Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has had perhaps the most impressive career of virtually any professional athlete. He is entering his 22nd NBA season and looks as though he’s barely lost a step, showing exactly how dominant he is with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
James is an all-time great by nearly every metric. And when his career ultimately comes to an end in the next few years, his presence in the game will be greatly missed. His impact on the game of basketball cannot be overstated. But it’s his off-court accomplishments that he hopes people remember.
James spoke about his legacy in the sport and what he believes has been his greatest impact on the world. And while basketball is the reason for his wealth and greatness, he wants people to define him by what he did off the court, James said in an interview with NBC.
“I hope it’s not just talking about basketball,” James told NBC. “What I do in the community and the people I inspire all over the world is what I want a lot of my legacy to be talked about. Basketball has definitely given me an opportunity to see parts of the world and do things I would never even imagine I’d be able to do without it, but if my legacy is only talked about the game of basketball then I’ve failed in my mission.”
LeBron has opened a school in Akron, the I Promise school. He has used his vast wealth to inspire change in the world and in the lives of young children who might not have otherwise had such great opportunities. Of course, James’ basketball legacy is not going to be forgotten, as it’ll be seen in future generations of the game.
“You only get out as much as you put in. I hope that I’m able to inspire the next generation to put the work in both on the floor and off the floor. Commit to the game,” James said. “If you say you want to be great then you have to go out and actually put the work in. There’s no shortcuts to being great, if that’s what you want.
“There’s no shortcuts to the commitment of your craft. If you’re a professional then you have to understand that it comes with a great deal of responsibility of putting work in. That’s how you get the results.”
James is going to go down as one of the most important players in the history of basketball. His on-court accomplishments alone guaranteed that. But the addition of what he’s done in the communities he’s played for shows that his legacy is so much more than the numbers he’s put up over the last two decades.
Coco Gauff: it means a lot to be flag bearer with LeBron James
LeBron James’ impact can also be seen in the way young athletes from all sports view him. Even young tennis star Coco Gauff recognized James at the GOAT and spoke about how much it meant for her to be named a Team USA flag bearer alongside him.
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