LeBron NEEDS a statue
With Tom Brady’s retirement, he has recently received a statue from his football team following their extreme levels of success. However, I think it is time to ask why LeBron hasn’t received his statue yet. If Brady, rightfully, gets to be cemented in sports history for his many Super Bowl Titles, we all know who else deserves one. Lebron James, “The Goat,” needs a statue. One that’s, frankly, overdue.
LeBron is one of the greatest basketball players who has ever graced the NBA, with four NBA championships, four MVPs, 10 NBA Finals appearances, and now the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2023). LeBron has been in the game since 2003, that’s 22 seasons in the NBA. According to Basketball Reference, James has played more minutes than any player in NBA history and ranks in the top five for career points, assists, and wins. LeBron has redefined what longevity and dominance look like in professional sports.
LeBron James isn’t just the greatest basketball player of his generation. He is also insanely influential. You’d probably struggle to find any American who hasn’t heard of the name “Lebron”. LeBron’s name is etched in the minds of almost everyone.
LeBron is more than an athlete; Lebron is a changemaker. In 2018, he opened the I PROMISE School in Akron, Ohio, a public school for at-risk youth that provides free tuition, meals, bikes, and guaranteed college scholarships for graduates. He also created the More Than A Vote campaign, which helped combat voter suppression during the 2020 elections and amplified the voices of Black communities nationwide. LeBron expands the definition of what it means to be a sports icon. He’s not just an amazing basketball player; he’s a businessman, philanthropist, producer, and activist. Statues can also be for changemakers, not just athletes. Lebron is both.
Some may argue that Michael Jordan deserves a statue more, with his six championships in six Finals appearances, five MVPs, a perfect Finals record, and the cultural impact that helped globalize the NBA in the 1990s. However, what I’m thinking about is the present. Jordan changed the game in the ’90s. LeBron changed it for the 2000s, 2010s, and beyond. Where Jordan was dominant for 13 seasons, LeBron has been considered one of the greatest for over 22 years. LeBron has more career points, more assists, more rebounds, and a deeper all-around impact on the floor. He is also the only player in NBA history to win Finals MVP with three different franchises. Jordan is a legend, no doubt about it, but that doesn’t mean LeBron doesn’t deserve a statue.
Tom Brady deserves a statue, and so does LeBron James. He is a top-tier basketball player, someone who changes the world for the better, and an insanely recognizable face and name. It is time to give King James his throne.