LeBron James Sends Encouraging Message to Browns' Shedeur Sanders

Seemingly, everyone was glued to their television on Friday night to take in Shedeur Sanders' NFL debut in the Cleveland Browns' first preseason game.

The spectacle became a full-fledged phenomenon that even drew viewership from some of the most popular professional athletes and celebrities.

At the top of the list, Northeast Ohio's own, LeBron James, who took to X during the game to express his support for Deion Sanders' kin.

Sanders went on to complete 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in what was a 30-10 Browns victory. He led another touchdown drive in the third quarter as well, to give Cleveland a 21-7 lead at the time.

The performance served as proof for many, that Sanders is more than ready for the NFL stage. Others tried to downplay it, though, citing that a strong preseason outing, doesn't really matter. In a followup response, James took aim at anyone trying to discredit Sanders' night.

"And I don’t wanna hear that “it’s only preseason” bs. Cause if he was out there not going in y’all would be on his a** about it! So give credit and grace lames," he wrote.

Aug 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) looks to pass in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

James wasn't the only NBA star watching the game. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green also found himself enamored with Sander's debut. The four-time NBA champion took to Threads to show some love for the Colorado product.

"Love to see it Shedeur!! 🔥🔥🔥 some people just got it," wrote Green via Threads.

Green can certainly relate to Sander's situation, as someone taking later in his sports respective draft and using it as motivation to become one of the games best players. Sanders obviously still has work to do to get there himself, but Friday's preseason win over the Panthers was a step in the right direction.

Other Celebrities

It wasn't just pro athletes who were watching Sanders, though. Famous celebrities like Jamie Foxx also took to social media to react to Sanders' performance.

In a video captioned "he's him," Foxx flashed a watch to the camera and celebrated several of Sanders' top highlights, including his two touchdown passes. The Oscar-winning actor also channeled one of his most popular characters, Willie Beamen, jokingly comparing Sanders' to the fictional star quarterback he played in Any Given Sunday.

In Cleveland, the hope is simply that Sanders' memorable night is the first step towards him becoming the team's franchise quarterback for years to come. But Sanders' adoration goes well beyond the bounds of Browns fandom.