LeBron

Product Information

I received this audio book from Libro.fm. I am not an avid basketball fan, but very much enjoyed the connections of making self promises and life lessons. The promises encouraged is this sweet story are simple enough for children, but applicable for individuals of all ages. LeBron James: We all have our strengths and weaknesses Kyle and I am sure you have some as well, but I would consider myself to be good at basketball, cooking, and being a parent to my children. With hard work and dedication I have managed to jursically develop in these categories, obviously, it did not just happen overnight. I would not say I am bad at anything rather I am subpar at some things including free throws, three point shooting, and golf. Even though they are my weaknesses right now with loads of practice and work eventually they could turn into my strengths. Once LeBron retires the empire he has built off the court will take more of a spotlight. He’s at the front of the line to own the NBA expansion team in Las Vegas. Twenty years from now I expect him to own multiple pro franchises and be one of the most powerful moguls in Hollywood. That phrase was one of the famous marketing slogans that Nike produced around the mega-star LeBron James. I have been fascinated with LeBron as a player most of his career. "LeBron, Inc" details LeBron as a businessman and the evolution of his long-term financial decisions (e.g. multiple Nike contracts, ownership equity in Beats, Blaze Pizza and his 2% stake in England's Liverpool soccer club). The book culminates by judging LeBron's signing with the Lakers as more about business (media and entertainment growth) than basketball.

So who is this book for? I admit that my surprise was the fact that this position, contrary to the assessment, is not about basketball. Confirmation of this is the fact that the part describing the struggles of LeBron James' favorite in the world of basketball is maybe 10-15% of the whole book. Everything else concerns the "off-field" actions of the famous basketball player. LeBron’s basketball skills are not his most impressive attributes. His brilliance, instincts, maturity and discipline all outrank his athleticism. These attributes explain why 20 years into his career, LeBron is still one of the best players in the world.

Table of Contents

By no means was I a LeBron fan. I thought he was a turd after The Decision and based a lot of my opinion on Scott Raab's brilliant book "The Whore of Akron." Benedict treats his subject well by recounting the major events of his life without engaging in overdrawn speculation and sermonizing. The games were put in the present tense for a reason, to give the reader a greater sense of being there. And I just like the syncopated style of almost doing it line-by-line. There are only so many ways you can describe going to the hoop or making a jump shot. The artwork was also beautiful. The children featured were diverse, majority BIPOC, and were a great display of what most kids see regularly in public schools. I also loved the amount of all-girl sports pictures there were. Girl power! LeBron's rise from poverty to stardom may not surprise many, but it IS surprisingly nuanced when it comes to politics, social media and contract negotiations.

Where the book fell short for me was when I expected Windhorst to shed even more specifics that may have shed a negative light on James. It felt almost like the info was "approved" by James and company, not the whole truth in these dealings. I guess I hoped for something more honest with even more details. I could be wrong, but it just feels that way. I’ll preface this by saying this is completely my opinion. I’ve asked him what he’s going to do, and he smiles at me and tells me to go screw myself in a very kind way, because I don’t think he knows.Thoroughly enjoyed the book, could not put it down, would recommend to a friend, but do not need to read again. LeBron James: I have come a long way in my life and if not for my hard work and dedication I would not be where I am today. I am dedicated to the great game of basketball and I am grateful that god has given me the opportunity to play the game I love. Above all else my family is the most important in my life and I would go to mile high lengths for them. The Making of a Billion Dollar Athlete by Brian Windhorst is a book about Lebron James that outlines his life from the age of 16. Interestingly, the book not only talks about his success on the court, but also in the business world that he so greatly invested in. The book focuses on James' career, but it provides more depth into the business side of his life. Sure, he plays basketball well, but he is also very savvy on selling his image. I thought Benedict did an excellent job in showing how James grew in that realm.