Teach Your Kids to be like Lebron James

(Squadron)

(Zillgitt)

He became the greatest ever at his profession. He grew to be beloved and hated. He overcame adversity and poverty. He is a business mogul, tv star, director, producer, politician, and a social rights activist. He built a school for impoverished kids living in his hometown. He is the cornerstone of Cleveland, Ohio’s economy (Rovell). He is more than an athlete. He is Lebron James, and his story is far from finished. You may wonder why I say you should have your kid aspire to be a 6’ 8” giant who weighs two hundred and fifty pounds (Lebron James height), who is also part of the exclusive .00000001% of our population who play in the NBA. No you shouldn’t force your kid to play professional basketball, but rather to model their work ethic, self confidence and determination after Lebron James.

(Petit)

While the public consensus is that Lebron James is a phenomenal basketball player, some would argue that being one of the few people on the planet to make hundreds of millions of dollars from playing basketball isn’t realistic for the masses. Based on this logic, the masses shouldn’t model themselves after nearly three hundred pound block of pure muscle, that nearly reaches seven feet in height. Though I agree with this, your concern is mitigated by the fact that he should be admired for his perseverance, work ethic, and his lofty goals. He went from not knowing if he would have food or a place to sleep, to a millionaire. He went from moving twelve times in a span of three years, to owning two mansions in Los Angeles alone (Manfred). The very odds that James defeated, are a great example of a kid chasing after a dream, working hard, and pulling himself out of a bad situation; that is what James can teach, not how to dribble. He isn’t a good role model just because of his game, but rather for his ideals, and mentality.

Lebron achieved such great success despite destitution in his youth; he defied all odds, and surpassed his monumental expectations as a basketball player. Lebron James is a prime example of someone getting to where they wanted, because of his sheer drive and work ethic. He is the embodiment of hard work pays off, and you can get through anything. The rags to riches story of Lebron James’ troubled Akron childhood, empowers children living in that same situation and who are often in need of a good role model that shows it is possible to make it out of any terrible situation. What makes the influence of James more valuable than that of other athletes, is his wide variety of revenue sources and multiple methods for maintaining financial prosperity. There could be a kid who isn’t physically gifted like James, but has the business acumen, or has great acting and theater skills. James is a great inspiration because of his earlier listed so-called “never give up” traits and mentality that can apply to anything. He is evidence that a kid who came from nothing is able to invest millions and produce in Hollywood. James’ degree of perseverance is necessary for a struggling kid who gives up because nobody has taught him/her otherwise.

(Isidore)

Another trait of James that kids should be taught is his ability to dream, and work hard enough in order to achieve them. Despite making money, and influencing others as an athlete, he wasn’t content where he was at, and continued to chase his other dreams that weren’t yet achieved. His powerful message to kids is that you can do whatever you want when you set your mind to it. Lebron James can teach the youth to never limit themselves with the limiting perspectives of others. Why would you want your kid who could’ve been doing great things to be stuck flipping burgers because he limited himself. On every step of James’ journey to fame and riches, he has faced adversity, not once has he let it get to him, but has utilized his mindset to anything he could dream of . That should be a mindset you want for your kids to adopt.

(ESPN)

All of these ideals I have mentioned weren’t my own, but rather common ideals kids are taught, so why not give your child the living embodiment of these ideals. Proof these ideals exist may help kids buy into them, along with using them later in life. Isn’t being a good influence the main purpose of a role model? Yes it is, and Lebron James is an effective influencer of adults and his frequent appearances in advertising validate that. So why wouldn’t he have the same effect on kids?

(Peterson)

Lebron James is an ideal figure for a child to admire, especially considering that kids are typically influenced by some form of public figure, and because of the frequency of exposure public figures receive. James possesses all of the traits and ideals parents try to instill in their kids. He has something to teach every age, from chasing your dreams to working hard, to having a good business acumen. He is an even better role model for impoverished youth, because the background of James is relatable, and he is an example of someone who made it out of that environment. You should want your child to aspire to be him. He is more than an athlete; he is Lebron James.

(Lebron wins it)

Works Cited
ESPN. “[FULL] LeBron James Exclusive Interview: On Lakers, I Promise School and More | ESPN.” YouTube, YouTube, 30 July 2018, m.youtube.com/watch?v=jY0K_KGPPzs.
Isidore, Chris. “LeBron’s Road to Being a Billionaire.” CNNMoney, Cable News Network, money.cnn.com/2014/07/10/news/companies/lebron-billionaire/index.html.
“Lebron James Height, Weight and Stats.” Heightline — Celebrity Height, Weight, Measurements, Feet, Shoe Size, 6 June 2018, heightline.com/lebron-james-height-weight-and-stats/.
“LeBron Wins It For Cleveland.” Super Sports Worldwide, 20 June 2016, supersportsworldwide.com/2016/06/20/lebron-wins-it-for-cleveland/.
Manfred, Tony. “LeBron James Really Did Grow Up In Inner City Poverty.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 21 June 2013, www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-life-story-2013-6.
Peterson, Hayley. “BUSTED: LeBron James Just Dissed His Huge Sponsor — McDonald’s.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 24 Feb. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-just-dissed-mcdonalds-2015-2.
Petit, Stephanie. “Simone Biles and LeBron James Prove Athletes Come in All Shapes and Sizes.” PEOPLE.com, Time Inc, people.com/sports/simone-biles-gets-dwarfed-by-lebron-james-when-she-attends-cavaliers-game/.
Rovell, Darren. “LeBron James Is Worth Hundreds of Millions to the Cavs and Cleveland.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 13 June 2018, www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23769496/lebron-james-worth-millions-economy-cleveland.
Squadron, Alex. “LeBron James Responds To Fox News Host: ‘I Am More Than An Athlete’.” SLAMonline, 17 Feb. 2018, www.slamonline.com/archives/lebron-responds-fox-news-host-athlete/.
Zillgitt, Jeff. “LeBron James Wears Special ‘Equality’ Shoes in Cavaliers’ Game in Nation’s Capital.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 18 Dec. 2017, www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2017/12/17/lebron-james-equality-shoes-cavaliers-washington-dc/960020001/.