Everyone now has seen at least one “mixtape” of Lebron James’ son, Lebron Jr and lets face it, Lebron Jr is probably better at basketball than you.
James Jr has not only caught the eye of the average basketball fan, but apparently some college coaches as well, something the elder James isn’t happy about.
“He’s already got some offers from colleges,” James told CBS Detroit. “It’s pretty crazy. It should be a violation. You shouldn’t be recruiting 10-year-old kids.”
According to the NCAA:
“A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides such an individual (or the individual’s relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally.”
In men’s basketball, a coaching staff member may observe an individual who has not entered the seventh grade participating in an athletically related activity, provided such observation occurs during a period when it is permissible to evaluate prospective student-athletes.
While the NCAA doesn’t allow coaches to watch middle school games, there are no rules about the AAU level.
Kentucky’s John Calipari watched LeBron James Jr. play last summer during the AAU Fourth Grade National Championship in Lexington. Ohio State’s Thad Matta mentioned that LeBron James Jr. was on his radar during a preseason news conference.
LBJ JR’s father wouldn’t mention which teams offered his son, but let’s all remember that the kid is ten years old. Let him experience some cool things that ten-year olds do before we say he’s the next greatest thing since Calvin Cambridge.
