“YESSIR!!!!!!!!!!” – LeBron James hyped for Derrick Henry’s return
Outside of being one of the best players in the NBA, LeBron James is a massive fan of the NFL. With the Tennessee Titans getting star running back Derrick Henry on the field just in time for their first playoff game, James showed his excitement on Instagram.
Both Henry and James share the "King" nickname, which makes sense as they are often the most physically dominant players on the field or on the court. Both use the nickname in their Instagram handler, with James using kingjames and Henry's username as last_king_2.
James added a post from the NFL, which displayed a picture on Instagram saying Henry would be playing, in showing his excitement:
“YESSIR!!!!!!!!!!”
The Titans will host the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday afternoon. Henry last played Oct. 31. It may seem odd that James would voice support for a team that is not based in his home state of Ohio, but he has made it clear he is a fan of the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. (Cleveland is not far from James' hometown of Akron, Ohio.)
This is not the first time James has voiced his sport for Henry, tweeting about him in previous games back in 2020. Henry even celebrated a touchdown by using James' famed celebration.
Henry, who starred at college powerhouse Alabama, has earned his king status by being one of the NFL's best running backs over the last few seasons. In 2019 and 2020, Henry led all running backs in rushes, rushing yards and touchdowns, while also winning the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year award.
LeBron James and the NFL
LeBron James is clearly a big NFL fan, making posts on social media about the games whenever he doesn’t have an NBA game of his own. The LA Lakers star has also shown support for the players the LA Rams have signed, most notably being excited about receiver Odell Beckham Jr. joining the team late this season.
With the playoffs starting last week, James posted on his Instagram story his incredible viewing setup to watch the San Francisco 49ers beat the Cowboys. The four-time NBA champion has been seen at Rams', Browns' and Cowboys' games.
James holds a special place in his heart for football, as he played some in high school and was seen as a massive prospect in the sport, until ultimately choosing basketball.