Not Basketball, Two Football Coaches Changed LeBron James’ Life

By: Vivek Nair Image Credit: NBA

[{"selector":"#anim-1bb92167-fcd6-4eed-a4f1-a85a9de5c22a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.12121%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba9cff87-d959-4bce-ae53-039af437a630","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34ad1d6e-395b-48d5-9508-d48132a5d51d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e0accea-1fe7-490a-8020-6da59c438c23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0d18a5f-2ff7-4a96-b657-1773b7a4e7ed","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-121.0356%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63571bd7-4aa2-4e90-aacd-f12b9fde53ee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f91fc111-9393-45df-8e01-230807aa60e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-158.95197%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c1999ae-0e7b-4ba4-904a-473cacd7fb3c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.743163753088693%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest basketball players of all time in the NBA. He is a 193-time All-Star, a four-time NBA champion, and a four-time NBA Finals MVP.

[{"selector":"#anim-072f5044-0c03-4836-9091-356d6bd8b022 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-15.656249719036813%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b58995f3-d184-48d4-a686-c787631b80a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49d89632-a952-4128-8b21-8fc81331e91b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 61.06225%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-939cd773-4d30-40bb-a8fd-f9c1560bd065","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] LeBron's journey from being homeless to becoming one of the greatest basketball players in the world is a truly inspiring story.

[{"selector":"#anim-428c437b-7244-4ef6-8c5d-01e84c61d79d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-19e575da-5e33-47ee-a77d-a10e627ef951","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e6746d1-5fda-41b3-996b-ede7b21703e6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bf8a3c5f-0bc2-4c0a-bc5e-1995849479f8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.290038729132412%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] LeBron was lucky to have had a few significant people inspire and guide him throughout his life. It was their influence that helped him reach his current position.

[{"selector":"#anim-4d780859-bf78-4448-8bfa-9d7811d43885","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38fdf737-5f04-4cb6-bf4e-b36fd825c377","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0090eb4-3b5f-4d2d-8214-176f2903787f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-123.77622%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ccbac8f2-66ee-4e09-9281-2b9c41277422","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-937e2b0e-20ef-4f57-ac87-d307bdbacccc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.596679357126934%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Interestingly enough, these people were not even basketball coaches, but rather two football coaches.

[{"selector":"#anim-9003a963-44a5-42e9-89fa-45014df57442","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-03aa8a33-1857-4b76-baae-68a8ea169b04","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-307a0714-1e40-4a85-9b6c-8ae57cf0162f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da18a871-1115-48be-b006-ec63a844056d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-6.9169918211924974%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] LeBron's mother, Gloria James, was only 16 when she had him. She lost her mother a few years later, leaving her and LeBron without a support system, which left them without a proper home for six years

[{"selector":"#anim-a5340186-4a64-491b-94ad-bd1be232beb3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-abe78bd8-ca91-4fc7-b4a3-c77b57a3fd73","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.03797%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7186dfc-bbfb-4c78-811a-8b443c7a484e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6df2a61-216c-4280-8d13-974ab289f093","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-124.17219%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c24bdcff-60d5-47d8-a514-90292245f01c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(7.82218770929391%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] At the age of 9, LeBron met Bruce Kelker, who was putting together a young football squad, and Kelker took him under his wing. The James' family afterwards moved in with coach Kelker.

[{"selector":"#anim-91015136-41e3-438e-9baa-3c2856f40b04","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b273470-9837-48ad-a647-5b1659c46481","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-328.5714%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84fa8542-9aaa-4bfc-8ef6-e648c202aac4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00d63b6c-17e2-4402-85c7-1fdc128fc502","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.70492%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4af9a0ce-acd3-4547-825f-8c3e7a1c5483 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(57.8193360682857%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] A few months later, Frank Walker, another youth football coach, invited James to stay with his family. After moving in with the Walker family, LeBron didn't miss a single day in fifth grade.

[{"selector":"#anim-26e5e5a2-4bda-41b9-9af8-785fe7844730 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-6.303710565203402%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-610f15a4-d1a6-496e-a205-903b985d8f94","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8dddade-353d-4d1e-a7ef-29840fc79310","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 75.76899%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67c031d9-2f00-471e-af15-a6a2a1a95baf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Thanks to their support, LeBron is currently one of the best players in the NBA. The influence of two football coaches on his life proves that inspiration can come from unexpected sources.

Not Basketball, Two Football Coaches Changed LeBron James’ Life

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