On Wednesday, prior to facing the Minnesota Timberwolves inside Quicken Loans Arena, LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar, was bestowed with yet another great honor in a special pre-game ceremony: The NAACP Jackie Robinson Sports Award.
The prestigious award is given to those who display “high achievement in athletics and contributions in the pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement.” Previous winners of the esteemed accolade include The Harlem Globetrotters, Anita DeFrantz, Jim Brown, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Sugar Ray Leonard, Eddie Robinson and Michael Jordan. James is the first athlete in nearly 18 years to receive the honor.
Whether it be in his home town of Akron, Ohio, or in a town near you, James is no stranger to helping members of the inner city. Over the course of his illustrious career, James has been the face of several charitable efforts, including The LeBron James Family Foundation, Wheels for Education program, and Akron’s “I Promise Network.” Together, James and The University of Akron have guaranteed college educations for thousands of Akron Public School students who complete the Foundation’s programs.
There can be no doubt, James is one of the best athletes of this generation (and likely of all-time). His list of achievements include three NBA championships, three Finals MVP awards, 13 All-Star selections, 10 All-NBA First Team nods, and two Olympic gold medals. James also has two Associated Press Athlete of the Year awards (2013, 2016) and two Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year awards (2012, 2016) to his credit.
Aside from his accolades on the court, The King has been extremely successful in the business and entertainment industries. James’ influence in the entertainment industry is growing through his production company, SpringHill Entertainment, which was named after the housing complex he grew up in. On the business side, James has signed a lifetime deal with Nike, participated in the production of NBC’s “The Wall” game show, and was one of the original investors in Blaze Pizza.
Congratulations, LeBron Raymone “King” James.
