LeBron James offered a generous birthday gift to his mother Gloria a few weeks before her 54th birthday on Feb. 4.
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The generous gift offers a window into the tight bond between the younger James and his mother, which began under much more modest circumstances.
The elder gave birth to her son on Dec. 30, 1984, with LeBron James having no other siblings. While he was growing up in Akron, Ohio, he and his mother endured poverty and other hardships.
That misfortune began to change when the younger James’ skill on the basketball court became clearly evident. During his high school days, his basketball talents were the subject of a cover story in Sports Illustrated.
By 2003, the younger James graduated from high school and ended up being the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Despite the tremendous pressure of trying to live up with the years of past publicity, he has managed to put together a career that has stamped him as one of the NBA’s all-time greats.
Over that entire time, the elder James has loyally stood behind her son. That was especially true in 2010, when the younger James was the subject of deep anger from basketball fans.
The reason for that anger was the younger James’ decision to sign with the Miami Heat. Yet, that decision resulted in four consecutive trips to the finals and his first two NBA titles.
The younger James ended up returning to Cleveland in 2014 and winning a title two years later. He then signed to play for the Lakers in 2018 and won his fourth title in 2020.
Rewarding parents for their sacrifices in the past is something that many athletes have done. However, 37-year-old James clearly wants to reward his mother for her past efforts with the very best.
