Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will go down as one of the most special players in the history of the NBA as much for what he does off the court as what he’s accomplished on it.
James is one of the most talented players to ever grace an NBA floor and at minimum is in the top-5 of many greatest all-time players lists. But James leadership and actions off the court is just as impressive.
The Milwaukee Bucks players made the initial decision to boycott their playoff game and the rest of the teams ultimately followed suit. When meetings between players took place, LeBron was one of many to speak up and make his voice heard along with reportedly leading the Lakers to walk out of said meeting.
James is a leader among the players, and Lakers head coach Frank Vogel believes he’s in a class of his own.
“I’ve said it since I’ve been here, he’s the best leader I’ve ever been around,” Vogel said. “He’s been real, just someone that everybody looks up to to see how they’re responding to everything.
“Obviously, where this all landed had something to do with his voice and action. More importantly, the action items that went into place for social injustice, I think his finger prints were on that as well. I continued to be impressed with him as a leader. The Lakers, Lakers Nation, we’re all lucky to have him.”
Most recently, James has started his More Than A Vote initiative which has worked with franchises in order to use stadiums and arenas as voting places for the upcoming general election in November. This is in addition to speaking out against numerous injustices and of course the opening of his ‘I Promise’ school.
The Lakers have been fortunate to have a number of excellent leaders throughout the history of the franchise. Guys like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant have been great for the team both on and off the court and James fits right into the same category.
LeBron focused on next generation of NBA players
James is truly revered as a leader in NBA circles. Whenever there is something going on, all eyes tend to turn towards LeBron and his words carry weight that very few others do. But James doesn’t just do this for the betterment of himself, he is also looking to set up the next crop of NBA stars.
“I kind of listen, see what’s going on and things of that nature. Then I voice my opinion and what I believe is the best,” James explained.
“You’ve got to understand that for me personally, it’s not just about me when it comes to this league. It’s about the other 300-plus guys that I’ve got to look out for as well. The same way that the OGs and vets looked out for guys like myself, D. Wade, Melo, Bosh and so on and so on.”
Now in his 17th season, James simply wants the league to be in a better place once he’s gone and hopes his actions do just that.
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