At the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 18, he registered a shorter mark of 59.90m.

At the NJCAA Outdoor Championships on May 15, he produced 69.27m to win the javelin title and earn All-American honors, helping New Mexico Junior College finish as NJCAA Outdoor Team Runner-up.

Before LeBron James college career, he had already made a name for himself. He held a high school javelin record of 69.31m and collected medals at the Jamaica High School Championships in 2022 and 2023.

Interestingly, away from the field, his inspiration comes from the same family name that surrounds basketball greatness. His favorite athlete is Bronny James, the son of NBA star LeBron James, creating a fitting connection to the name he shares.