Ohio’s Most Googled Athlete? LeBron James

Apr 20, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) reacts against the Charlotte Bobcats during the second half in game one during the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 99-88. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James remains on many Ohioans minds as the athlete is the most Google searched athlete by Ohioans on a monthly basis.

James has been absent from Ohio for the past four NBA seasons, his time in Cleveland has come and gone. Yet fans all around Ohio can’t seem to truly let James go. LeBron played for the Cleveland Cavaliers for 8 NBA seasons before taking his talents to South Beach where he has played for the Heat since 2010.

James and Ohio kid through and through, born in Akron, played basketball at Akron St.Vincent-St. Mary’s skipped college to head straight for the NBA. As luck and fate would have it the Cavaliers had the number 1 over all pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. It was an obvious choice to take James. From that moment on he awed Cleveland, the state of Ohio and the entire country. Hence those ‘Witness’ t-shirts.

Now that James is gone though one would think the great people of Ohio would have a new athlete to google on a monthly basis. While James is the most famous NBA player at the moment Ohio is home to 2 NFL team, 2 MLB teams, 1 NBA team, 1 NHL team and 1 MLS team. Not to mention the excellent collegiate athletics that reside in Ohio. Yet none of the athletes on those teams rank amongst the best in most googled.

While all of those teams truly lack stars it is hard to imagine LeBron remains the top searched in this state. While James was the most searched in Ohio he was also the most searched in 23 other states. Compare that to Peyton Manning who was the most searched in only 6 states, he was the second most searched.

LeBron’s star power is obviously second to none. Commercials around the clock, coverage every day on ESPN for hours on end has brainwashed America into a LeBron obsession. That isn’t to say this is good or bad, just a point.

Maybe next year when the Browns draft Johnny Manziel, Ohio will have a news most searched.