“Just Recognizing Greatness”: LeBron James Justified His Special Gesture at Michael Phelps Sitting in Stands During an NBA Game in 2017

The legendary swimmer, Michael Phelps, is undoubtedly one of the best swimmers the world has ever seen. He established unmatched dominance among his fellow competitors by winning 28 Olympic medals. With such unbelievable statistics, Michael became the most decorated Olympic athlete. The Baltimore bullet won multiple competitions ever since he was a junior. His coach made him compete against stronger and better swimmers to build a fiercely competitive spirit.

That fighting spirit helped Phelps in his toughest phases of life. The legendary swimmer bounced back from the lowest point of his life. His incredible comeback after coming out of retirement in the Rio Olympics became one of the highlights of the historic games. After participating in 5 Olympic games, Michael bid farewell to the sport post a medal-winning performance at the Rio Olympics.

Michael Phelps likes watching NBA

 Michael Phelps revealed in multiple interviews that he loves to watch sports in general. According to him, it helps him relive his life as a competitive athlete. In 2017, Michael, with his wife, Nicole, went to watch an NBA game. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the game with a 120-116 win over the host Phoenix Suns. LeBron James, who used to play for the Cavaliers back then, made a gesture towards Michael while making a fourth-quarter dunk against the opponents.

Michael talked about his courtside experience with ESPN. “I was just talking to people who were sitting around us, and they were like, ‘Did he just point at you or is he pointing at me?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t really know.’ And then he drills a 3. It was awesome,” he said. According to Phelps, it was a dream come true to watch such an intriguing match.

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The two-time Olympic gold medalist, LeBron James, acknowledged his gesture and said, “Just recognizing greatness, that’s all that’s about”. It showed how two great players from different sports recognized each other’s greatness and legacy.

The great swimmer’s legacy

Michael Phelps began swimming after being inspired by his sisters. Ever since his childhood, he displayed incredible potential as a swimmer. He held the national record in the 100m butterfly event in the under 10 categories. Michael began training under Bob Bowman at the age of 11. Bob went on to be his coach till his last Olympic appearance. Bob instilled great qualities of discipline in him, turning him into a complete disciplinarian. His discipline was so much so that he trained for five years straight without a day off. According to Michael, he had made up his mind to accomplish something which had never been done before.

He won his first Olympic gold medal at the Athens Olympics and was unstoppable since then. Michael pushed forward the message that no human is limited. His legacy will be an inspiration for generations to come.

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