SUMMARY
- LeBron James strongly believes that women in college basketball have more time to create a legacy.
- The 4x NBA Champion pinned it on the WNBA's age requirements that have women compete in the draft much later than men.
LeBron James has become a close follower of college basketball recently. Over the years, the legendary forward claimed he never watched too much of the collegiate matchups until his son, Bronny James started competing for USC. In a recent episode of his newest podcast, James revealed that he always thinks about playing college basketball during March Madness.
The 2024 NCAA Tournament has commenced and it has reached the Final Four bracket as well. This year, we’ve seen countless individuals such as Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, and many more gain more popularity than their male counterparts. These days, the women’s college basketball scene tends to get more attention as well. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar had an interesting take after a win against the Washington Wizards.
LeBron James claims staying in college can help more buzz around player
LeBron James never got to experience what it is like to play competitive sports in college. He declared for the NBA Draft straight out of high school. But having been around the sport since his childhood, James knows enough to understand why the women’s college division has been getting more recognition than the men’s division.
He said, “Because they are not allowed to go to the [WNBA]… I think they have to sit out four years, correct? Oh, you have to be 21… But anyway, you’re able to build a real iconic legacy at a program. And that’s what we all love about it.” James added, “The men come out from their freshman year. If I had a big a** year in my freshman year of college basketball, [I’d be] going to the league. If a girl has a great season, like Juju, she can’t come out. If she could, she might.”
“JuJu [Watkins], she can’t come out. But if she could, you think she might. Maybe.” https://t.co/SCnm7JBgjc
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 4, 2024
The NBA requires athletes to be at least 19 to compete in the draft, while the WNBA’s minimum age limit is 21. As James said, women’s basketball players do not have a choice but to complete four years in college and then go pro. But it gives them more time to build a foundation and name for themselves. The women’s division also spends more time in college giving them more time to set career milestones.
LeBron James gets anxious watching Bronny’s college basketball games
But when you compare college basketball to the NBA, the gameplay tends to be very different. College basketball is far more competitive and much less predictable than what you need at the professional level. LeBron James claims watching college basketball gives him anxiety.
“The NBA is the best league in the world. That’s why it’s hard to watch my son play college basketball… It is hard watching a 40-minute college basketball game. It’s hard. I get more anxiety and I sweat more watching college basketball, especially my son now, than I’ve ever done in my life,” he said on Mind the Game featuring JJ Reddick.
It will be interesting to see how well Caitlin Clark and even Zach Edey transition into the professional environment. And let us not forget Bronny James, who recently concluded his freshman season at USC. Unfortunately, Bronny will not continue at USC. His decision to enter the transfer portal came after coach Andy Enfield left USC for Southern Methodist University.