Unfortunately for Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, he has no chance of bringing home the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award thanks to C.J. Stroud’s continued excellence in Houston. But the promising receiver is still getting his due recognition, most recently from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
LeBron was in the building for Rams’ big win over the Cleveland Browns, James’ hometown team. But that didn’t stop the Lakers star from giving props where it was due and Nacua is certainly deserving of everything he is receiving.
Nacua finished with four catches for 105 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown and his 1,029 receiving yards has already broken the Rams’ franchise record for a rookie. And the Lakers star would take to social media to congratulate Nacua on his accomplishment:
Congrats Puka on breaking the team rookie record for receiving yards! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 3, 2023
Make no mistake, Nacua has been an absolute revelation for the Rams this season. With Cooper Kupp in and out of the lineup due to injury, Nacua has stepped up in a big way and proven himself to be an absolute draft day steal and a huge part of this Rams offense.
James got to witness that in person on Sunday, but also got to see just how tough the Rams rookie is as well. Nacua left the game in the second quarter after making a huge 20-yard catch down the sideline. Unfortunately he landed on the ball, injuring both his ribs and shoulder. He would stay on the field for a little time before getting up and slowly walking off the field.
But after having some tests done in the locker room, Nacua would return to the field to start the second half and got right into the physical action, throwing a block on his first play back. His Rams teammates and coaches were extremely impressed and proud of the toughness he showed.
While he didn’t make another catch in the second half, he did record a 31-yard run during the Rams’ touchdown drive in the third quarter that gave them the lead for good.
With five games remaining, Nacua has the chance to extend this Rams rookie record out to a level where it will be hard to surpass for years to come. He got to show his talents in front of an all-time legend like LeBron James and The King recognized his greatness.
