‘King James’, AP Male Athlete of the Year
NEW YORK (AP) – Nakasampa si Lebron James sa NBA Finals sa record walong sunod na season.
Nagpalit ng koponan, jersey at address si James, ngunit hindi pa rin nagbago ang dominanteng laro ng four-time MVP.
Sa ikatlong pagkakataon, napili si James bilang The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. Hindi pa man, ang bagong mensahe na ‘I Promise’ na inilahad niya sa mga kabataan sa kanyang hometown Akron, Ohio ay nagbabadya nang panibagong tagumpay sa Lakers.
“I would describe it as a success because I was able to inspire so many people throughout the year,” pahayag ni James. “I got to go back to China, to Paris, to Berlin, I opened up a school. And all these kids I was able to see, all over the world and in my hometown, I was able to inspire, to make them think they can be so much more than what they think they’re capable of being. That was my outlook for 2018.”
Nakakuha si James ng 78 puntos sa botohan ng U.S. editors at news directors nitong Huwebes (Biyernes sa Manila). Nakabuntot sa kanya si Boston Red Sox star Mookie Betts na may 46 kasunod sina Alex Ovechkin ng Washington Capitals, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at Triple Crown winner Justify.
Sa NBA, nananatiling dominante si James sa naitalang averaged 28.7 puntos, 8.8 rebounds, 8.4 assists.
“In addition to being on everyone’s short list as one of the league’s all-time greatest players, LeBron is among the hardest working players and is a thoughtful and impactful leader,” pahayag ni NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “He serves on the executive committee of the Players Association even as he builds an impressive media company of his own. And what’s most inspiring, and no surprise given his talent and focus, is how he’s done all of this while embracing his unique opportunity to positively impact communities in need.”
Nakasama sa listahan na may tatlong panalo o higit pa sa parangal si James tulad nina Lance Armstrong (a four-time winner from 2002 through 2005), Tiger Woods (1997, 1999, 2000 at 2006) at Michael Jordan (1991, 1992 and 1993).
Apat na sunod na taon na nagwagi si Armstrong sa Tour de France, ngunit binawi ito bunsod ng iskandalo sa doping na kanyang kinasangkutan, habang nanalo si Woods sa apat na pagkakataon matapos ang dominanteng kampanya sa PGA Tour.
“I like to talk about generations,” sambit ni Miami guard Dwyane Wade, isa sa malapit na kaibigan ni James’. “There will never be another Michael Jordan because he was the first to be a global superstar, the first to take the NBA to another level. There will never be another LeBron James, and a lot of it is from what he’s done away from the game.
“It is already such a success,” sambit ni James. “And it’s something that I never thought was possible until we made it happen. So yes, it’s been a pretty good year.”