"Football fans will rebuke my comment": Liverpool minority owner LeBron James adamant on basketball's global popularity take
It's already common knowledge that basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, especially with a player such as LeBron James being the face of the NBA. However, James argued on his "Mind the Game" podcast with JJ Redick that it was the biggest in the world.
James, who became a minority owner of the English soccer club Liverpool in 2011, is known to be a huge fan of various sports. On the fourth episode of the podcast released on Wednesday, the four-time NBA champion wanted to make it clear which sport has his vote as the biggest one out there.
"I mean there's not much going on in Connecticut besides the Huskies," James said. "So when you get a popular basketball player, which is the most popular sport in the world. I'm going to stick by it, I know football fans will rebuke my comment but I believe that."
(Timestamp: 11:40)
Moreover, LeBron James highlighted that a place like Connecticut doesn't have much going on outside the fanbase for basketball. When it comes down to it, having an elite basketball player represent an area is a big deal for most people, which further looks at how important the sport has become over the years.
LeBron James bids farewell to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
On Jan. 26, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, after nine seasons with the club, announced his decision to step down from the position at the end of the 2023-24 Premier League season. Following this announcement, 20-time NBA All-Star LeBron James wanted to bid him farewell on X for an amazing journey and for everything he has done for the club.
"Thank you for everything and more," James said. "You are one hell of a manager and you'll never be forgotten and more importantly, you'll never walk alone! The Reds will miss you."
According to Marca, Jurgen Klopp's tenure in Liverpool was crucial as his involvement with the 19-time English champions was one of the main moves made by LeBron James, alongside other owners and the Fenway Sports Group, to shift the culture in the right direction.
Interestingly, the Lakers star was drawn into becoming one of the soccer club's minority owners due to Liverpool being an important team in the sport's history. A Hindustan Times article also highlighted LeBron James' strong fandom for Liverpool. This led to him being part of the organization and becoming one of the individuals in charge of redefining the soccer club's identity.
Aside from being passionate about his basketball craft, James still finds the time to appreciate the craft of other athletes with different specialties in sports. The four-time MVP's appreciation for the greatness of individuals who excel outside of the basketball court is evident as he doesn't settle for just being a basketball head.