For the third time in his career, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been named Male Athlete of the Year by The Associated Press:
BREAKING: @kingjames wins AP's male athlete of the year award for third time, after a 2018 where he went to The Finals, refused to "shut up and dribble" and opened the "I Promise" school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. "I was able to inspire so many people," James told AP.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) December 27, 2018
James, who will turn 34 on Dec. 30, accomplished several notable feats in 2018. The King made a fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, though he and the Cleveland Cavaliers were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in a sweep.
In July, James opened the I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Currently, the institution serves as a beacon of hope for 240 at-risk third and fourth grade students. However, there are plans in place to expand the curriculum.
James dubbed the opening of the I Promise School as one of the greatest moments of his life:
The jitters before the first day of school are real right now!!! Tomorrow is going to be one of the greatest moments (if not the greatest) of my life when we open the #IPROMISE School. This skinny kid from Akron who missed 83 days of school in the 4th grade had big dreams… https://t.co/PwmRaHRfng
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 29, 2018
James, who joined the Lakers in the offseason, isn't just making waves off the court, however. He's playing some of the best basketball of his career — in his 16th season.
In 34 appearances with the Lakers this season (all starts), James has racked up averages of 27.3 points on 51.8 percent shooting from the field (35.6 percent from beyond the arc), 8.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.6 minutes per outing.
Currently, LeBron James is listed as day-to-day with a groin injury. Though the ailment doesn't seem to be serious, the Lakers will be cautious with his recovery. In fact, Los Angeles has already ruled James out for Thursday night's game against the Kings.