LeBron James honoured by the Boy and Girls Club of America – NBA Update
LeBron James likes to assist when he's either on or off the court. On Tuesday, September 18, 2011, the Miami Heat star formally received the “Champion of Youth” award from the Boy and Girls Club of America. The award was given to James in recognition to his years of service for the organization, whose aim is to inspire and enable the youth to realize their potential and assist them in becoming productive citizens.
LeBron has been actively working for the cause during the NBA lockout and was humbled to receive the honour:
"I know I get a lot of headlines for what I do," James told the Associated Press. "But being around these kids these last two days and hearing their stories, I can really relate to them. I was one of those underprivileged kids where people thought we were a statistic and didn't have a way out and would fall into the traps of life and our surroundings. For these kids to have a way out that's amazing and I'm happy to be a part of it."
The award was handed to James by Oscar winning actor Denzel Washington, who is the national spokesman for the club.
James himself experienced a tumultuous childhood. His biological father was an ex-convict, who left LeBron’s mother when she was only 16 years old. With only a mother to take care of his needs, LeBron’s childhood was a story of struggle. However, James did not take the wrong path and invested his energies in basketball, a game in which he is deemed as one of the best in his generation.
James was in Washington for receiving the award on Tuesday and on Wednesday, he launched another initiative called "Great Futures Start Here."
Frank Sanchez, the vice president for sports and entertainment at the Boy and Girls Club of America thanked James for the good work he has done for the organization over the years. He also spoke of how James has totally bought into the philosophy of the club.
"We've had this relationship with LeBron for five years," he said. "He believes in the work that we do. He understands the kids and kids' needs. He understands what it's like to grow up in a family with one parent.”
James had an epic last year, in which he transformed from a fan heartthrob to the most hated athlete in not only basketball, but in all of American sports. The manner of his move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to Miami Heat did not go well with NBA fans and when his Miami Heat lost out in the NBA Finals last June, the hate wave that James experienced throughout the season reached new heights.
James has kept a low profile since that and has mostly been busy in charity work. In the weeks after the finals debacle, he organized "Wheels for Education" cycle race for children and has also been involved in charity games.
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