Just a few months ago, Lebron James stated that he is focused on two things, winning an NBA Championship and how he could use his platform to fight for social justice.
Sunday, October 11, 2020, marks the day that Lebron James accomplished both of those goals. Putting up a triple-double with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists James won his fourth NBA championship, he was also awarded the NBA Finals MVP which makes him the first player in NBA history to be named the Finals MVP with three different teams. James played excellent in the closeout game, and was even more prolific in his 2020 Finals MVP speech stating:
“You hear Golden State always use the phrase ‘strength in numbers’. And that’s exactly what it was while we were here,” Everybody had a voice on what is going on in America. We know we all want to see better days and when we leave here we got to continue to push that. continue to push [against] social injustice, continue to push [against] voting suppression, continue to push [against] police brutality, continue to push [against] everything that is opposite of love. If we can continue to do that, all of us, America will be a much better place in which we all love this country.”
Lebron James
Despite being told to “shut up and dribble” Lebron James has shown resilience with an unmatched perseverance. Causing him to turn the heat up another level and emerge as a prominent figure fighting for social injustice. We have seen these attributes in some of our past sports icons such as Muhammed Ali, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos, but it is clear that alongside Colin Kapernick, Lebron James has continued the fight and carried the torch for our current day and times.
As basketball fans love to debate, Lebron, winning with fourth NBA title will add on to the age-old argument :
“Who is the basketball G.O.A.T?”
Now with all things considered, rapper J.Cole answers this the best on his 2011 debut album Sideline Story stating:
“You’ll never play me like LeBron vs. Jordan
Twenty years, wonder who they gone say was more important.
Both changed the game, came through and made a lane
Who’s to say that who’s greater, all we know, they ain’t the same.”
