More Than An Athlete: LeBron James’ Legacy of Greatness Off the Court
The history and stories behind the evolution of the NBA’s greatest modern superstar becoming its strongest activist ever
Sitting at his locker, LeBron James prepares for another game in a grueling marathon of an 82 game season. The date is December 29, 2015. Sitting at a record of 20–9, James’ team, the Cleveland Cavaliers are starting off their season fairly successfully, especially considering they have been missing star guard Kyrie Irving for most of the season. They are set to play against the Denver Nuggets a day before James’ 31st birthday. Clad in an all-black pair of sneakers and wearing his signature rubberbands that read the phrase I Promise, James puts on a black compression undershirt, covering the two biggest words that are inked on his body: Chosen One. He dominates, finishing with 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists in a 6 point Cavaliers victory.
But on the same day, Samaria Rice is feeling devastated. Not only had her son, Tamir Rice, been shot and killed by police officers in the past year, but the officers who killed her son were not indicted by the grand jury. Today, Rice is seeking something other than justice for her son and punishment for the officers who had killed her son. She is seeking support from influential athletes, and, more specifically, the most influential athlete of this generation, LeBron James.
“I think it’s quite sad that LeBron hasn’t spoken out about my son,” said Rice. “I’m not asking him to sit out a game. I know his kids got to eat too, but you can at least put on a shirt or something.”
James was criticized by some activists for not standing up for Rice at a time where Cleveland was struggling mightily with gun violence. #NoJusticeNoLeBron became trending on Twitter, and in January, outside of the Cavaliers’ stadium, where James was preparing to play the Warriors, protesters chanted “No justice, no LeBron.”
And on this cold January day in particular, a nationally televised broadcast dedicated to Martin Luther King and a game against the Golden State Warriors, the Cavaliers’ biggest rival, James struggled to make much of an impact off the court and even on the court.
Rocking a special-edition, Black History Month themed pair of his signature sneakers, James fell flat, scoring only 16 points in a 34 point loss while Stephen Curry dominated with 35 points. And in a strikingly symbolic moment, James, whose sneakers featured the unique message “The Power of One,” had the message engraved on the sole of his sneaker, where nobody could see it.
James had been involved in activism before the 2015–2016 season with the Cavaliers, standing up for Trayvon Martin when he was a member of the Miami Heat, posting photos of he and his teammates posed in hoodies on social media. Back in Cleveland, he and star teammate Kyrie Irving donned “I Can’t Breathe” shirts during warmups in a game in Brooklyn in solidarity for Eric Garner in 2015, his first season back with the Cavaliers. In his letter titled “I’m Coming Home,” which explained why he was returning to Cleveland, he even explained that “I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead.”
But after Rice’s death, James’ activism was under a spotlight for the first time, and his actions or inaction were now being scrutinized and put under a spotlight. In a line that is particularly meaningful to James, some activists claimed he had missed his “Ali moment.”
The death of Tamir Rice raised the question of how involved athletes should be in speaking out on perceived issues, and if they had more responsibility to stand up against injustices because of their platform.
And while the answer to that question is still unclear, what is for certain is that, since the incident in question, James has been one of if not the most outspoken and influential athletes of this current generation. Since that unfortunate incident in 2016, James has found his voice, speaking out against injustices in America and helping to improve the lives of many people.
At the beginning of the 2017–2018 season, LeBron James was looking to make a statement. He was entering the most challenging prospect of a season in years: a team without a true #2 option to lean on. Millions of people tuned in to watch the opening day matchup between his Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. After all, it was the first matchup between James and now former teammate Kyrie Irving. Ultimately, what made the most headlines was not just James’ impressive 29–16–9 stat-line, Irving’s 22–10 double-double, or the new Nike-sponsored jerseys. What left the longest impact after the game was James’ footwear.
Introducing the LeBron 15, James and his design team at Nike decided to make a bold statement: stitched in bright gold letters that stand out against the backdrop of an all-black shoe, James’ shoes read the single word “EQUALITY.”
