No one in the Prime Fam could’ve imagined that Shedeur Sanders, their second-youngest member, would end up at 144. Oh, that’s his draft number, and it sent shockwaves in the sports world earlier this year. The supposed top prospect in the States surely didn’t have his dreams come true. But the Cleveland Browns gave him a home. And on Friday, he made his debut. The much-awaited moment rolled on as the 23-year-old moved past his hiccup. LeBron James clapped, and so did Shaquille O’Neal and others.

Now, on Aug 8, as the NFL preseason kicked in, the Browns faced the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. As expected, all eyes were drawn to Shedeur. Sanders shook off a shaky first quarter to light up the field. He went 11-of-18 for 103 yards, firing two touchdowns to Kaden Davis. By his second pass in the next quarter, Davis had scored, and the Browns were strutting with the lead.

LeBron James was one of the first ones to congratulate the 23-year-old on his first game as a pro. He tweeted: “That young 🤴🏾 looking good out there! @ShedeurSanders Keep going UP!!! HEAD down on the grind and HEAD high to the most high 🙌🏾🫡”  LeBron was presumably speaking from his own experience, as he saw Bronny drop down to the 55th pick in last year’s NBA draft.

Meanwhile, another Lakers legend, Shaquille O’Neal, also chimed in with a heartfelt message. Sharing an IG Reel on his story, the Big Shamrock said: “❤️I’m a Dad, not a perfect man. I mess up, I fall short. But I’d give my life for my kids without hesitation.” This was preceded by another story, where Shaq posted a clip of Sanders’ first NFL touchdown.

As it turned out, LeBron and Shaq weren’t the only ones to come out in support of Browns’ rookie. Many NBA stars came out in support of Sanders after his first game, especially after all the criticisms he faced during the draft earlier this year.

NBA stars join the chorus of praise after Shedeur Sanders’ debut

Despite facing a barrage of criticism, Shedeur Sanders always had King James in his corner. Once tipped as a first-rounder, he slid to the fifth for reasons beyond his talent. With his father’s NFL legend casting a long shadow, Sanders enters the league as its most dissected and daring rookie.

Vocal Eagles supporter and New York Knicks star, Karl-Anthony Towns, also joined the ‘Shedeur Sanders praise club’, posting a simple yet profound “💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽” caption on his socials. Gilbert Arenas, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, also reshared a Threads post with Sanders’ halftime stats on his IG Story, with a caption, “let’s goooooo 🔥🔥.” 

From being picked at 144 to stealing the spotlight, Shedeur Sanders turned his debut into a statement. The critics stayed loud, but the applause roared louder, echoing from LeBron to Shaq and from across the NBA world. Stars crossed leagues to crown the rookie’s moment. The support felt like a shield against every doubt. And with each pass, Sanders wrote himself deeper into the night’s story. Just like that, the NFL had its newest headline.