Today, LeBron James is a basketball phenom and one of the very few athletes to have risen to billionaire status. He has the luxury of living in a dream mansion, raising his loving family, and being a renowned global attraction. But it wasn’t always so easy for the soon-to-be 40-year-old NBA legend. As a kid, James grew up in the disrupted town of Akron, Ohio. The state of the city wasn’t ideal for growth. The challenges required a young James to find inspiration, something to look up to.

Somehow, a basketball landed in his hands and he discovered ‘Black Jesus’. It was Michael Jordan.

Even though he grew up in a rough neighborhood, which forced him to miss nearly 3 months of school in grade 4, LeBron James had an idol to look up to. Recently, the NBA’s All-Time lead scorer detailed how the presence and aura of MJ enabled him to be selfish and aim for the stars. “Looking up to people when you are growing up and trying to figure out what you’re trying to do gives you hope.”

“You watching these people on television or you read them in newspapers or magazines or at the local library or whatever the case may be. You need a sense of hope. You grow up in the inner city, we don’t have much…Having an aspiration outside the city I’m aspiring to want to be like Michael Jordan,” he continued.

“He’s in Chicago. I’m in Akron, Ohio whatever the case may be. Having that aspiration to be something greater than what’s going on in my community that’s when it starts to flow. You start to be like okay, he’s Black, I’m Black. He from Wilmington North Carolina. Seems like a very rural place that ain’t got much going on there.

“I’m from Akron, Ohio. Ain’t much going on here. So there’s possibility of getting out of this,” James concluded, as the hosts on The Shop nodded in agreement.

Idolizing Michael Jordan gave LeBron James someone to chase after. Moreover, it gave him the hope that just like His Airness, he too could be somebody great. His strong desire, coupled with his commitment, led him to stand by MJ during his camp. Sports Illustrated touted him as ‘The Chosen One’. He’s the ultimate example of how the wildest of hopes can make people do something magnificent.

Now, he isn’t just linked to Michael Jordan, but many see him be better than the 6-time NBA Champion. None of that would have been possible if Bron hadn’t caught a glimpse of MJ’s remarkable plays and dreamed of emulating the same. Once served with the potential, his pursuit was unstoppable. Not only did he get out of his community and improve his life, but he became the same as Michael Jordan was once for him. A story of hope for the children who are in tough situations but have the desire to be something great.

How LeBron James put life back into his community

LeBron James’ mission wasn’t just to get out of his community. Even though growing up in Akron was tough, his tale began from the local playgrounds in Akron after all. James wanted to give back. In 2004, he began the LeBron James Foundation in Cleveland to aid the development of the community. In the coming years, his attention grew strictly towards Akron.

His most notable initiative is the I Promise mission. It’s not just a simple phrase, but James’ way of vowing to improve the lifestyle in Cleveland. Since the foundation’s inauguration, the current Laker has invested over $20 million in the community.

He has opened the I Promise School, which not only provides free education but also an opportunity for a full scholarship at some of the most renowned colleges. In 2023, it reached its capacity of 720 students, according to The New York Times.

“When we started this work in education with my foundation, we never dreamed we’d be owning buildings and developing new properties. As we dug deeper into the work, we learned what it takes to create real, visible change. And that’s listening to what our community needs and then rolling up our sleeves and getting to work,” James said about his journey of making Akron a developed community.

He has also installed an entertainment center, affordable housing, and other initiatives to help Akron grow. Owing to his rise from the local playgrounds, his foundation built a basketball court at the I Promise School in 2019 for children to enjoy.

LeBron James has used his platform and stature to improve the livelihood of thousands with his philanthropic gestures. As the Kid From Akron, he surely remembers the community that propelled him to fly.

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