‘King’ LeBron James (36, USA) of the American Professional Basketball (NBA) Los Angeles Lakers was selected as the Men’s Sports Player of the Year by the Associated Press.
The Associated Press reported on the morning of the 27th (Korean time), “We selected James as the male athlete of the year. James announced that this year’s’Black Lives Matter’ campaign was announced to the world and led his team to the championship in the league.” James beat NFL Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahoms (USA) with 78 points and 71 points in a 35-member vote.
James was awarded at least the fourth time in his career following 2013, 2016 and 2018. James stood shoulder to shoulder with Tiger Woods (golf) and Lance Armstrong (cyclist, Lee Sang USA), the top men’s winners. In the AP Women’s Player of the Year category, Golf’s Babe Didrickson (USA) is the top winner with six times.
James led his team Lakers to the top of the NBA Finals in 10 years. The Lakers, who won their 17th title in their career, were named the most successful team ever with the Boston Celtics. James won the 4th personal career finalist (MVP).
James won the final MVP at the Miami Heat in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015-2016 season. James is the first in the history of the NBA to be the final MVP in three teams.
James spoke to the worldwide black movement that took place last May in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, when a black man named George Floyd died while being suppressed by police.
James said after winning: “All I have to do on the court is to put everything into the game. But you can do a lot of things outside the court.”
Reporter Jeong Se-young