Bryce Underwood is a "Michigan Man" through and through, which means that he naturally hates "that team from Ohio," which is otherwise known as Ohio State.
It's all part of the rivalry, and it's just the way things are in Michigan. Heck, even the Michigan State Spartans hate the Buckeyes. Growing up in Belleville, Michigan, as the consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, though, you know the OSU hate was bred into Underwood.
It's so strong that Underwood even had to throw some shade at one of the best athletes in the world, if not one of the best athletes of all-time.
LeBron James didn't play college ball, but as an Akron, Ohio kid, he's a big Ohio State fan. Underwood apparently had the chance to meet James recently through a mutual friend — none other than James Harden — and he took the opportunity to smack talk the big Buckeyes fan.
He relayed the story to Rich Eisen.
"Just had to let you know, I go to Michigan. It's over for Ohio State," Underwood told James.
Last week, Bryce Underwood met LeBron James. During the interaction, Underwood told James, an avid Ohio State fan:
— Brock Heilig (@brockheilig) March 12, 2025
“It’s over for Ohio State.”
He tells the story on the @RichEisenShow pic.twitter.com/DvCgTUJNvz
Underwood said the Los Angeles Lakers star laughed it off a bit, but you know James is going to be watching closely this year with Underwood quickly expecting to become a star at Michigan.
Underwood had been committed to LSU for a long time before the Wolverines were able to flip him and keep him in state, perhaps with the help of a big NIL package.
Either way, he was the consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class and he'll compete to be Michigan's starter as a true freshman.
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