When LeBron James announced he was returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers last summer, most looked at his (new) “decision” as strictly a basketball move, one which was completely defensible. The Miami Heat were old and did not have a flexible roster. The Cavs were younger, almost as talented, possessed huge trade chips that would allow them to improve instantaneously and had an owner more than willing to go deep into the luxury tax.
LeBron though looked well beyond the 94′ X 50′ piece of hardwood to make his choice this time around. He indicated as much in the letter he crafted with Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated:
I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.
So yesterday’s announcement of James partnering with the University of Akron to provide a four-year college scholarship to the school for any student who qualifies through his I PROMISE program (a division of The LeBron James Family Foundation) shouldn’t have come as a surprise. But is should absolutely be praised for the amazing gesture that it is.
Every single kid who finish my program will go to college for FREE! #Tryingtomakeadifference @LJFamFoundation
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 13, 2015
All students must graduate from high school, and must meet certain attendance and grade-point average requirements in order to be eligible for the scholarship (general fees are also accounted for via the program). It is estimated this joint venture could put approximately 2,300 students through school.
LBJ’s announcement actually came on HHSR’s third birthday! Of the hundreds (literally…hundreds) of columns I’ve written on this site, my favorite was probably the one on LeBron’s “pursuit of happiness” and what his return meant not just for the Cavaliers, but all of Northeast Ohio. I watched a man, with whom I personally have a lot in common, turn his back on his home, something I never would’ve expected from someone who hailed from the 216, 440 or 330. It wasn’t just that he left (he always had that right), it was the way he did it— his reasoning, the TV show, his overall treatment of the organization and the fans who had supported him since ninth grade.
James has managed to erase those dark memories and has rewritten his own narrative, most notably by lifting up the community that made him who he is. The news of this partnership was even announced to the students and their families at the foundation’s Cedar Point excursion (which if you’re from Ohio, you know ALL ABOUT Cedar Point). This too was dope as the amusement park provided a perfect backdrop to make the announcement by allowing the kids to associate education with something fun.
The first eligible students won’t hit Akron’s campus until 2021. The next six years should provide ample time for fundraising, however UA President Scott Scarborough indicated the university would prioritize its regular financial-aid program to make sure the free college promise is kept. According to Ohio.com, the program currently contains 1,100 kids, but it is expected another 1,200 will be added over the next four years.
HHSR likes to focus on all athletes and rappers who give back, but importance of one person having this much influence on an entire region and actually using it for something positivist cannot be overstated. If all goes well, many students from the inner-city will be afforded opportunities for higher education they might not have ever had.
This man is no Michael Scott and this ain’t “Scott’s Tots“; the program is called “I PROMISE” for a reason. LeBron James nobly continues the ongoing fulfillment of his promise to the people of Northeast Ohio off the court. All we need now is a championship on the court.
Regardless, you can’t say LeBron James isn’t our champion.