LeBron James was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019, which marks the fourth time in his career.
While the Los Angeles Lakers forward has been atop the basketball world for over a decade, he has also been using his influence for change off the court. In 2018, he opened the I Promise School which serves as a sanctuary for forgotten youth in Akron, OH.
And earlier in the year, James was at the forefront of a national debate on political activism . After being told to ‘shut up and dribble,’ James spoke out on behalf of all silenced people.
The activism and charity the 34-year-old has done over the last year earned him a spot on the list. All 100 people on the Time’s list have small passages written about them by other influencers. Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Warren Buffet spoke about James:
“LeBron has justified the adulation of millions and millions of young people, thanks to his ability to live up to enormous expectations on the basketball court, his business successes in Hollywood and media, and his new I Promise School for disadvantaged kids in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. That adulation will make a positive difference in their lives.”
Furthermore, Buffet shared the two met over a decade ago while filming a commercial. He believes that James has only just begun to create change for the better.
In addition to his charity work, James has his sights on entering the business world. James co-founded a movie production company called SpringHill Entertainment and will star in the upcoming movie “Space Jam 2.”