Simone Biles is gearing up for her third consecutive Olympic Games. She’s leading the scoreboard with Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera trailing behind her. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, one of basketball’s biggest names, has spoken about how the 4-foot-8 gymnast, nearly half his height, is worthy of his bow. In a recent interview ahead of their respective appearances in Paris, James shared words about his 9-year-old daughter that brought a wide smile to Biles’ face.

Zhuri James, LeBron’s daughter, is carving out her own path in gymnastics, inspired by Simone Biles. With boundless energy and a passion for the sport, Zhuri is already showing signs of becoming a future star. Her talent and dedication have caught the attention of many, as she follows in the footsteps of one of the most decorated gymnasts in history.

LeBron James and his daughter are both fans of Simone Biles

In a recent Instagram post by ESPN, many quotes from LeBron James praising Simone Biles and highlighting her incredible career achievements were shared. He also spoke about how Biles has been a role model, “She’s an inspiration to my daughter and to all…if you love greatness.” He went into detail in the ESPN interview, saying, “Simone is super dope. And she’s an inspiration to my daughter and to all, not only Black girls in the world, but also, kids, anyone, not only just in gymnastics, but any field.” The Los Angeles Lakers star has emphasized how his whole team is pumped up to watch Simone perform in the women’s all-around finals which is on the 1st of August in Paris. 

Getting a picture alongside Biles as their second goal for the Olympics, after winning a medal. LeBron James was awestruck watching Simone Biles win her second medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. His daughter, 9-year-old Zhuri, was equally enthralled. Even at the age of 5, Zhuri James was already demonstrating her rhythmic gymnastics skills. LeBron shared Instagram Stories of Zhuri with her makeshift ribbon twirler, dancing around their family home.

When he asked her a question and did not receive an answer, he whispered, “cool, she’s focused.” He captioned the story, “Zhuri calls this the swinger.” Zhuri also likes to keep healthy like her dad. The two were seen in the gym doing bicep curls together. Maybe these are the signs Zhuri James is hoping to be the next Simone Biles. However, it’s not a surprise that even veteran athletes like LeBron James are bowled over by Simone Biles. It’s often heard that she’s the most decorated gymnast of all time, this is because she has 7 Olympic medals which is an incredible feat in 3 Olympic Games.

She has won 4 golds and holds a total of 30 medals from World Championships, including 23 golds. During this year’s Olympic trials, she secured an all-around score of 117.225, putting her about 5 points ahead of the runner-up, Suni Lee. Her Yurchenko double pike vault not only earned a standing ovation but also a high score of 15.5. Previously, she became the US National Championships winner for the 9th time, achieving the highest score ever recorded by any female gymnast in an Olympic cycle with 119.750. This included victories in vault, bars, beam, and floor exercises. At the Core Hydration Classics, she achieved an all-around score of 59.500, winning gold in floor exercise and silver on the uneven bars and balance beam.

Champion beyond measure: Simone Biles is truly worthy of praise

Simone Biles and LeBron James are both proving age is just a number. Biles, excelling as the senior-most gymnast on the mat, is as impressive as James entering his 22nd NBA season at 39 years old, signing $100M contracts. Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker has expressed how watching Biles was at the top of his list during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, though regulations at the time prevented athletes from attending other sports events. Kevin Durant also reflected on how he didn’t realize Olympians peak in their early twenties or teens until discussing it with someone.

This has made him respect Biles even more, “So, for her to be at that age and still elite, of course, yeah, I want to go check her out. I’ve always been a fan of what she was doing. Introduced me to that sport, really. I wasn’t really paying attention much until she started doing her thing. … Simone is somebody who set the tone for what a champion, an Olympian, a winner in life should be.” It’s clear that Simone is capable of not only inspiring a new generation of athletes but also people who are actively involved in their games. 

In 2022, when Simone Biles went to watch LeBron James in an NBA match, he bowed down to greet her cordially after the match. The two even clicked a picture that caught the fancy of the world as people were quick to point out the height difference. One observer on Twitter wrote, “LeBron James and Simone Biles are very different sizes.” Even in Stuttgart, 2019 when Biles’ vault move with a signature double-double dismount was named after her, James retweeted it and expressed his pride saying, “Simone you are flat out INCREDIBLE!!! ❤️” In this way the two athletes continue to uplift each other.