LeBron James on Monday officially opened the I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, something from which the new Los Angeles Laker drew tremendous pride.
#MoreThanAnAthlete pic.twitter.com/3rHo2HgiNY
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 30, 2018
James has received well-deserved praise for opening the school, which will serve 240 third- and fourth-graders identified as behind in critical academic areas and other factors. Although, it’s likely James will be most flattered by a heartfelt token of appreciation for his efforts expressed by Michelle and Barack Obama.
The former First Lady took to Twitter on Tuesday to praise James on behalf of both herself and her husband. Mrs. Obama not only lauded James for the school opening but also the many social works championed by the NBA superstar.
.@BarackObama and I are so proud of @KingJames and @IPROMISESchool. Kids in Akron and across the US are lucky to have you as a role model on and off the court. Keep using your platform for good and giving our kids a chance to shoot for the stars. #ReachHigher #BetterMakeRoom pic.twitter.com/hyS6UM2A7b
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) July 31, 2018
James has immense respect for the Obama family, so it’s likely he appreciated the sentiment.
Interestingly, the former First Lady’s tweet follows James castigating the current occupant of the White House.
James has long been a vocal critic of Donald Trump, once even referring to the President as “bum” in a tweet. James again criticized the president this week for using sports to divide people.
LeBron James (@KingJames) says Trump’s trying to use sport to divide people, but he believes it brings people together. He sits down with @donlemon at the opening of his new elementary school for at-risk children in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Watch 10pET https://t.co/koTK4RarqE pic.twitter.com/CQYsTz2Fzl
— CNN (@CNN) July 30, 2018
James was once disparaged by Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who suggested the NBA superstar ought to stop involving himself in political and social issues. Instead, Ingraham argued James should “shut up and dribble” in a harsh critique. It’s abundantly clear James will never heed such advice.
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