Sports Illustrated announced five athletes as winners for their annual Sportsperson of the Year award.
Part of the five “activist athletes” who received the honour are the two reigning Finals MVPs of the NBA and WNBA LeBron James and Breanna Stewart respectively. They join Naomi Osaka, Patrick Mahomes, and Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff as 2020’s award winners.
Having previously won it in 2012 and 2016, LeBron James, who led the work in fighting voter suppression while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the 2020 NBA championship as the Finals MVP, becomes the first athlete ever to win Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year award more than two times.
On his way to leading the Lakers to 2020 NBA title, he averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game and went on to be named the 2020 Finals MVP. Receiving that honour he became the first player in NBA’s history to win the Finals MVP trophy with three different organizations.
Other than his on-court success, James was part of a leadership group consisting only of Black athletes and artists that advocated the ‘More Than A Vote’ campaign, an initiative that worked to end voter suppression during the 2020 United States Presidential election. He worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone, especially African-Americans, has access to the election polls.
Sports Illustrated mentioned:
“James, 35, long ago found his social and political voice. There is debate over whether he’s the greatest NBA player ever. But with his efforts for racial justice, education reform and Black community empowerment as well as his voting rights campaign and varied charitable work, there is no doubt that he sets the standard for the modern socially conscious athlete. It is for his career-long dedication to service that we also honor him with this year’s Muhammed Ali Legacy Award.”
Muhammad Ali was a renowned boxer who routinely advocated for social justice for the African-American population. His widow, Lonnie Ali, had a few words to say about James:
“He continues to embody Muhammad’s principles and core beliefs, using his celebrity platform to champion social justice and political causes that uplift all people…LeBron has actively used Muhammad’s example to guide, inform and inspire him along his path”
On the other hand, Breanna Stewart, who led the Seattle Storm to the 2020 WNBA championship after bouncing back from an Achilles injury, led from the front with her constant support for the Black Lives Matter movement all through the 2020 WNBA season.