Unlike previous models of his shoes in which the themes of equality and justice were hidden in nuance and subtleness, James had evolved to now declare his messages boldly and brightly for all to see.
Equally important, James had now found a balance in performing on the court and fighting for equality off the court. There had previously been a tense dynamic in James’ off-court life, with him idolizing people solely obsessed with their athletic performance, like Michael Jordan, but also idolizing Muhammad Ali and other athlete-activists. With his wardrobe now sending messages to a wide audience, James could focus on being a great basketball player while also speaking out on issues simultaneously.
Even in Miami and Cleveland, when James would make a message, he did so with the support of his peers and teammates. He could be described as a cautious, hesitant person, someone who showed passion for issues off the court, but was also all too aware of the need to keep his reputation clean.
Remember when James posed in a hoodie for Trayvon Martin? Look beyond James and notice that he is backed by all of his teammates. When Donald Sterling’s racist comments came out, James started wearing his warmups inside out to hide any affiliation with the league — but only after the L.A. Clippers started doing so. He, along with Kyrie Irving wore “I Can’t Breathe” shirts, although they did so only after fellow NBA star Derrick Rose did so. While James was supporting causes he believed in, he still was not independent as a leader in fighting for equality.
James went viral in December for his black and white ‘Equality’ themed sneakers. He admitted he chose to wear these shoes against the Washington Wizards because it was in the nation’s capital. His message, written on the back of his shoes, was clear even for fans sitting in the nose-bleeds that night because of the 2 contrasting colors of his sneakers.
Later, James donated his LeBron 15 ‘Equality’ edition sneakers to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, where they could become immortalized.
This trend of sending messages through his footwear continued into his inaugural season with the Lakers, with another pair of black and white shoes being released and worn by James. Through his footwear, James had found an effective balance between performing on the court and being an activist off of it.
“Shut up and dribble,” remarked Fox News host Laura Ingraham, in response to comments made by LeBron James criticizing Donald Trump. With just four words, Ingraham had sparked a national controversy; a topic that would cover the headlines of the collective sports world. Perhaps more importantly, she had just exposed a sentiment that was quietly held by many people in America, the conventional, non-progressive idea that athletes should only be athletes and nothing else.
Now, James had to make a choice. Would he solely be an athlete or continue to be an athlete-activist? Should he solely focus on his career, or should he continue to use his platform to speak out on issues in America? Or, in other, simpler terms, would he be like M.J. or Ali?
The world waited for James’ response to Ingraham, the first person since Samaria Rice to openly criticize him for his activism — though Ingraham did so in a markedly different way. James’ response was a quiet, yet powerful message. A single Instagram post of the phrase “I Am More Than An Athlete” was posted, and James captioned the post by simply saying, “#WeWillNotShutUpAndDribble.”
While Ingraham’s comments were particularly bitter and caustic towards James, she motivated and fueled his latest efforts in activism and his fight against inequality. After Ingraham’s comments, James became tireless in using his platform to spread his messages.
A great example of James’ renewed focus and energy towards activism was his actions during the 2018 NBA Playoffs. For James, the playoffs have always been a time where the only focus is basketball and the only goal is to win a championship.
Dating back to his Miami days, James has always enforced a hiatus from social media during the playoffs. Often referred to as “Zero-Dark Thirty-23 Mode,” it shows James’ level of focus towards the playoffs.
And while James did stick with his yearly tradition in 2018 by not being on social media, his Instagram page was still active. James decided to gift his page (along with over 35 million followers at the time) to young activists looking to send a message to a wide audience. Young teenagers posted stories with messages ranging from climate change to bullying in school.
His page became a symbol of social activism, with new young activists posting their messages on his story almost daily. James would continue to inspire a young audience, knowing his platform is a valuable asset for sending vital messages.
