COLUMBUS, Ohio — NBA great LeBron James will be recognized by Ohio State when its Board of Trustees meets Wednesday to vote to award him an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree.
The Akron native did not play collegiate basketball, going directly from St. Vincent–St. Mary High School to the Cleveland Cavaliers as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
However, James has repeatedly said he would have attended Ohio State had he played college hoops.
The honorary degree is a result of more than his playing career, though.
“Just as he’s elevated the game of basketball, LeBron has redefined philanthropy to create a revolutionary model for community building in his hometown of Akron, Ohio,” the meeting notes for Wednesday read.
“Launched before he stepped foot in the NBA in 2004, the LeBron James Family Foundation invests its time, resources and passion into creating generational change for kids and families that has yielded a visible footprint and viable model for the world on what it means to build community from the ground up.”
James has also built notoriety for his I PROMISE Program, which serves more than 1,600 students. In 2018, his foundation partnered with Akron Public Schools to build the I Promise School.
“With his trail-blazing achievements in sports, business, and philanthropy, James has established himself as one of the most influential figures in the world,” the notes read.