As an NBA veteran of 13 years and winner of multiple league championships and MVP's, LeBron James has always seemed to have an enormous amount of hype surrounding him. Can he win the big game? Does he need help in order to win an NBA championship? All of those questions were answered when Lebron won his first of what is now multiple NBA titles. Throughout all of the hype, Lebron himself has been relatively quiet when it comes to speaking out against his critics.This year, however, it seems something has changed.
With this change comes a different Lebron James; one that simply doesn't care what his critics think.
Lebron speaks out
In addition to offering his opinion on the black lives matter movement, Lebron James has voiced his opinion on numerous other issues, many of which occurred this year. It started with his public endorsement of Hillary Clinton and then his verbal spar with TNT's Charles Barkley and now, with his outspoken opinion about the father of NCAA standout and future NBA lottery pick Lonzo Ball, Lebron has shown the world that he has a strong voice. Throughout each of these instances, it has become evident that no longer is Lebron James the quiet leader of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Not only is Lebron a champion and a leader of grown men on the court, but also a political activist, self-promoter, and a person aware of what is going on in his community and the world around him. This awareness has allowed Lebron James to transition himself from just another superstar to a global icon. With each time Lebron opens his mouth about something not directly relating to the Cleveland Cavaliers or the NBA in general, he proves just how much of a voice he has.
Lebron's response to Lavar Ball.
In Lebron's most recent comments, he defended himself and his family against the father of Lonzo Ball. After Ball mentioned that Lebron's kids would not be able to live up to his legacy, Lebron himself voiced his displease loud and clear telling Ball to "Keep my kids name out of your mouth." While clearly voicing his displeasure with Ball, Lebron has once again shown that he is unwilling to just ignore the critics. As Lebron has shown over the past year, he has a voice and one thing is certain; he is going to use it.