sided and extreme assessment of the guy compels me to bring some balance to the discussion. Besides his obvious athletic accomplishments, I find that he is actually a pretty good guy off the court, a good dad and family guy, especially considering his very difficult upbringing and all the money, fame, and attention that was thrown at him at an early age:

“LeBron…was born…in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria Marie James, who was 16 at the time of his birth. His father, Anthony McClelland, has an extensive criminal record and was not involved in his life. When James was growing up, life was often a struggle for the family, as they moved from apartment to apartment in the seedier neighborhoods of Akron while Gloria struggled to find steady work…

“James married his high school sweetheart, Savannah James, on September 14, 2013, in San Diego, California. They have two sons, Bronny and Bryce James, and a daughter, Zhuri.

“James's best friends in the NBA are Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and former Heat teammate Dwyane Wade…During an excursion to the Bahamas, James rescued Anthony from the water when Anthony was carried away from the boat by the current…Anthony later recounted: ‘He saved my life’. When asked about how much danger Anthony was in prior to the rescue, James responded: ‘I don't really know what to say, to be honest. I'm just happy he's still here, obviously.’

“James has maintained close ties to his hometown of Akron, Ohio, which is also where his charity foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF), is based. Since 2005, the foundation has held an annual bike-a-thon to raise money for various causes. In 2015, James announced a partnership with the University of Akron to provide scholarships for as many as 2,300 children beginning in 2021. In 2017, he received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award from the NBA for his ‘outstanding service and dedication to the community.’

“In November 2017, the Akron School Board approved the I Promise School, a public elementary school created in a partnership with the LJFF to help struggling elementary school students stay in school. The school officially opened on July 30, 2018, with James reflecting that it was his most important professional accomplishment.

“Other noteworthy public and charitable initiatives undertaken by James in Akron include the I Promise Institute at the University of Akron, I Promise Village (housing complex), House Three-Thirty (community center/retail plaza), and I Promise Health Quarters (medical center). James is also an active supporter of various non-profit organizations, including After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Children's Defense Fund. In 2016, he donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to support an exhibit on Muhammad Ali.”