LeBron James was the guest of honor at the 108th Greater Akron Chamber’s Annual Meeting last month. The Cleveland ‘Cavaliers’ player was presented with the H. Peter Burg Award for his hard work and dedication that has inspired the next generation.
“I PROMISE to continue to be an inspiration, not only to my boys and my daughter, but to these kids,” said LeBron during his acceptance speech. “You guys have seen me grow from an eight-year-old kid who first played basketball, to a 15-year-old kid on the cover of Sports Illustrated, to the 18-year-old kid drafted into the NBA, and now, a 30-year-old man with three kids and a beautiful wife.”
The H. Peter Burg Award is given to individuals who demonstrate incredible leadership abilities that positively impact those around them. LeBron was a solid leader with the Miami ‘Heat’ for a number of years before returning to his hometown and signing back on with the Cleveland ‘Cavaliers.’
“I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there,” James said in a blog post that announced his departure from Miami last year. “After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn’t going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy.”
LeBron’s wife, Savannah, has since given birth to their daughter, Zhuri, and the family has relocated to Cincinnati. LeBron and Savannah have three kids.
Photo: LeBron James Family Foundation