LeBron James is seldom alone. But for all of the pictures of James off the court, there is one constant. He is almost always flanked by one or more of Maverick Carter, his business manager, Rich Paul, his agent, or Randy Mims, his chief of staff. Together they formed LRMR Marketing (LeBron, Rich, Maverick, and Randy). This was unprecedented at the time, because James, who was very clearly a once in a generation talent, decided not only to forgo hiring an established agent or manager, but he went with three of his childhood friends to handle all of his interests off the court.
As James’ influence and platform has grown, his trust in his three childhood friends has never wavered. Multiple times in the 2018 playoffs, he wore a player-exclusive black and white pair of his LeBron 15 signature sneaker. But instead of the iconic Nike swoosh standing out, it blended in with the white midsole and was not visible. What stood out was a single white horse stitched on the upper of James’ shoe.
The horse stood for the “Four Horsemen,” a nickname for James’ 3 business partners and himself. The fact that the horse was a chess piece (the knight) adds to the power James and his business partners have. The 4 of them were not always received well by others, however.
As Carter recalls, the backlash James and his friends received was extremely harsh. Many saw it as an irreversibly damaging move by James. “A few years from now,” wrote one columnist, “when LeBron needs knee surgery, he’ll have his plumber do the job.” But how has James’ faith in his friends turned out? Paul is one of the top agents in the NBA, and Carter created Uninterrupted, a media company that has created a multitude of incredibly successful projects. The 4 of them together also negotiated James’ deal with Nike, a lifetime deal that is reportedly worth upwards of a billion dollars.
For James and Carter, one of the greatest successes of Uninterrupted was the creation of The Shop, a show on HBO that gives athletes the chance to speak their mind freely and voice their opinions. Athletes can have a difficult time speaking their mind, especially considering their reputations are on the line every time they speak.
The genius behind the show is the setting itself. Traditionally, in African-American culture, the barbershop is a safe place for all thoughts, one of the few places in society where there is immunity and free expression of thought. The barbershop symbolizes a sanctuary of sorts, a place of freedom for African Americans in a country that is rampant with racial inequality. For James, The Shop was a way to extend his platform to other great athletes and celebrities. It empowers the biggest names in multiple industries to have honest conversations about today’s culture and today’s society.
Of equal importance, the way athletes like James can speak on The Shop is completely different from the way they voice their opinions to media. Gone are the bland, calculated, pre-fabricated responses to reporters. It further emphasizes the idea of authenticity, which is a quality that is sorely lacking in most athletes.
The extending of James’ platform and power to other people is fairly unprecedented amongst modern athletes. The Shop was also the backdrop of what could end up being an incredibly influential movement in sports today — a movement spearheaded by James himself.
“Everyone is California,” typed James, to his audience of over 43.7 million on Twitter. “Call your politicians and tell them to support SB 206! This law is a GAME CHANGER.” For those who had never heard of this act until now, this tweet showed James’ influence. Afterward, other members of the NBA showed support for this bill, but James was the first. Unlike his days in Miami, where he would join movements started by other players, James was now spearheading a movement that could change sports forever.
SB 206 is an act in California that is alternatively known as the “Fair Pay to Play Act.” It allows athletes to be compensated financially for revenue they create personally. It is not an act calling for colleges to pay their athletes a salary; rather, it is a reward to the athletes that make the NCAA a billion-dollar organization.
Some top prospects coming out of high school are expressing frustration with the NCAA system, a system that claims a single year of free college education makes up for the millions of dollars that are generated by college athletes but not given back to the athletes. And with high school seniors not being able to declare for the NBA Draft for the time being, most top prospects are forced to play in college, where they are in an unfavorable system. Yet, playing in a college in America, despite the inability to be paid, can seem infinitely more appealing to top prospects than playing in a foreign country with grown men that can be over a decade their senior. This is why the NCAA needs to be reformed, and reform is what James is pushing for.
