Going into his 16th season in the league, LeBron James has shown no signs of slowing down and continues to be regarded as the consensus best player in the world. The new Los Angeles Lakers superstar just finished playing in his eighth-straight Finals appearance and is on pace to pass Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant in the all-time scoring list within the next two seasons.
But apart from his many, many on-court achievements, James' impact off the court might just be as incredible, if not more. His philanthropic work through the LeBron James Family Foundation has been felt especially in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
His foundation's work includes feats such as donating $2.5 million to the Muhammad Ali exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, sending proceeds from his infamous “The Decision” TV special to the Boys & Girls Club of America, and contributing to the Children’s Defense Fund.
Recently, he had put up one of his greatest accomplishments, but it was no NBA award or championship. Instead, it was opening the ‘I Promise' school which is a public school for kids in Akron.
As if that wasn't enough, starting in 2021, James, his foundation, and supporting sponsors will provide possibly 2,000 full scholarships to the University of Akron for students who participate in James’ “I Promise Program”.
Not only is James making an impact through his foundation but his presence gives whatever city he's in an economic boost. According to Forbes, when James left Cleveland for Miami in 2010, the value of the franchise dropped from $476 million to $355 million in a single year. Economist LeRoy Brooks estimated James’ return to Cleveland was worth $500 million to the local economy.
Aside from his monetary impact, James' awareness of the social and political climate in America has been well-documented. And he continues to show his willingness to speak out on different issues. Earlier this year, he was told to “shut up and dribble” by Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham after he criticized president Donald Trump. He responded by posting an image of neon lights that read “I am more than an athlete” and captioned his post with #wewillnotshutupanddribble.
With all that said, James himself may have summed up his off-court legacy perfectly in an interview with ABC News.
“For me as an athlete and for me as a role model, I just try to do my part to help these kids and the youth understand how important their lives are and they can become anything in this world,” LeBron James said. “No matter the negativity that may be going on around them, there's always a brighter side. For me, while I have this platform, I will continue to do that and continue to lend my voice and lend my spirit and lend my inspiration to these kids, because I know exactly what they're going through because I was one of them at one point in time not too long ago.?
As mind-boggling as James' on-court achievements are, his impact to the community and the inspiration he provides to the young children might just be his lasting legacy. You can hate the on-court persona all you want, but the man has done things that will affect people's lives for the better long after his playing career is over. Not all NBA legends can say that.
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