Michael Jordan Helped LeBron Escape Rough Childhood in Ohio, 39-Year-Old Lakers Star Reveals

Today, LeBron James is a basketball phenom and one of the few athletes to have risen to billionaire status. He has the luxury of living in a mansion, raising his dream family, and being a renowned global attraction. But it wasn’t always so easy for the soon-to-be 40-year-old. As a kid, James grew up in the disrupted town of Akron, Ohio. The state of the city wasn’t ideal for growth. The challenges required James to find inspiration, something to look up to.

Somehow a basketball landed in his hands and he discovered ‘Black Jesus’. It was Michael Jordan. Even though he grew up in a rough neighborhood which forced him to miss nearly 40 days of school at one time, LeBron James had an idol to look up to. During a recent episode of ‘The Shop’, the NBA’s all-time scorer detailed how the presence of Jordan enabled him to be selfish and aim for the stars.

“Looking up to people when you are growing up and trying to figure out what you’re trying to do gives you hope. You watching these people on television or you read them in newspapers or magazines or at the local library or whatever the case may be. You need a sense of hope. You grow up in the inner city, we don’t have much… Having an aspiration outside the city I’m aspiring to want to be like Michael Jordan. 

“He’s in Chicago. I’m in Akron, Ohio whatever the case may be. Having that aspiration to be something greater than what’s going on in my community that’s when it starts to flow. You start to be like okay, he’s Black, I’m Black. He from Wilmington North Carolina. Seems like a very rural place that ain’t got much going on there. I’m from Akron, Ohio. Ain’t much going on here. So there’s possibility of getting out of this,” James explained on The Shop.

USA Today via Reuters

Idolizing the stunning Michael Jordan gave LeBron James someone to chase after. Moreover, it gave him the hope that just like His Airness, he too could be somebody great. His strong desire coupled with his commitment led him to stand by Jordan during his camp. Sports Illustrated touted him as ‘The Chosen One’. James is the ultimate example of how the wildest of hopes can make people do something magnificent.

Now, he isn’t just linked to Michael Jordan but many see him be better than the six-time NBA champion. None of that would have been possible if James hadn’t caught a glimpse of his remarkable plays and dreamed of emulating the same. Once served with the potential, his pursuit was unstoppable.

Not only did he get out of his community and improve his life, but he became the same as Michael Jordan was for him. A story of hope for the children who are in tough situations but have the desire to be something great.

How LeBron James put life back into his community

LeBron James’ mission wasn’t just to get out of his community. Even though growing up in Akron was tough, his tale began from the local playgrounds of the community. James wanted to give back. In 2004, he began the LeBron James Foundation in Cleveland to aid the development of the community. In the coming years, his attention grew strictly towards Akron.

His most notable initiative is the I Promise mission. It’s not just a simple phrase, but James’ way of vowing to improve the lifestyle in Cleveland. Since the foundation’s inauguration, LeBron James has invested over $20 million in the community. He has opened the I Promise School which not only provides free education but also an opportunity for a full scholarship at some of the most renowned colleges. In 2023, it reached its capacity of 720 students according to The New York Times.

“When we started this work in education with my foundation, we never dreamed we’d be owning buildings and developing new properties. As we dug deeper into the work, we learned what it takes to create real, visible change. And that’s listening to what our community needs and then rolling up our sleeves and getting to work,” James told the NY Times about his journey of making Akron a developed community.

He has also installed an entertainment center, affordable housing, and other initiatives to help Akron grow as a community. Owing to his rise from the local playgrounds, his foundation built a basketball court at the I Promise School in 2019 for children to enjoy. James has used his platform and stature to improve the livelihood of thousands with his philanthropic gestures.

As the Kid From Akron, LeBron James remembers the community that gave him the launching pad to fly