“HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER!!!!! ENJOY YOUR DAY!” – LeBron James wishes Malcom D. Lee on his birthday

LeBron James and Malcolm D. Lee discussing Space Jam: A New Legacy

LeBron James of the LA Lakers, took to Instagram to wish a happy birthday to the director of his recent movie, “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” Malcolm D. Lee celebrated his 52nd birthday Tuesday and shared a reel his wife made as a gift.

The movie is not James' first. He has appeared in a few movies, including "Trainwreck" and also "Small Foot" as a voice actor.

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Lee’s "Space Jam: A New Legacy" is the first sports-themed movie he’s directed, having worked quite a bit in the comedy genre. The movie is a sequel to "Space Jam," which featured NBA legend Michael Jordan.

The video had highlights from Lee’s life that included many pictures of Lee courtside at NBA games, showing his love for the sport. James shared this video with a message, saying:

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER!!!!! ENJOY YOUR DAY!”

Before the release of the movie, Lee provided a sneak peak into James' work ethic, even when it came to acting. In an interview with CASSIUS, Lee shared his experience in coaching James through the process of making the film, saying:

“Fantastic. He’s a great leader. He’s very talented. He wants to get better. He wants to be directing. He wants to be coached and, you know, has no ego about it. Like, give him a note about something, and he leads by example. He never left the set.

"He interacted with his co-stars, played H-O-R-S-E with his MOCAP performers. And, he was there for his background talent as well.”

James and Lee share a relationship, having worked together on the movie during the 2019-20 season. James put in a lot of effort to not let the movie get in the way of his basketball routine. Like his idol Jordan, who got himself a full court on the movie set, James did the same, continuing to practice.

LeBron James is building his value on and off the court

Although the movie wasn’t as successful as LeBron James expected, he increased his exposure to the film-making industry in which he is reportedly interested. He has many successful ventures outside of basketball, including a 2% ownership of Fenway Sports Group. One of the LBJ’s greatest projects is his funding of the 'I Promise' school in Akron, Ohio, where he was raised.

.@MagicJohnson wants LeBron to be in the MVP conversation! https://t.co/sSMNzPyBcl

On the court, James has excelled in his 19th season. Over the last 10 games, James has been consistently efficient, averaging 34.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Keeping up with the pace of today’s game, he averages 1.8 steals and 1.4 blocks in the same stretch of games.

The Lakers won’t have an easy road to the playoffs this time, owing to their 21-20 mark midway through the season. But having James play at such an elite level this late in his career improves their chances of making a strong comeback.