NFL great Edgerrin James makes desperate plea for basketball star son battling 'substance abuse' issue

By ALEX RASKIN, US SPORTS NEWS EDITOR

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Indianapolis Colts legend Edgerrin James says his son is battling substance-abuse issues and urged his social media followers not to give the 21-year-old any money.

Edgerrin James Jr., a college basketball player who goes by 'Jizzle,' was recently removed from the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team roster after previously playing at the University of Cincinnati.

'Jizzle is dealing with substance abuse and is NOT in the right state of mind right now,' the 48-year-old Edgerrin wrote on Instagram.

'If you see him, show him LOVE – but DO NOT give him money, valuables, or anything material,' Edgerrin continued. 'You're not helping him by feeding the problem. He wants/needs for NOTHING…

'Give him a hug. Give him encouragement. Give him love. THAT'S IT…

'Be patient with him. We're fighting for him, not against him.'

A Pro Bowl running back and one of quarterback Peyton Manning's greatest teammates, Edgerrin (pictured) was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021

Edgerrin James Jr., a 21-year-old college basketball player who goes by 'Jizzle,' was recently removed from the Charlotte 49ers roster after previously playing at Cincinnati

Edgerrin James says Jizzle is battling substance-abuse issues and urged his social media followers not to give him any money: 'Jizzle... is NOT in the right state of mind right now'

Jizzle was a highly recruited point guard out of Orlando, Florida when he agreed to join the Cincinnati Bearcats ahead of the 2023-24 season. He proved to be a solid player, averaging 10.8 points a game over three seasons while improving his 3-point shooting accuracy to an impressive 44.2 percent by his junior year.

But that proved to be a turbulent season for Jizzle.

In August of 2025, Bearcats head coach Wes Miller revealed James was no longer part of the program and had been removed from the roster a month earlier. Then, in December, Jizzle was back in Miller's rotation, only to announce his intention to transfer to Charlotte following the season.

That transfer never came to fruition.

A Pro Bowl running back and one of quarterback Peyton Manning's greatest teammates, Edgerrin is the father of six children, four of whom he shares with his late long-time girlfriend, Andia Wilson.

Wilson, Jizzle's mother, died from leukemia in 2009 at the age of 30.