Edgerrin James was in attendance at his son’s basketball game on Saturday. However, ESPN showed the wrong guy.
James, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, is one of the best running backs in NFL history. He ran for more than 12,000 yards in 11 seasons with three different teams— most notably, the Colts.
His son, Edgerrin James Jr., goes by Jizzle. It was a nickname that was given to him by his dad as a kid.
Jizzle, a four-star prospect in the college basketball recruiting Class of 2023, committed to Cincinnati. The freshman point guard is averaging 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 16.6 minutes per game. His field goal percentage hovers above 41% and he’s making just under 40% from beyond the arc.
Jizzle from DEEP 💥#Bearcats | #TheMovement pic.twitter.com/umbBp4CWUK
— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) February 14, 2024
Edgerrin Sr. often pulls up to Fifth Third Arena to support Edgerrin Jr. and normally sits courtside when he does. In fact, it is rare that the elder James is not on the wood.
Whomever was in charge of Saturday’s television broadcast was not aware. He, she, and/or they got confused. ESPN cut to one of the suites and proudly declared that Edgerring James Sr. was in the house to support Jizzle.
Except… it wasn’t him…
It was just a random dude.
That is not Edgerrin James Jr.’s father as the graphic suggests. The man shown on camera also was not elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He was just watching Cincinnati basketball. He is not famous.
This is what Edgerrin James Sr. looks like:
ESPN was not particularly close.
This embarrassing mistake absolutely could have and should have been avoided. That can’t happen. Certainly not in a situation where the person being identified has attended multiple games. Somebody should have checked and confirmed that it was James before identifying the man as James.
And yet, it happened. And it was hilarious.