LeBron James received one of the best Christmas Gifts he could have imagined in 1987, as the three-year-old was given a children’s hoop to play basketball on. The picture went viral over Christmas and the weekend, prompting James to respond on his Instagram story.
“Merry Xmas! Mom’s tried lowering the rim and I went (apesh*t)!! She put it back at the highest it could go! Only child chronicles.”
Credit: @KingJames/IG
As one fan said, this is undoubtedly the greatest return on investment any parent could’ve expected. The only comparable history-changing Christmas gift would be if a musician was given their first instrument on Christmas and then fell in love with music. I am not aware of any such stories, but seeing picture proof of this happening to LeBron is incredible.
Gloria James raised LeBron alone and managed to nurture him into one of the greatest athletes of all time. Even though LeBron didn’t have a father figure in his life, it’s clear his mother always pulled out all the stops to ensure her son was provided for. That explains why LeBron still holds his mother very dear to his heart, even after making over a billion dollars as an athlete.
LeBron James Is The Most Decorated Christmas Athlete In NBA History
When LeBron stepped onto the floor for his 18th Christmas Game, he further solidified his status as the most decorated Christmas athlete in NBA history. His record of 10-8 may not be impressive, but James has been a staple for the biggest night of the regular season, not missing a single game since 2006. He is also the highest scorer in NBA Christmas history, overtaking Kobe Bryant last season.
This year’s Christmas was ugly for James, who saw the Lakers get beaten by the Celtics in a game where LeBron struggled to score. James would not be able to take over the game, as the Celtics pulled off a double-digit win on the Lakers home court. LeBron admitted that his Lakers squad isn’t at the level for championship contention just yet.
“I think the league’s best teams so far. Minnesota, they’re pretty much healthy. OKC, they’re pretty much healthy besides Giddey. Boston, they’re fully healthy. I don’t think we’re healthy right now. I don’t think we’re where we wanna be to be able to compete against the top teams until we continue on getting better and better… We will be better.”
The Lakers don’t play again until Thursday, giving the team plenty of time to rest up after a rough December. They need to end the month strong to keep pace in the fight for the top six in the West. Their next game looks simple on paper, as it is against the Hornets, but they’ll end the year with games against New Orleans and Minnesota.
