Strickland held a news conference in front of the towering banner of James, the Cleveland Cavaliers' pro basketball star, near the team's downtown arena to argue that the billboard should not have to come down.

The Ohio Department of Transportation told the advertising company responsible for the 10-story, 212-foot-wide sign on the side of a building to remove it because its size and proximity to a highway violates state law and the federal Highway Beautification Act of 1965.

States generally enforce federal highway laws in exchange for receiving federal funds, a spokesman for the Federal Highway Administration said.

But after being contacted about the issue by members of the Cleveland City Council, Strickland has halted any effort to remove the sign and asked ODOT and Attorney General Marc Dann to review the laws governing such signs.

That review will apply to oversize signs in Downtown Columbus, which also have been the subject of controversy and a court challenge last year, ODOT spokesman Scott Varner said.

Strickland argues the sign of a soaring James on his way to a slam dunk qualifies more as "commercial art" than advertising for Nike, and that it doesn't fall under the state or federal laws.

When asked why he felt it necessary for the governor to defend a billboard, Strickland said he was asked to get involved and that it doesn't diminish his efforts to address Ohio's economy or other pressing problems.

The Cavaliers playing in their first NBA Finals is a source of state pride, and the billboard is a positive symbol for Cleveland, the governor said.

"That display … right now is incredibly powerful to the city's self-image and hope for the future," Strickland said.

mniquette@dispatch.com