Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot sits next to the Atlantic-10 tournament trophy during a news conference Monday in Pittsburgh. Dambrot, who coached NBA star LeBron James in high school, announced that he is retiring after the Dukes’ NCAA tournament run. (Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press)

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LeBron James is a longtime supporter of the Ohio State basketball team.

Despite the Buckeyes missing out on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament this year, LeBron James still found a team to support during March Madness. His allegiance seems to be with a private Catholic school from Pittsburgh, marking its first NCAA tournament appearance in nearly five decades.

The Duquesne Dukes, surprising winners of the Atlantic-10 Conference tournament, caught James’ attention. Led by head coach Keith Dambrot and associate head coach Dru Joyce III, the team pulled off an upset against Brigham Young University in the first round.

The connection runs deeper than mere fandom. Before LeBron became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, Dambrot coached him, and Joyce was his teammate and close friend in Akron, Ohio, since their youth basketball days at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

After Duquesne secured their spot in the NCAA tournament, James took to social media to celebrate their achievement and send his love to his old friends, Coach Dambrot and Coach Joyce.

The support didn’t stop there. James even sent each player a pair of his signature Nike shoes, further demonstrating his backing for the team. Senior guards Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark III, who were seen wearing the gifted sneakers, played crucial roles in the Dukes’ victory over BYU.

It’s clear that LeBron James’ ties to Duquesne extend beyond basketball. His support serves as a testament to the lasting bonds forged through the game and the impact of mentorship and friendship in shaping athletes’ lives on and off the court.

James tweeted about the win immediately after the game ended. “AYYYYYYYEEEEE!!! First tournament win in 55 years!” he wrote. “@CoachDambrot @DuqMBB. Keep it going.”

AYYYYYYYEEEEE!!! First tournament win in 55 years! @CoachDambrot 🐐 @DuqMBB 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. Keep it going

— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024

YEAAAAHHHH @DruOnDemand LFG!!!! Go Dukes @DuqMBB

— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024

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When Keith Dambrot first crossed paths with LeBron James, he was navigating through a challenging period in his coaching career. Several years prior, Dambrot had been embroiled in a scandal that had derailed his promising trajectory. In 1993, during his tenure as head coach at Central Michigan, he used a racial slur during a speech to his predominantly Black team. While he claimed to have received permission from his players to use the term in that specific context, the incident led to his dismissal from the university.

Facing difficulty in securing another coaching job, Dambrot transitioned into a different career path, becoming a stockbroker and running a youth basketball clinic at a Jewish community center in Akron. It was there that he first encountered a 13-year-old LeBron James, who would later reflect on getting to know Dambrot before forming any judgments about him.

In his book excerpt published in Vanity Fair in 2009, James, along with co-author Buzz Bissinger, recounted the circumstances surrounding Dambrot’s firing and their subsequent bond. Despite the controversy, James emphasized that he had never witnessed any behavior from Dambrot that could be construed as racist. Their relationship deepened when Dambrot became the head coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where James and his teammates experienced success on the court, winning state titles during James’ freshman and sophomore years.

Dambrot’s coaching journey continued, eventually leading him to the helm of the University of Akron’s basketball program, where he enjoyed several successful seasons. In 2017, he assumed the head coaching position at Duquesne University, a decision influenced by his family ties to the school.

Now, as Dambrot prepares to step down from coaching following Duquesne’s March Madness run, he reflects on his career and personal challenges. Despite his decision, he remains grateful for the relationships forged and the impact he has had on the community. And although he didn’t explicitly inform James of his retirement plans, he believes his former player understands him well enough to sense the significance of this moment in his life.