LeBron James Explains The Reason Behind Speaking Out On Social Issues On HBO’s ‘The Shop’

LeBron James is getting our attention for several reasons. The NBA star moved to Los Angeles, and used the opportunity to talk about major social issues. LeBron is successful outside the basketball court, too, and yes, The Shop will be a great hit.

King James is one of the most outspoken athletes. He always voices his opinion on social issues, and let’s be honest, we don’t really see other athletes do anything like this. LeBron was part of several racial issues, and he doesn’t shred words when it comes to introducing changes. The Shop is based on this particular topic.

LeBron spoke against the sitting President of the United States, and nothing could stop him. Remember how he called the President a ‘clown?’ He even accused him of using sports to divide the country.

The NBA star changed in the last few years, and his kids sure changed the way he sees things. He doesn’t even hesitate speaking out against injustices. LeBron went on his HBO show “The Shop,” and told Jon Stewart how his children changed his outlook.

“Certain things happened. Things change in your life. Me having my own kids and then seeing the Trayvon Martin thing. It hit home. If I didn’t have any kids at the time, who knows if I would’ve been able to speak up on it because it probably wouldn’t have hit home for me. It wouldn’t have made me feel the same way. At the time, I think my oldest son was nine and my youngest son was six. I can’t imagine sending my kid out and he didn’t return home. Like that. I couldn’t imagine that. Like, that happened. So that’s why I started thinking, ‘OK, if I can get 25,000 people to show up to a basketball game, I can reach so many more platforms when I talk,’” LeBron said.

Some fans have already compared him to Muhammad Ali. LeBron is well aware of the backlash he experienced, but he doesn’t really care about critics.

“Yeah, because at the end of the day, when I decided I was going to start speaking up and not giving a [expletive] about the backlash or if it affects me, my whole mindset was it’s not about me. I think Ali knew it wasn’t about him; I’m going to get the backlash, I’m going to go to jail. But what this is going to do for the next group, what this is going to do for the next athlete, what this is going to do for the next minority who wants to speak up whenever that happens. Ali’s whole mindset was like, at some point somebody is going to take what I did. And I sensed that. I sensed that on losing this, or losing that, or losing popularity. My popularity went down. But at the end of the day, my truth to so many different kids and so many different people, was broader than me personally,” he said.

Well, “The Shop” is just the beginning, and LeBron will sure focus on the hottest topics these days.