Lebron James
LeBron James (36, USA) of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers was honored as the Men’s Sports Player of the Year by the Associated Press. The Associated Press announced on the 27th that “James was selected as the male player of the year. James announced this year’s’Black Lives Matter’ movement to the world and led his team to the league championship.” He was nicknamed’King’ and showed his best skills in the NBA for over 10 years. Also, on the issue of racial discrimination, he exerted a strong social influence by establishing an angle with US President Donald Trump.
James, who received this award this year, became the fourth player to win after 2013, 2016, and 2018. Tiger Woods (Golf) and Lance Armstrong (Cycle, Lee Sang in the United States) have the most awards (4 times) together with James in the men’s category, the Associated Press, established in 1931. In the Female Player of the Year category announced on the 28th, Babe Didrickson (Golf USA) was selected 6 times and Serena Williams (Tennis USA) was selected 5 times.
James was selected as the Final Best Player (MVP) by leading the Lakers to the championship in 10 years in the NBA championship match that ended in October this year. He was selected as the Final MVP for the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, and in 2016, wearing the Cleveland Cavaliers uniform, was the MVP of the championship match. James was the first player in NBA history to be selected as the final MVP from all three teams.
James also spoke to the black human rights movement this summer, triggered by the death of a black man named George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the process of suppressing white police. Based on his absolute popularity and skill, he exerted influence on and off the court.
James, who has won this award four times in the last eight years, said, “In games, I always pour out all of me and do my best to do what I need to do. I can actually do more off the court.”
As James said, his name also appeared during the vaccination process for the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in the United States. Last week, U.S. Federal Public Health Commissioner Jerome Adams publicly asked James to get the vaccine first. “I know James advocates wearing a mask (to prevent COVID-19). I want to know when he’ll get a’vaccine shot’ rather than a’basketball shot’,” said Adams.
James slightly outnumbered Kansas City’s quarterback Patrick Mahoms (25, USA), the winner of the American Professional Football (NFL) Super Bowl, who scored 78 points and scored 71 points in a poll consisting of 35 members of the Associated Press.
The Associated Press’s Player of the Year was awarded by NBA players six times in the past eight years, including last year also received by NBA player Kirwai Leonard (29, USA). In the last eight years, the non-basketball winners were two major league (MLB) players: Madison Bumgarner (31, USA) in 2014 and Jose Altuve (30, Venezuela) in 2017.
Reporter Kim Shik