CLEVELAND — King James held court Tuesday at Cleveland Clinic Courts on a wide array of topics, from the college basketball scandal to movies to race relations. And LeBron James called the NCAA corrupt, and likely beyond repair.
After the scandal revolving around impermissible benefits sparked an FBI investigation that shook up college basketball last weekend, James likened the cesspool of basketball recruiting and NCAA corruption to the 1994 movie “Blue Chips.” James called for the NCAA to stop taking advantage of its athletes and start paying them — but he didn’t sound like he was holding his breath.
“I don’t know if there’s any fixing the NCAA. I don’t think there is,” James said before reaching two more milestones in the Cavaliers’ 129-123 win over the Nets. “It’s what’s been going on for many, many, many, many years, I don’t know how you can fix it. I don’t see how you can fix it. I don’t know all the ins and outs about it. I don’t know all the rules and regulations about it, but I do know what five-star athletes bring to a campus, both in basketball and football.
“I know how much these college coaches get paid. I know how much these colleges are gaining off these kids. I’ve always heard the narrative that they get a free education, but you guys are not bringing me on campus to get an education, you guys are bringing me on it to help you get to a Final Four or to a national championship.”
Obviously, James opted otherwise. He eschewed college hoops altogether, jumping straight from high school to the top overall pick in the 2003 draft. Now, four MVPs and three championships later, his sons LeBron Jr., 13, and Bryce, 10 are standout players who could soon face a college choice.
“I’m not a fan of the NCAA,” James said. “I love watching March Madness. I think that’s incredible. I’m not a fan of how the kids don’t benefit from none of this, so it’s kind of a fine line and I’ve got a couple boys that could be headed in that direction, so there’s going to be some decisions that we as a family have to make.
“But I know, as the NBA, we have to figure out a way we can shore up our farm league. If kids feel like they don’t want to be a part of that NCAA program, then we have something here for them to be able to jump back on and not have to worry about going overseas. … We have to figure that out, but kids getting paid is nothing new under the sun. You all seen ‘Blue Chips’? It’s a real movie, seriously.
“The NCAA is corrupt, we know that. Sorry, it’s going to make headlines, but it’s corrupt.”
James was speaking before leading his Cavaliers against the Nets, and in keeping with the movie theme, he had taken advantage of a Monday night off in the midst of a long homestand to see “Black Panther,” raving over the smash hit.
“It’s one of the greatest movies I’ve ever seen. At this time and place right now, in this society we’re in right now, I think it was like perfect timing,” James said. “For me as a kid growing up I never thought I’d see a black superhero. I loved ‘Batman,’ I loved ‘Superman,’ I loved ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Iron Man.’ But I never thought I could be them, because they were always white Americans or white.
“I looked up more to athletes and rappers and people in my neighborhood because they’re one of color. To see how powerful ‘Black Panther’ is and how powerful his tribe was and his people around him, it just gave you a sense of, ‘Yes, not only can we be the President of the United States Barack Obama, but we can also be a superhero. That’s so dope for me and so dope for my kids to see that right now in this point in time.”