Former Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator and current USF Bulls head coach Brian Hartline proudly displays a photo of himself next to another fellow northeastern Ohio sporting legend, LeBron James.
Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, "Brian Hartline's office at South Florida features the trappings of his football life -- a sideline picture of him and LeBron James at Ohio Stadium, signed jerseys from his assembly line of star NFL receivers and his own NFL helmets from playing in Miami and Cleveland."
Hartline, like James, played professionally in Miami before leaving for home in Cleveland. Hartline was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 draft by the Dolphins and played six years in Miami before signing with the Browns in free agency to end his career. He was an analyst under then-head coach Urban Meyer in 2017, a WR coach under Ryan Day in 2022, and finally became a play-caller in 2023 and 2025. Now, Hartline is numero uno at South Florida.
Of course, James' pro journey started in Cleveland, ended up in Miami by choice, where he won two titles in four years with the Heat, and then peaked with a 2016 championship with the Cavaliers. LeBron stayed four years during his second Cleveland stint before leaving for eight years with the Los Angeles Lakers, which also included a title. Now, James is finishing his career on the Philadelphia 76ers.
The two journeys have faint parallels, but their paths started just 20 miles apart. Hartline is from Canton, while James is famously from Akron. The two metros are much different in many ways. Still, the two not only share native geographic proximity, but they share a love for the Scarlet and Gray.
LeBron James always shows love to Ohio State
James jumped straight from St. Vincent–St. Mary High School to the NBA, bypassing the collegiate process. LeBron has stated on multiple occasions, though, that he would've attended The Ohio State University if he had the chance.
Certainly, the "King" acts like it. LeBron has given gifts to the football team and has repped the basketball team on the NBA hardwood. There's a love for the Buckeyes that cannot be simulated. Sure, James was a fan of the New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys growing up, which many people in that era were. He has since flipped to the Cleveland Guardians and Browns, though. LeBron has never wavered on OSU.
While many Ohioans may never forgive LeBron for tugging at their heartstrings all summer and being part of a complex prediction market manipulation campaign during his free agency that constantly teased another return to the Cavs, those same fans cannot forget about James' Buckeye love. If they rep OSU, of course.
While James won't retire in Cleveland, he will likely never cease to support his home state's biggest college. You only tend to see this kind of support from a player who actually attended the school. LeBron is a generational supporter of The Ohio State University in that regard.
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