LeBron James named AP Male Athlete of Year award

In 2020, LeBron James publicly declared his support for the Black Lives Matter movement. He played a pivotal role in encouraging many individuals who had never voted before to participate in the voting process. Additionally, he continually sought ways to uplift the lives of people from his hometown.

As if that wasn’t enough, he secured another NBA championship.

James’ on-court performance this year was spectacular again. A fourth NBA title and fourth NBA Finals MVP trophy were his, as he lifted the Los Angeles Lakers back atop the basketball world. And after a year where he was brilliant, on the court and off, James was announced Saturday as the winner of The Associated Press’ Male Athlete of the Year award for a record-tying fourth time.

“I still know what I do on the floor and obviously, I give everything to the game,” James told AP. “But I can make a greater impact off the floor right now, more than I can on the floor. And I want to continue to inspire people with the way I play the game of basketball. But there’s so many more things that I can do off the floor to help cultivate people, inspire people, bring people together, empower them.”

The AP award was first given out in 1931. James’ fourth win matched Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods for the most by men. Three women have won the AP award at least four times; Babe Didrikson was a six-time winner, Serena Williams has won five and Chris Evert four.

The AP’s Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Sunday.

James outscored and out-assisted every NBA player in 2020. The only other time a player led the league in both points and assists in the same year during his lifetime was when James himself achieved it in 2018.

LeBron James: Ultimate Highlight of the 2020 Lakers Championship

James made history by becoming the first player to receive the NBA Finals MVP award for three different franchises. He surpassed Kobe Bryant to secure the No. 3 spot on the all-time scoring list, a feat achieved a day before Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash last January. Notably, Bryant’s last tweet was a message of congratulations to James.

“James is the finest player the basketball world has ever witnessed,” declared Lakers coach Frank Vogel in October. “You might believe you comprehend, but you won’t fully understand until you’re with him daily, coaching him, observing his thought process, his adaptability, and his leadership style. You may think you comprehend, but you truly don’t.”

A panel of 35 AP customers and editors awarded James 78 points, placing him first in the voting. Reigning Super Bowl MVP and Kansas City quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, closely followed with 71 points. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion in Formula One, was significantly behind in third place with 14 points.

James — also the AP’s male athlete of this past decade — also won the yearly AP award in 2013, 2016 and 2018. Michael Jordan, a three-time winner, is the only other basketball player to win the AP award more than once.

“James is one of the greatest leaders in sports,” said Kyle Kuzma, a guard for the Lakers.

This is applicable both on and off the court.

James’ organization, More Than A Vote, attracted over 42,000 volunteers for the November election polling stations, assisted some in regaining their voting rights, and advocated for increased voter turnout among Black and young individuals.

Black voters made up 11% of the national electorate, and 9 in 10 of them supported President-elect Joe Biden, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 110,000 voters nationwide. When compared to Hillary Clinton in 2016, Biden drew more voters in critical areas with large Black populations — such as NBA cities like Detroit, Milwaukee and Atlanta. That proved massive.

James expressed his frustration following the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. He said that everyone witnessing these events and hearing their stories overwhelmed him and his community. He reached his limit, prompting him to call for action. He believed that his influence could rally people to his cause.

As always, he also concentrated on his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

The I PROMISE School, launched by Lebron James in 2018, currently serves over 450 students from third to sixth grade. Amidst the pandemic-induced school closures, James and his team arranged for hot meals, even full-fledged Thanksgiving meals, to be delivered to students’ homes. This year, construction began on an affordable housing project anticipated to house 50 families. In addition, recent plans for House Three Thirty – named after Akron’s area code – were unveiled this month. These plans outlined James’ intentions to provide resources such as financial health programs for families, job training, and a community space.

James expressed, “We’ve all been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Regardless of your circumstances or stage in life, it’s been challenging. When the pandemic first struck, apart from the halt of the season, my immediate concern was, ‘How will I support the children in my school?'”

He has his sights set on 2021. The Lakers anticipate being strong competitors once more. His reimagined “Space Jam” is projected to hit screens this summer. Additionally, James, who will turn 36 on Wednesday, is still open to the possibility of representing USA Basketball in the Tokyo Olympics, under the guidance of coach Gregg Popovich.

“Still, it’s a possibility,” stated James. “I can assure you, it’s not a zero percent chance. I have a deep admiration for Coach Pop,” he added.

However, as 2020 was coming to an end, James gave himself a moment to contemplate on a year that was unlike any other.

James expressed his appreciation for his colleagues, the members of his foundation, and the sponsors who consistently back their endeavors and goals. He expressed disbelief at the current situation, confessing that when they halted in March, he never envisioned they would reach their current status by December.

Yet here he is, again.