LeBron James was recently revealed as the cover athlete for TIME’s inaugural TIME100 sports project, and the long-time NBA star is not taking the recognition for granted.
“Beyond Grateful and Blessed!! 🙏🏾👑” James posted on X on Tuesday.
Featured in the cover story published by the famous magazine, James reflected on his journey from Akron, Ohio, to becoming a global basketball superstar. The Los Angeles Lakers forward revealed that playing alongside his eldest son, Bronny, is the greatest achievement of his career.
“Out of all the sh-t I’ve done in basketball, that’s the best accomplishment I’ve ever had,” James said. “The kid has earned his right to be a professional athlete.”
“The thing you’re not going to do is throw stones at us as a family. I’m not letting that sh-t slide, because I know what I’ve created because of what I didn’t have. So if you want to talk about the kid, that he shouldn’t be an NBA player, I don’t care about that. As long as you don’t get to the fatherhood piece. I don’t play those games,” he added.
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Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and son Bronny James (9) react in the first half against the Houston Rockets during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and son Bronny James (9) react in the first half against the Houston Rockets during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
LeBron James shares his two cents on basketball’s GOAT debate
LeBron James boldly declared that when it comes to the GOAT debate, he would pick himself over the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, as he believes that the others would do the same.
“I’m not taking nobody over me,” James stated. “There’s no question. But I think Mike will say the same thing. Rest his soul, Kobe will say the same thing. Magic will say the same thing. Bird will say the same thing. Shaq could say the same thing.”
The 41-year-old certainly makes a strong case for being the NBA’s greatest player with his production and unparalleled longevity. James became the league’s all-time leading scorer three years ago and has scored over 50,000 points in the regular season and playoffs combined.
The Los Angeles Lakers forward also has the most All-Star Game and All-NBA selections. James also has four NBA championships and league MVPs under his belt. After a productive 2025-26 campaign, many expect him to play at least one more season, which could give him more time to add to his resume.