Art Chansky’s Sports Notebook is presented by The Casual Pint. YOUR place for delicious pub food paired with local beer. Choose among 35 rotating taps and 200+ beers in the cooler.
Did LeBron James make a game plan for his career and life?
James was born late in 1984 and turns 40 this December 30. By the time he was playing basketball, Michael Jordan was in the midst of winning six NBA championships, all with the Chicago Bulls.
As a high school phenom, James came along before the NBA implemented the one-and-done rule in 2006. In the 2003 NBA Draft, after he had graduated from high school in Akon, Ohio, James was the first overall selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James won two rings with the Miami Heat, returned to Cleveland to win a third and has since won his fourth with the Lakers in the Florida bubble during the pandemic. He remains in the conversation about the GOAT as a 20-time NBA all-star and all-time leading scorer and many more individual honors too long to list.
But what else could he do to distinguish himself more than Jordan and Tiger Woods, besides becoming a billionaire like them?
Could LeBron be more active in the communities of American life? Timing allowed James a better chance to represent his country because Jordan played in only two Olympic Games in 1984, when USA coach Bob Knight called him the best player he has ever seen, and 1992 when he was a star on the first NBA Dream Team allowed in the Olympics.
James, at 39, is playing in his fifth Olympics, three more than Jordan, and if his prideful demeanor continues like in the opener against Serbia, he will win his fourth Gold Medal. Overall, his presence has been greater than other athletes in their respective sports.
Publicly, LeBron has been a much bigger philanthropist than Jordan and Tiger. And he has been far more outspoken in politics and social justice.
He condemned the killing of Trayvon Martin, and the deaths of other Black men and women during police actions, the racism of former LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling; he participated in various NBA boycotts on civilian matters, endorsed Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and questioned Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan, then called the president a “bum” when Trump rescinded an invitation for the Warriors to visit the white House after star Stephen Curry said he wouldn’t attend.
James supported Joe Biden in the 2020 election, and the world (sports and otherwise) awaits his endorsement of Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to run for President, along with Taylor Swift and other celebrities who align more with the Democratic platforms and values than the Republicans.
It would make him different and, in the eyes of many, bigger than Jordan or Woods, who purposely stayed out of the public limelight for personal reasons. For all of the above, and many other reasons, LeBron is rightfully bestowed with the nickname King.
Featured image via Associated Press/Michael Conroy
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
