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The Report Ohio: Lakota East grad and Akron’s Nate Johnson will be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft
LeBron James: I was 25 years old. I played for Cleveland, but I still lived in Akron. So for 25 straight years, I was in the same house. I had an awesome house—you’ve seen that. That’s a great house. So I was comfortable. That was my comfort. My comfortability was being in Akron, Ohio. I’d drive 30 minutes to Cleveland, play my games, then shoot right back down to Akron and I was good. So for the first time, it’s like—I’ve always used the analogy—it felt like my college moment. I didn’t go to college, so going to Miami was like moving out of my parents’ house. I was going off to college.
LeBron James: And MJ — we all know MJ. Even if you don’t know him personally, he’s one of the most ruthless competitors there is. And until I’m done — and he doesn’t have to look at me running up and down wearing the number 23, and every time my name is mentioned, it’s mentioned with his — Don’t talk to me right now. I’m on the back nine. Do not call me. (...) I mean, like I said — I wear 23 because of MJ. The inspiration he gave me as a kid in Akron, Ohio — where we didn’t have much inspiration in the hometown — you look at someone. It’s gotta be somebody in sports, somebody in music, somebody on the TV screen. Will Smith from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Michael Jordan playing for the Bulls, Jay-Z, Biggie, Tupac — That was my inspiration. You know what I’m saying? I needed that.
The post in question was originally made on X — then called Twitter — in 2015, just months after LeBron James had turned 30. At that point, the Akron, Ohio, native was in the midst of the 12th season of his NBA career and still at the top of his game, prompting a Golden State Warriors fan with the handle @urkle91 to state, “Lebron is 30, this fuckery won’t go on for much longer, thank god.”
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LeBron James is still putting up solid stats in his 22nd season in the NBA and Hill respects what the Akron, Ohio native is doing. “I saw a lot of him this past summer up close and personal,” said Hill. “He takes care of his body and he works like he’s trying to make the team! His professionalism, work ethic and of course his intellect.”
LeBron has opened a school in Akron, the I Promise school. He has used his vast wealth to inspire change in the world and in the lives of young children who might not have otherwise had such great opportunities. Of course, James’ basketball legacy is not going to be forgotten, as it’ll be seen in future generations of the game. “You only get out as much as you put in. I hope that I’m able to inspire the next generation to put the work in both on the floor and off the floor. Commit to the game,” James said. “If you say you want to be great then you have to go out and actually put the work in. There’s no shortcuts to being great, if that’s what you want. “There’s no shortcuts to the commitment of your craft. If you’re a professional then you have to understand that it comes with a great deal of responsibility of putting work in. That’s how you get the results.”
Tony East: Enrique Freeman is the Pacers pick at 50. He didn't even go to college to play basketball, but has built up to an NBA level player after growing a ton at Akron.
Tony Jones: Enrique Freeman, a small forward out of Akron, will visit the Utah Jazz for a pre-draft workout this week, according to league sources….Freeman is one of the better wing defenders in the draft. His projected range, according to sources, is 20’s to 30’s
Adam Zagoria: The Boston Celtics hosted a pre-draft workout over the weekend that included the following, per league sources: Ryan Dunn (Virginia), Justin Edwards (Kentucky), Enrique Freeman (Akron), Judah Mintz (Syracuse)
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Dan Patrick Show: .@ReggieMillerTNT is not reading into LeBron James being at the Cavs game last night. "He's from Akron. He's won a Championship for the Cavaliers. A guy can't go out and enjoy a playoff game?"
.@ReggieMillerTNT is not reading into LeBron James being at the Cavs game last night.
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 14, 2024
"He's from Akron. He's won a Championship for the Cavaliers. A guy can't go out and enjoy a playoff game?" pic.twitter.com/B8MRC0tKMD
LeBron James: House Three Thirty is for the WORLD!!!! 👑🌎🙏🏾 I promise when you walk through the doors you’ll see what we’re talkin about in Akron!! @ljfamfoundation 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾💚pic.twitter.com/1XI53TWHBg
House Three Thirty is for the WORLD!!!! 👑🌎🙏🏾 I promise when you walk through the doors you’ll see what we’re talkin about in Akron!! @ljfamfoundation 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾💚pic.twitter.com/1XI53TWHBg
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 30, 2024
The James museum is a part of the large complex his foundation purchased and renovated in Akron, called House 330, where he opened a Starbucks to train adults enrolled in his mentoring program. House 330 has expanded to include a sports bar, pizza shop, retail store and now the museum. James’ mother Gloria was among those on hand for the Home Court public opening. “I used to get on my mom a lot about saving everything, ever since I started playing sports,” James said. “She kind of threw it in my face when stuff was being prepared down at the museum, because a lot of the stuff in there is stuff that she saved. And that’s pretty cool.
A LeBron James Museum opened in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, on Saturday, showcasing items dating back to the basketball player’s childhood.
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