GQ did an excellent profile on LeBron James.
LeBron’s impact will go far beyond basketball, he will be appreciated a lot more as his career winds down and no matter what anyone tells you he is in the GOAT conversation.
Here are some of the highlights of the interview.
He was asked if Dan Gilbert’s comics sans letter was racially motivated.
“Um, I did. I did. It was another conversation I had to have with my kids. It was unfortunate, because I believed in my heart that I had gave that city and that owner, at that point in time, everything that I had. Unfortunately, I felt like, at that point in time, as an organization, we could not bring in enough talent to help us get to what my vision was. A lot of people say they want to win, but they really don’t know how hard it takes, or a lot of people don’t have the vision. So, you know, I don’t really like to go back on that letter, but it pops in my head a few times here, a few times there. I mean, it’s just human nature. I think that had a lot to do with race at that time, too, and that was another opportunity for me to kind of just sit back and say, ‘Okay, well, how can we get better? How can we get better? How can I get better?’ And if it happens again, then you’re able to have an even more positive outlook on it. It wasn’t the notion of I wanted to do it my way. It was the notion of I’m gonna play this game, and I’m gonna prepare myself so damn hard that when I decide to do something off the court, I want to be able to do it because I’ve paid my dues.”
Here is LeBron speaking on if he’d run for President considering the BUM President we currently have in office now. He also speaks about racism in America and playing in a State that loves him, but elected Trump.
Would you ever want to be president?
“Of the United States?” He pauses. “Nah.”
That didn’t seem like a confident answer.
“I say no because of always having to be on someone else’s time. From the outside looking in, it seems like the president always has to be there—gotta be there. You really don’t have much ‘me time.’ I enjoy my ‘me time.’ The positive that I see from being the president… Well, not with the president we have right now, because there’s no positive with him, but the positive that I’ve seen is being able to inspire. Your word has command to it. If you’re speaking with a knowledgeable, caring, loving, passionate voice, then you can give the people of America and all over the world hope.”
“True colors will show, and it showed for me during the playoffs, where my house in Brentwood, California, one of the fucking best neighborhoods in America, was vandalized with, you know, the N-word. And that shit puts it all back into perspective. So do I use my energy toward that? Or do I now shed a light on how I can use this negative to turn into a positive, because so many people are looking for what I’m going to say. I had a conversation with my kids. I let them know this is what it is, this is how it’s going to be. When it’s time for y’all to fly, you’ll have to understand that. When y’all go out in public and y’all start driving or y’all start moving around, be respectful to cops, as much as you can. When you get pulled over, call your mom or dad, put it on speakerphone, and put your phone underneath the seat. But be respectful the whole time.”
Can a state that elected Donald Trump also love LeBron James? Is that actually possible?
“That’s a great question. I think, um, they can love what LeBron James does. Do they know what LeBron James completely represents? I don’t think so. So those people may love the way I play the game of basketball, because they might have some grandkids, you know, they might have a son or a daughter or a niece that no matter what they’re talking about, the kids are like, ‘LeBron is LeBron. And I don’t give a damn what you talking about. I love him.’ So they don’t have a choice liking me. But at the end of the day, these people are gonna resort back to who they are. So do I have a definite answer to that? My state definitely voted for Donald Trump, the state that I grew up in. And I think I can sit here and say that I have a lot of fans in that state, too. It’s unfortunate.”
Lastly if you are a Cavs fan this is what should make you nervous. LeBron is at a point in his career where he is going to do what he wants regardless of what anyone thinks.
What does LeBron James owe the city of Cleveland?
“LeBron James owes nobody anything. Nobody. When my mother told me I don’t owe her anything, from that point in time, I don’t owe anybody anything. But what I will give to the city of Cleveland is passion, commitment, and inspiration. As long as I put that jersey on, that’s what I represent. That’s why I’m there—to inspire that city. But I don’t owe anybody anything.”
NBA season starts tonight.
Flip the pages for the photos from LeBron’s GQ photoshoot…