Incredibly, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 206 with James and Carter in attendance on an episode of The Shop. This was a landmark move by the state of California, and it pressures the NCAA to become more progressive in its ideals.
But SB 206 wasn’t the only change James made to the NCAA this offseason. Earlier in the summer, the NCAA made changes to its agent certification process, which included having a Bachelor’s degree and passing an in-person examination. Many, including James, saw this change as a direct strike towards childhood friend Rich Paul, who had become one of the NBA’s most influential agents with his agency, Klutch Sports.
Never one to back down, James tweeted, “They BIG MAD and Scared. Nothing will stop this movement and culture over here.” He also dubbed these new changes the “Rich Paul Rule.” And sure enough, the NCAA quickly reformed the changes to remove the Bachelor’s degree pre-requisite to become a certified agent.
James’ activism was now targeting the NCAA, which has remained as one of the most unmoved and unchanged organizations in all of sports. He was also creating change that would have affected him 17 years ago, when he was in the same position as today’s top prospects, choosing whether or not to attend college.
James’ push for reform in the NCAA are his most recent acts for change, but as history suggests, he is far from done. If he is able to successfully change all of the NCAA to allow for college athletes to be compensated, and not just the progressive state of California, then this movement to empower the collegiate athlete — who are perhaps the most impotent of all high-end athletes — will become one of the most impressive aspects of the legacy James is building for himself off the court.
The shot clock was winding down. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The buzzer sounded. Bedlam ensued as the Cavaliers celebrated one of the most improbable comebacks in sports history. The Chosen One, LeBron James, had delivered, posting a 27 point triple double. “Cleveland, this is for you!” James exclaimed into Doris Burke’s microphone as the celebration continued.
There was an exceeding amount of applause and admiration for James and the Cavaliers after the Finals. The Finals were seen as the peak of James’ career, the ‘crown jewel’ of his achievements. Sports Illustrated appropriately titled James the ‘Promise Keeper’ after the Finals, referencing back to his iconic rubberbands that he wears every game. And for the first time, there was a legitimate case to be made that James was now the greatest basketball player ever, ahead of his childhood hero Michael Jordan.
When James won Cleveland its first NBA Championship in a thrilling spectacle, many saw this as the fulfilling of his promise. And yes, James did promise to eventually bring Cleveland its first title for over five decades when he left for Miami. But while the title brought a new level of joy, hope, and excitement to Cleveland, it didn’t solve the very real issues that still plagued the Northeast Ohio area (Cleveland and Akron, James’ hometown). James still had to work to do.
The poverty, gun violence, police brutality, and lack of education that had been around when James was still a pre-teen was still inflicting Northern Ohio.
Winning a championship was only half of James’ promise to Northeast Ohio. In his letter explaining why he came back to Ohio and Cleveland, he said that his calling to Northeast Ohio “goes above basketball” and expressed his “responsibility to lead.” Leadership meant change, and change would have to come off the basketball court, even though he had just made the Cavaliers the top basketball team in the world.
On July 30, 2018, a date which may eventually rival June 19, 2016 (Game 7 of the 2016 Finals) as the day of his greatest accomplishment, James opened the I Promise School, a public elementary school in Akron, Ohio. Specifically targeted at at-risk youth, the school provides, among other things, free tuition, free meals, job placement services for parents, and most importantly, a guaranteed tuition to the University of Akron for all students who graduate.
The inaugural class of 3rd and 4th graders in the school have been outperforming their expectations in school. The Akron public school system has been one of the worst in the country, making the initial progress by the students very encouraging. While the school isn’t perfect, and the students’ proficiency in subjects are not quite at the grade average, it is still substantial progress in turning around the education system in Akron.
The creation of the I Promise School marked the fulfilling of James’ promise to Northeast Ohio from his “I’m Coming Home” letter, and it was the sealing of a legacy of greatness off the court; this was LeBron James’ personal “Ali Moment.”
All stats via Basketball Reference
