5 impactful ventures of LeBron James beyond the NBA court
LeBron James is known as one of the most popular figures in the basketball world. With merchandise such as jerseys and signature shoes among the many sources bumping sales revenue for any team he's on every year, LeBron has one of the most productive brand values of all time.
Whether it's on or off the court, LeBron plays an active role in contributing. Taking part in multiple ventures, LeBron James is always looking to diversify his portfolio and give back to the community.
As LeBron enters his 19th season in the NBA with the LA Lakers, he looks to expand his brand even after his career on the court has ended. With that in mind, we take a look at five impactful ventures by LeBron James beyond the NBA court.
#1 I Promise School
One of LeBron James' most significant ventures outside of the NBA is the I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, LeBron's hometown.
The school opened in 2018 with the support of the LeBron James Family Foundation. Aimed at supporting at-risk children in the community, the school aims to give education and open up avenues for children by providing them with all the necessary support to ensure a brighter future.
The Foundation aims to support students by providing free tuition, food, transport, bikes and helmets, scholarships, and career placement opportunities. They also aim to support the families of students by giving them access to GED's and job placement opportunities.
The I Promise Network Scholarship also gives free tuition to students who graduate from the Akron Public School system with a minimum of a 3,0 GPA to go to the University of Ohio.
Ten years ago, LeBron James created the "I Promise" program to help Akron students graduate high school.
This year, the inaugural class graduated, with all 193 students awarded free tuition to either the University of Akron or Kent State University.
That's life-changing 🙏 https://t.co/GDN8Y1ZVI3
As of now, the school only attends to grades three and four, but by 2022 it is expected to be fully operational and cater to first through eighth grade.
#2 Space Jam: A New Legacy
NEW SPACE JAM TRAILER 🎥
@KingJames and the Tune Squad battle for their lives on @hbomax July 16
https://t.co/lbJQSFPghx
Following up with a fan-favorite sports movie starring Michael Jordan, Space Jam, LeBron James starred in his own sequel to the classic.
Space Jam: A New Legacy was the highly anticipated follow-up to the original, which was released in 1996. The original featured the abduction of Michael Jordan by the characters in the Warner Bros. cartoon series, The Looney Tunes. In hopes of having the greatest player in the world save them from enslavement by aliens by playing against them in a basketball game, Jordan aimed to save the Looney Tune world.
Much like the original, LeBron James enters Tune Town, but this time the movie takes a more cyber approach due to the nature of tech and artificial intelligence driving the story.
Although the movie itself didn't receive rave reviews, the follow-up to Space Jam was something almost every basketball fan was looking forward to. The film was released in Los Angeles on July 12th, 2021.