LeBron James Honored As The Sportsman of the Year at the 2020 BET Awards

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) instituted the BET Awards in 2001 to honor African-American personalities excelling in various fields. The award has a diverse category ranging from winners in the category of music, movies, and sports. LeBron James is a familiar name in the award section due to multiple appearances as a nominee over the years. 

This time around, the organizers only had the permission to host a virtual event, in which several musical stars, namely Usher, John Legend, and others delivered a smashing performance. 

Michael B. Jordan won the Best Actor award, while ‘The Lovebirds’ actor Issa Rae was presented as the Best Actress. In the category of sports, there are two sections. Awards for Sportswoman of the Year and Sportsman of the Year. Multiple Olympic gold-medallist Simeone Biles took home the honors in the women’s category for her extraordinary achievements in the field of gymnastics. 

And for the first time in his career, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was bestowed with the Sportsman of the Year award for his stellar display in basketball over the past year. The 35-year-old is currently playing his 17th year in the NBA and is showing no signs of slowing down. LeBron was adjudged the winner from a list of nominees that also contained the names of fellow NBA stars Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Steph Curry.

Upon receiving confirmation about his victory, LeBron James shared BET’s post on twitter and thanked the panel for honoring him with the prestigious accolade. Here is James’ tweet on the same. 

Can LeBron James carry the Lakers to a championship run?

King James is just becoming a more inspiring figure with each passing year. The four-time MVP is leading the Lakers’ quest in hunting for their first title triumph since 2010. Currently, the team is comfortably sitting on top of the Western Conference, waiting for the season to resume. 

James averaged 25.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 10.6 assists (current league record) before the season came to a screeching halt. As the league begins in a little over a month, the 35-year-old would look to continue right from where he left off. 

The league recently announced the seeding fixtures for the remainder of the regular season. Fans are in for a treat on the opening day as the Los Angeles Lakers take on city rivals LA Clippers. With both teams refreshed after an adequate break, one can’t really pick a clear favorite in this tie. 

The Lakers have a comfortable lead at the top of the table, but the team should deliver when it matters. With the support of Anthony Davis, LeBron would look to clinch the NBA championship with the Lakers. Moreover, winning the title would make the Lakers toe-to-toe with long-time rivals Boston Celtics at 17 titles apiece.