Inside the Ohio State locker room at the Schottenstein Center, there sits a locker with 'LeBron James' printed on the nameplate above it.
It is used as a token of appreciation for the world's greatest basketball player and his relationship with the Buckeyes' program. It's a symbol to let him know how much he means to Ohio State.
"It's very humbling," James said at the Cavs shootaround prior to his preseason game Monday in Columbus. "For Coach (Thad) Matta and the coaching staff, even the players and the whole campus, it's an unbelievable program here. This school, to give me a locker in their gym even though I never put on a Buckeye uniform, it's an honor."
James and his Cleveland Cavaliers didn't use Ohio State's home locker room for their preseason game against the Chicago Bulls on Monday evening at the Schott, though, so he didn't actually suit up in front of his locker. He had to prepare himself like every other player in the arena did.
Except when LeBron comes to Columbus, he's not like every other player. He's treated like 'The King.'
That was evident from the capacity crowd inside the arena littered with No. 23 jerseys that rose to its feet every time James had the ball in his hands.
Former Buckeyes Lenzelle Smith and Scoonie Penn were among those in attendance, while Matta and assistant coach Jeff Boals watched the action from their courtside seats.
"The excitement was there from the time we walked in the building,” James said after the game. “... We had a lot of college kids here at the game. It just shows how much they support us and the least we can do is put on a show for them.”
It had been a little while since James had visited at the Schott. He left the Cavaliers in the summer of 2010 for a four-year stint with the Miami Heat.
But his return to Cleveland this past summer instantly put the Cavs among the NBA's elite teams and as a result, helped out Ohio State, as well.
“I’ve always said this, I think getting LeBron back in Ohio is great for the state of Ohio," Matta said last week at Big Ten Basketball Media Day. "From little kid basketball to high school basketball to college basketball to the NBA, the impact he has — as all great players have — is exciting.”
The love James received from the Columbus crowd was overwhelming. When he checked out of the game with 6 minutes, 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the roof nearly came off of the Schottenstein Center. James acknowledged the crowd with a wave.
It was a powerful moment which just showed how much he means to the game of basketball and how excited the city of Columbus is he's officially back in Ohio.
"LeBron James is the biggest name in basketball right now. He’s the best player in the world right now, has been for the last few years," Ohio State senior forward Sam Thompson said at Big Ten Media Day. "Anytime you have that type of player with the relationship that he has with The Ohio State University, it’s huge for us as a program and it’s something to strive toward.”
Matta is just thankful for everything LeBron has done already.
“The one thing, in the time that I’ve been fortunate enough to spend with LeBron, is that LeBron cares," he said. "He’s a very, very intelligent NBA basketball player, not only in terms of on the floor, but off the court I think that he understands the impact and he cherishes that. The fact that he loves Ohio State and in ‘07 we were the first school he sponsored, I think that kind of shows where his loyalties are.”
