More Than An Athlete

More Than an Athlete

The Career of Lebron James Outside of Basketball

He drives down the lane and jams home a slam-dunk! He’s amazed us ever since he came into the NBA; Lebron James is a sight to behold on the basketball court. We’ve watched him over the years leading his team to the championship, throwing down alley-oops from Dwyane Wade, and going head-to-head with the Golden State Warriors in the finals Whether it's been the four MVP's, three championships, or twelve All-NBA First Team recognitions, Lebron James has done it all on the court.

Off the court, Lebron is much more than just a jock or basketball player, he’s a—producer, entrepreneur, advocate, and community leader. James has used basketball as a foundation for a career and life that expands far out of sports. So that when he finally calls it quits on basketball, his life will be as busy and fulfilling as ever.  

Lights, Camera, Action

It’s hard to think that a professional athlete would have any place in movie and television production. After starring in the Warner Brothers production Trainwreck, Lebron James has taken his passion for films to a new level and beside his business partner, Maverick Carter founded SpringHill Entertainment. A production company based in Akron, Ohio that seeks to create content for a diverse multi-cultural audience (Spring Hill). When the production company first launched it partnered with Warner Brothers that spans all areas of content creations (Ford). SpringHill Entertainment allows for James to produce the projects he has a vision for and believes in. The media and production company wasted no time getting to work and have already begun and completed multiple productions including Disney XD’s Becoming, Bleacher Report’s Uninterrupted, Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse, and HBO’s The Shop (Spring Hill). Most notably, the company recently announced that they are producing a Space Jam 2, as the original Space Jam was based on Michael Jordan using his “secret stuff” to fight against the Monstars (Spring Hill). James now has the opportunity to star in his own rendition of the popular 90’s show and to reinvent the film through his vision. In a short time span, James has put together a very strong resume for someone that has never worked in the film industry.

The Community Leader

Lebron James was born and raised in the small town of Akron, OH by his single mother who did everything to keep her family going. Even as an NBA superstar James values his roots and never forgot where he came from, as a result, he created the Lebron James Family Foundation to give back to the children of his hometown. The foundation works with local boys’ and girls’ clubs to help create active and safe lifestyles for children and teens in the area. The organization has also partnered with James' alma mater Saint Vincent-Saint Mary’s High School and the University of Akron to ensure that all Akron children can get a proper high school and college education, regardless of whether they can afford it or not (Zillgit). Lebron took his emphasized importance of schools a step further when he built the I PROMISE Elementary and Secondary Schools in Akron which opened this past fall (Zillgit). The school falls within the Akron public school system and is a place for students with special needs, financial issues, and parental guidance (Zillgit). James’ goal is to ensure that all children, especially those within the Akron community, can find their way to a four-year university even if they are in the worst of circumstances. The kid from Akron is doing far more than what is expected of him and is shaping the lives of our future leaders.

The Savvy Businessman  

People often invest in athletes, but athletes don’t often invest in people. Lebron James is doing just the opposite and has created a very strong business portfolio using his own capital. After being endorsed by McDonald's for many years and acting in multiple promotions for the company James cut quits with the golden arches, so that he could invest in a personal pizza concept now known as "Blaze" (Davis). After trying the pizza at a UC Irvine location, he was a huge fan of the product and thought it would be a worthy investment (Medworth). In 2012, he invested one million dollars in the company, but his investment now has a thirty-five-million-dollar valuation (Medworth). Clearly, he knew he was making a smart move by investing a company that was going to spread through the country like a wildfire. In addition to Blaze, James has invested in a soccer club in England. In 2011, James purchased a 2% stake in Liverpool FC of the English Premier League for 6.5 million dollars (Wiggins). Now his investment in the soccer club is worth approximately thirty-two million dollars, thus bringing in returns five times the original investment (Wiggins). For a man already making hundreds of millions off basketball and his endorsements, James' savvy investments only make his accounts larger by day.

We Are ALL Equal

With racial inequality at an all-time high, Lebron James has used his power as an athlete to advocate for what he believes in. Rather than remaining silent and playing basketball, James wants to inspire people and show that everyone has a voice. He’s used his voice to express the injustice done when Trayvon Martin was shot by George Zimmerman, creating a movement across the NBA where players wore special shirts supporting Trayvon (Hill). He’s stood with Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem before NFL, and continues to stand with him even as Kaepernick has been blackballed from the league Rapp). He has spoken out multiple times about Donald Trump and his displeasure with the President (Rapp). Every time there is an incident regarding racial injustice and inequality, James has made sure his voice is heard because he knows the impact he has on society. Lebron has used his platform to lead, inspire, and set the foundation for upcoming generations to use their voices to change the world.

Works Cited

“Akron to Los Angeles.” Spring Hill Entertainment. shentertainment.com/about (4 February 2019).

Davis, Scott. “Lebron James Explained”. Business Insider. www.businessinsider.com/ lebron-james-blaze-pizza-investment-leaving-mcdonalds (11 July 2017)

Ford, Rebecca. “LeBron James' SpringHill Entertainment Signs Deal with Warner Bros”. The Hollywood Reporter. www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lebron-james-springhill-entertainment-signs (22 July 2015).

Hill, Jemele. “The Heat's Hoodies as Change Agent”. ESPN. www.espn.com / lebron-james-other-athletes-protest-trayvon-martin-shooting-show-change-agent-power-sports (26 March 2012).

Medworth, Whitney. “Lebron James Made $35 Million Investing in Blaze Pizza”. Vox Media. www.sbnation.com/nba/lebron-james-blaze-pizza-cavaliers-lakers (25 July 2017).

Pearson, John. “LeBron James to Star in Public Enemy”. MXDWN. www.movies.mxdwn.com/ lebron-james-to-star-in-public-enemy (24 May 2019).

Rapp, Timothy. “LeBron James Talks Donald Trump Insults, Serena Williams, Colin Kaepernick, More”. Bleacher Report. www.bleacherreport.com/lebron-james-talks-donald-trump-insults-serena-williams-colin-kaepernick (20 September 2018).

Robinson, Melia. “The Fastest-Growing Pizza Chain in America Reveals How it Lured LeBron James. Business Insider. www.businessinsider.com/how-blaze-pizza-convinced-lebron-james-to-leave-mcdonalds (23 July 2017).

Rollins, Khadrice. “LeBron James Rocks Colin Kaepernick Nike T-Shirt to Lakers Preseason Game”. Sports Illustrated. www.si.com/lebron-james-colin-kaepernick-nike-shirt-lakers (4 October 2018).

Wiggins, Brandon. “LeBron James' $6.5 million investment in Liverpool FC”. Business Insider. www.businessinsider.com/lebrons-investment-in-liverpool-is-paying-off-big-time (3 May 2018).

Zillgit, Jeff. “LeBron James Opens New Public School in Akron”. USA Today. www.usatoday.com/lebron-james-promise-school-akron-ohio (30 July 2018)