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LeBron James Pays Emotional Tribute to 'College GameDay' Legend Lee Corso

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 6:30 AM ET

There are just a handful of days between fans and Week 1 of the college football season.

While fans across the country have been chomping at the bit for the sport’s return, next Saturday will also bring a touch of sadness. After 38 years of colorful and unpredictable college football analysis on ESPN’s "College GameDay", next Saturday will mark Lee Corso’s final appearance on the show.

The 90-year-old personality who coached football at Louisville and Indiana, among a few other spots, will be retiring from the show, making one final headgear selection ahead of the game between the No. 1 Texas Longhorns and No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes.

While those around the sport have already expressed sadness over Corso's departure, NBA star LeBron James took to social media to show how impactful Corso has been for the sport of college football.

LeBron James Sends Lee Corso Tribute

In a video shared to X by ESPN, coaches, fellow analysts, celebrities and Corso's family all sent messages to him, expressing how special a person he is both on and off the desk.

As one could imagine, the video definitely pulled on the heartstrings, as even the Los Angeles Lakers star took to Instagram to share how touched he was by the tribute.

Although James is a four-time NBA Champion, he clearly relates to the average college football fan, who loves waking up Saturday mornings to see the "College GameDay" crew.

Like many fans in Ohio, James is also likely hoping Corso dons a specific mascot head next weekend.

Lee Corso Headgear Pick Success Rate

While to many it may be a goofy tradition, Corso has proven to have quite the intuition when it comes to slapping on the headgear of the team he thinks will win.

According to ESPN, Corso has gone an impressive 286-144 with his headgear selections. His first pick came in 1996 when he picked the Buckeyes to beat Penn State. A result that James, who is a well-known Ohio State fan, is likely hoping takes place again next week.

As for Corso, while it's bittersweet, he did release a statement in April commemorating how much fun he had along the way.

"My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years," Corso said. "I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement."

His energy and spunk will undoubtedly be missed after his departure, but Corso has provided a lifetime of memories for so many.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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