The greatest basketball player of all time and the most popular athlete in the world is playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and is inspiring people like me while doing it.
LeBron James, the three-time NBA champion, three-time finals MVP and 15-time all-star entered the league straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003.
He started out as the 18-year-old phenomenon that called himself “The Chosen One”. James was a great talent that would make him the face of the NBA for the next two decades.
Throughout his career people have considered him to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. For me, he is the greatest of all time because of his endeavors off the court.
As early as his second year into the league, James started his own foundation called The LeBron James Family Foundation. His foundation improves the livelihood of children and young adults through education and educational initiatives.
Yes, he started his own foundation right after he got drafted out of high school. Some players that get drafted to teams in professional sports don’t contribute to society.
James accomplished such a mission, and didn’t just stop with that. He launched a digital media outlet in 2014 called Uninterrupted. The outlet offers fans across the world first hand analysis of professional athletes across the world. He also opened up a public school in Akron, Ohio called I Promise in 2018.
In my individual experience, growing up and playing my favorite sport of basketball, James is still a principal figure to me. He is a role model and an inspiration to me.
The achievements he accomplished at a young age drives me as a person to this day. When he would be playing a game I would turn on the television as fast as possible to see what spectacular play he would do.
There were times when he did a great move and I would immediately go try it out in my backyard. I would practice till I got it as close to perfection as I could and use it in the games I did play.
Watching him play since the beginning of his rookie year to now his 17th season is absurd to me. He is not as athletic as he once was but he still is as intelligent, savvy and strong since his early playing days.
I’m not looking forward to whenever he decides to take off the jersey and hang it up for good. He has been so influential to me as an African-American knowing that I can accomplish anything.
James’ off the court activities have been more of my focus since basketball isn’t my No. 1 option in my life. I’ve seen what he has established with his community and it has motivated me to keep pushing for success.
Though James was blessed with this god given talent, it didn’t stop him from working hard at his craft. He is a talented basketball player and a role model for not just me but for millions of people. Everything that comes with success is the epitome of LeBron James.
There will come a time when he doesn’t play basketball anymore. His basketball career is cemented as one of the greatest but my belief is that people will look at what he has accomplished off the court to judge him as an individual.
After all that he has done for the city of Akron, Ohio and for millions of young adults who grew up watching him, it is only right to also fortify his status as a legend.
