There are very few athletes who have ever been in the spotlight as long as Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. At just 16 years old, LeBron was already becoming a household name, appearing on the cover of SLAM Magazine as well as Sports Illustrated.
A wonderful thing about the Olympics is that it allows for so many amazing athletes in different sports to come together in representing their country. That is the case for USA Track & Field star Chari Hawkins, who actually has a bit of history with James from a long time ago.
Hawkins, who will compete in the women’s heptathlon, shared an old photo with a 17-year old LeBron from a basketball tournament in Las Vegas:
Team USA Track & Field athlete Chari Hawkins shares an old and new photo with LeBron ?
What dreams are made of ???
(via @_charihawkins / TT) pic.twitter.com/rSZl0558sm
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 27, 2024
Hawkins would then tell the story of the photo, praising LeBron for being extremely nice and welcoming in that moment, pausing his phone call to take the picture with the then-11 year old:
Chari Hawkins talks about the photo with LeBron then meeting him again yesterday.
Look at LeBron man? pic.twitter.com/FLp6wYF46f
— 5THRINGONTHEWAYYYY????? (@5thringontheway) July 27, 2024
Moments like this are remembered for a lifetime and it is truly special that LeBron and Hawkins were able to reunite in Paris at the 2024 Olympics. For James to be that kind at that young of an age is something that isn’t always seen, especially as he was already becoming a national star. It would be easy for the fame to already begin getting to his head, but that has never been the case for James.
Now, both LeBron and Hawkins are at the Olympics together in hopes of bringing home some medals for Team USA, but regardless this is an experience made even more special by their prior history.
LeBron James chooses track & field other Olympic sport he would compete in
Perhaps in another life LeBron James and Chari Hawkins could have been on the track together. Hawkins has seven events to compete in, in the heptathlon, but LeBron would focus on just one if he had his way.
When asked what other Olympic sport he would compete in if he could, the basketball star listed the 4×100 relay as the event he would love to do. LeBron added that he would want to be the anchor leg on the team and bring the victory home.
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