LeBron James shared the story of how a $20 hoop his mother gifted to him when he was 3 years old inspired him to become an NBA player.

LeBron James took a massive step towards solidifying his legacy in the NBA by taking the all-time scoring crown away from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Given LeBron’s longevity and form right now, this record may be out of distance by the time he retires.

His story in basketball begins where all our stories begin, at his own home, with his mother playing a massive role in cultivating his love for the game.

LeBron has often discussed his upbringing in the inner-city of Akron, Ohio, being raised as an only child to a young single mother. His mother gifted him a $20 Tikes hoop when he was 3 years old and LeBron credited that for beginning his journey in the world of basketball. He did so in a speech at a pre-game ceremony for him at the Lakers game against the Bucks,

James’ speech before the game was incredibly memorable, as he recounted everything he overcame on his path and shouted out legends that inspired him .

Will The Lakers Save Their Season After The Trade Deadline?

The Los Angeles Lakers made big moves before the trade deadline, trading Russell Westbrook to acquire D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley. They also traded Thomas Bryant for multiple second-round picks and Patrick Beverley for Mo Bamba.

LeBron has secured the all-time scoring crown and now needs to set his sights on winning. Rob Pelinka has given him the tools to do so with a balanced and young roster around him. The Lakers also traded for Rui Hachimura earlier in the season, which means the Lakers have upgraded their roster with 5 players as compared to the roster they started the season with.

With these weapons, LeBron will have to lead the Lakers to a massive turnaround to help the team climb from the 13th seed into a playoff position. The play-in will also work, but a top-6 seed has to be the goal with the roster as presently constructed.