LeBron James has been the figurative king of Ohio ever since he brought Cleveland a championships with the Cavaliers in 2016, but the NBA superstar apparently is handing over that moniker.
As Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift continues to grow, the Chiefs tight end and Cleveland-area native has watched his celebrity reach new heights. So James is temporarily crowning Kelce as the “King of Ohio.”
“Sometimes you’ve got to give the crown up to the next one,” James said Thursday night on Amazon Prime Video after the Chiefs’ win over the Broncos. “What Travis got going on right now, and the Swifties, I’m gonna give the crown to him right now.”
"I'm gonna give the crown to him right now"@KingJames is happy to let @tkelce be North East Ohio's most famous man for now.#TNFonPrime | #TNFinTheShop pic.twitter.com/Q3ITK4akrE
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) October 12, 2023
Kelce was born in Westlake, Ohio, just outside Cleveland, and starred the University of Cincinnati before becoming a third-round draft pick by the Chiefs in 2013. Although Kelce rose to national fame in Kansas City, he remains a fixture in Ohio sports.