LeBron James is named SI’s Sportsperson of the Year for the second time
Nearly six months after fulfilling his promise by delivering a championship to the city of Cleveland, Cavaliers superstar LeBron James was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year on Wednesday.
He joins Tiger Woods as the only two-time recipients of the honor. James also won the award in 2012 after winning his first NBA title with the Miami Heat.
“He, of course, was not the only athlete to help end a famous title drought. He wasn’t even the only athlete to be part of a comeback from a 3-1 deficit to end a famous title drought,” the magazine’s editors wrote of James.
“He is, however, the only athlete who did those things to gain more than a ring. In putting the Cavaliers on his back in the NBA Finals he also fulfilled a promise to his home city and to an entire region. He was following through on that heartfelt, but risky, vow he made three summers ago when he returned home after four successful years in Miami.”
Other finalists for the honor included now-retired Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry and Olympians Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles and Usain Bolt.
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