LeBron James shows support for Fair Pay to Play bill that would pay college athletes

Chelsea Howard

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LeBron James shows support for Fair Pay to Play bill that would pay college athletes image

Lakers star LeBron James showed his support for Senate Bill 206, which is California's Fair Pay to Play act that would allow college athletes to earn compensation for the use of their "name, image or likeness," according to the National Law Review. 

In a series of tweets Thursday, James called for everyone in California to support the bill. He wrote, in part: "This law is a GAME CHANGER. College athletes can responsibly get paid for what they do and the billions they create."

The bill is intended to punch "a hole in unfair rules that exploit college athletes and allow the NCAA, universities, TV networks, and corporate sponsors to pocket huge sums," according to the website for Sen. Nancy Skinner (D), who represents California's Senate District 9.  

The proposed legislation passed 31-4 in May by the California State Senate and could become law in 2023 if approved by the California Assembly. If passed, athletes receiving money from the likeness of sponsors would not impact players' scholarship eligibility, according to Skinner's website. Additionally, athletes could hire agents while still in college.

"NCAA rules disproportionately harm students from low-income families," Skinner said. "And they're particularly unfair to female athletes, because for many young women, college is the only time they could earn income, since women have fewer professional sports opportunities than men."

James, who went straight to the NBA out of high school, is known to be outspoken about some of the NCAA's policies. He recently expressed displeasure with the NCAA's proposed policy to require agents representing student-athletes to have a bachelor's degree. He was highly critical of that proposal because his agent, Rich Paul, doesn't have a college degree.

Chelsea Howard