LeBron James may have left Cleveland twice and Miami once during his NBA career, but his love for his hometown of Akron has never faded. It was on full display Saturday, March 15, as the Akron Zips pulled off a dramatic win over the Miami RedHawks to clinch the MAC title.
LeBron James Reacts to Akron’s Clutch MAC Title Win
Akron was down 18 points late in the game but stormed back to pull off a wild 76-74 win after Nate Johnson’s game-winning floater with two seconds left.
While Akron entered as the pre-game favorite after winning the MAC regular-season title, Miami controlled the game for most of the night. The RedHawks led by as much as 34-16 in the first half and held a 46-34 edge at halftime before the Zips mounted their comeback.
The Zips were led by Johnson, the MAC Tournament MVP, with 22 points, while Miami’s Peter Suder finished with a game-high 24 points. Tavari Johnson added 15 points, and Amani Lyles recorded six points and 14 rebounds for Akron.
James was thrilled about Akron’s MAC title victory, which secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. He posted on X:
“AKRON IS DANCING. SOUNDS TOO GOOD!! CONGRATULATIONS HOME TEAM!!”
AKRON IS DANCING 🕺🏾 SOUNDS TOO GOOD!! CONGRATULATIONS HOME TEAM!! https://t.co/aKDmHptbqD
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 16, 2025
The four-time NBA champion also shared his appreciation for Johnson’s clutch floater.
🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 https://t.co/uYby2RtI0d
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 16, 2025
James was born and raised in Akron and attended St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, where his journey to the NBA began. His all-around scoring, passing, athleticism, and playmaking skills were exceptional for a high school player, leading him to enter the NBA Draft straight out of high school.
James was selected No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, and despite two decades of dominance, he’s still going strong at 40 years old. James is averaging 25 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game for the Los Angeles Lakers this season but has been sidelined for over a week due to injury.
Latest Updates on James’ Injury
Since the injury, the four-time NBA champion has missed three straight games. Initially, his expected recovery timeline was one to two weeks. Following medical advice, he returned to Los Angeles to focus on his rehabilitation while the team continued its road trip.
With a week now passed since the injury, there was optimism for his return. There were also positive signs, as James is now considered day-to-day.
The Lakers desperately need him back, and sending him to Los Angeles for additional rest seemed like a smart move, as the team’s road trip ended with a March 14 matchup against the Denver Nuggets. The extra recovery time could help James speed up his return.
However, there’s still some time before King James can rejoin the squad. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the Lakers superstar will be out for another week. This means he won’t be available for the Lakers’ home game against the Phoenix Suns on March 16.