LeBron James is without a doubt the biggest name in the NBA right now and he’s making a case to be the most well known NBA player of All-Time. The King is ruling over his kingdom in Cleveland and although he didn’t make an appearance in the Cavs ‘wine and gold’ scrimmage on Sunday, he did make some noise before the end of the day.
LeBron wrote an op-ed piece for Business Insider and he discussed the passion he has for his foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation. In the piece, which will also appear tomorrow in the Akron Beacon-Journal, the Cavaliers superstar declared that he is endorsing Hillary Clinton to be the next president of the United States. James says the Democratic candidate “will build on the legacy of my good friend, President Barack Obama.”
LeBron joins his Western Conference counterpart Stephen Curry as the two biggest stars in the NBA to endorse Clinton for president. Most notably in James’ message, he didn’t once comment on Clinton’s opponent in the election.
James’ personal charity raises money for educational programs in his hometown of Akron and assists students in attending college. He’s very passionate about his foundation and giving back to the city he grew up in. LeBron noted Clinton’s positions on education as his main reasons for the endorsement. James has also notably been outspoken on issues of gun violence and police brutality and also touched on those subjects to end his statement.
Here’s an excerpt from James’ piece, courtesy of Business Insider.
When I look at this year’s presidential race, it’s clear which candidate believes the same thing. Only one person running truly understands the struggles of an Akron child born into poverty. And when I think about the kinds of policies and ideas the kids in my foundation need from our government, the choice is clear.
That candidate is Hillary Clinton.
I support Hillary because she will build on the legacy of my good friend, President Barack Obama. I believe in what President Obama has done for our country and support her commitment to continuing that legacy.
Like my foundation, Hillary has always been a champion for children and their futures. For over 40 years, she’s been working to improve public schools, expand access to health care, support children’s hospitals, and so much more.
She wants to make sure kids have access to a good education, no matter what zip code they live in. She’ll rebuild schools that are falling apart and put more money into computer science. She’ll make sure teachers are paid what they deserve so they can give everything to their students.
She also has plans to make college a reality for more people in America, especially for those who can’t afford it. My kids in Akron are proof of the hope and motivation that come from knowing college can be in their future, no matter what obstacles they might be facing.
Finally, we must address the violence, of every kind, the African-American community is experiencing in our streets and seeing on our TVs. I believe rebuilding our communities by focusing on at-risk children is a significant part of the solution. However, I am not a politician, I don’t know everything it will take finally to end the violence. But I do know we need a president who brings us together and keeps us unified. Policies and ideas that divide us more are not the solution. We must all stand together — no matter where we are from or the color of our skin. And Hillary is running on the message of hope and unity that we need.
