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After months of campaigning on social media, LeBron James witnessed the bill he championed become law on a platform of his own creation. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Fair Pay to Play Act (SB 206) into law, which allows college athletes to benefit financially off of their name, likeness and image, during an appearance on UNINTERRUPTED and HBO’s “The Shop.”

“This is the beginning of a national movement — one that transcends geographic and partisan lines,” said Governor Newsom. “Collegiate student athletes put everything on the line — their physical health, future career prospects and years of their lives to compete. Colleges reap billions from these student athletes’ sacrifices and success but, in the same breath, block them from earning a single dollar. That’s a bankrupt model — one that puts institutions ahead of the students they are supposed to serve. It needs to be disrupted.”

The bill passed a 72-0 vote in the California Assembly a few weeks ago. Newsom signed the law next to LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Rich Paul, as well as UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi, WNBA star and college basketball legend Diana Taurasi and former UCLA star basketball player Ed O’Bannon, who filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NCAA.

“This is a game changer for student athletes and for equity in sports,” said James. “Athletes at every level deserve to be empowered and to be fairly compensated for their work, especially in a system where so many are profiting off of their talents. Part of the reason I went to the NBA was to get my mom out of the situation she was in. I couldn’t have done that in college with the current rules in place. This bill will help student athletes who are in a similar situation.” 

You can see the full special episode of the show on the UNINTERRUPTED YouTube channel or just watch the video below.