For most NFL players, being held in high regard by their equally talented peers is a sign of greatness. But for Bijan Robinson, that admiration comes from across the sports world too … from NBA star LeBron James, the very athlete he grew up idolizing.
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It all began as a professional connection through Klutch Sports, the agency founded by Rich Paul, but has since grown into one of the most fascinating cross-sport friendships in American sports today.
Robinson, who is represented by Klutch’s agent Nicole Lynn, first met LeBron before his rookie season. The Atlanta Falcons star recently recalled how surreal that encounter was. “My agent Nicole and Rich Paul took me to a Lakers game, and LeBron’s my favorite athlete,” Robinson said in a recent interview.
“After the game, he came down and was like, ‘Yo Bean,’ like he knew exactly who I was. And he was like, ‘Bro, I’m a big fan, been watching you in college.’ And in my head, I’m like — you’ve been watching me in college? Like, this is crazy,” he added.
Unsurprisingly, this initial meeting left a lasting impression on Robinson, not just because of the star power involved, but because of the humility LeBron showed by expressing both admiration and perspective.
“He was like, ‘Bro, just continue to understand, don’t change as a pro. The sky’s the limit. You have this God-given talent. Always understand who you’re doing this for and why you’re doing this,” Robinson recalled.
LeBron also urged the young star always to have his blinkers on and never stray from his focus on the goal.
“He was like, ‘There’s too much distraction out here. I could’ve been distracted so many steps in my life, but I just always understood why I needed to be out here. Whose lives am I changing? I’m changing so many people’s lives around me,’” the Falcons RB revealed, visibly moved by the advice.
The two have since remained close, often crossing paths at major events. Robinson even joked about their lighthearted “bickering” during this year’s college football national championship, a Texas versus Ohio State rivalry moment.
That said, LeBron James’ support has extended well beyond private mentorship. After Robinson’s 81-yard touchdown run in the Falcons’ 24–14 win over the Buffalo Bills — the longest rushing play of the 2025 NFL season — LeBron took to X to declare the Falcons RB “so cold.”
“The last thing he told me was, ‘Try to be the best in the league,’” the RB revealed in the interview. “I was like, ‘Man, I’m going to keep trying every single time.’ And he was just saying, ‘When you run the football like that, you make it enjoyable for me as a fan, as a spectator to watch.’”
Robinson, now leading the NFL with 822 yards from scrimmage despite playing one fewer game due to Atlanta’s early bye, clearly took that message to heart.
