While the Atlanta Falcons may have fallen short in their Sunday Night Football clash with the San Francisco 49ers, they can sure feel good about the performances and highlight reels of their star RB Bijan Robinson who has been lighting up the NFL in his third season.
The 2023 first round pick has been leaving football fans in awe since his college days at Texas, and even the biggest name in the NBA couldn’t help but become a fan of Robinson’s scintillating play.
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In an interview during NBC’s SNF broadcast, Robinson recounted meeting four time NBA Champion LeBron James after a Lakers game, and the Falcons RB couldn’t quite believe that his favorite athlete is an admirer of his on field talent.
“After the game, he (LeBron) came down and he was like, ‘Yo, Bijan’,” Robinson said.
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“He knew exactly who I was. And you know he was like, ‘I’m a big fan bro, I’ve been watching you in college.’ And in my head, I’m like. You’ve been watching me in college? This is crazy.”
Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) scores a touchdown past San Francisco 49ers linebacker Tatum Bethune (48) during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Having carved out an iconic career that has spanned over two decades and counting, James also offered Robinson advice about being motivated by the people that matter to him most, as he continues to embark on his NFL journey.
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“We got to just chop it up and he was just like…‘You have this God given talent, like make sure you always understand who you’re doing this for and why you’re doing this,’” Robinson recalled LeBron saying to him.
“And but he was like…‘I just always understood why I need to be out here, whose lives am I changing. And I’m changing so many people’s lives around me.’
“And obviously he (LeBron) is and he does it at the highest level, and he’s been doing it at the highest level for a very long time before I was born. So, it’s pretty awesome.”
In sports, great recognizes great and so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Bijan has also captured the attention and respect of arguably the best player the NBA has ever seen.
Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Then Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James on the sidelines before the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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