MIAMI (AP) – Muling nadagdagan ang pagpupuri kay LeBron James.
Ang kasalukuyang NBA MVP at nanguna sa Miami Heat sa huling dalawang titulo nito ang pinangalanan bilang Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year para sa 2013.
Si James ang ikatlong manlalaro ng basketball na nakakopo ng award na taunang ibinibigay mula 1931. Nakakuha si James ng 31 sa 96 boto mula sa iba’t ibang news organizations at kanyang tinalo sina Peyton Manning (20) at Jimmie Johnson (7).
”I’m chasing something and it’s bigger than me as a basketball player,” lahad ni James sa AP. ”I believe my calling is much higher than being a basketball player. I can inspire people. Youth is huge to me. If I can get kids to look at me as a role model, as a leader, a superhero, those things mean so much, and that’s what I think I was built for. I was put here for this lovely game of basketball, but I don’t think this is the biggest role that I’m going to have.”
Ang mga nakaraang binigyan ng nasabing pagkilala ay sina Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Carl Lewis, Joe Montana, Tiger Woods at Michael Phelps. Si Serena Williams ang nanalo bilang AP Female Athlete of the Year na inanunsiyo naman noong Miyerkules.
Si James ay napahanay kina Michael Jordan at Larry Bird bilang NBA Player na nanalo ng award.
”I don’t think I’ve changed much this year,” sabi ni James. ”I’ve just improved and continued to improve on being more than just as a basketball player. I’ve matured as a leader, as a father, as a husband, as a friend.”
Ngayong 2013, may tatlong laro na lamang na natitira, si James ay nakapaglaro sa 98. Napanalunan ng Heat ang 78 sa mga ito.
Pinakamalaki sa mga iyon ay ang apat na nailista ng Miami sa NBA Finals kontra San Antonio. Sa Game 7, naglista si James ng 37 puntos, kabilang ang jump shot sa huling 27.9 segundo na nagselyo sa panalo.
”He always rises to the occasion when it matters the most,” ani coach ng Heat na si Erik Spoelstra.
Pagdating sa negosyo, nasa ituktok din si James. Tantiya ng ilan, ang kanyang taunang kita ay nagkakahalaga ng may $60-milyon. Nagbukas ang asawa niya ng isang juice bar sa Miami, at nais ni David Beckham na maging kabahagi siya ng koponang balak niyang dalhin sa South Florida para sa Major League Soccer.
”You want to be a part of it, but it has to feel real to you,” giit ni James. ”You don’t want to do something that doesn’t feel much to you, that you’re just doing for the money. We all have money. For me, my time is more than money at this point in my life.”
May isa pang desisyon na kailangang gawin si James sa 2014. Maaari siyang maging free agent muli sa summer, ngunit nananatili siyang tahimik tungkol dito. Diin niya, hindi pa niya alam kung ano ang sunod na gagawin.
”I’m so zoned in on what my task is here this year that it’s hard to think about anything else,” lahad ni James. ”A guy the other day asked me what I’m going to do for New Year’s, and I haven’t even thought about that.”
Nang tanungin kung mayroon siyang hindi gusto sa Miami, ang mabigat na daloy ng trapiko patungo sa homecourt ng Heat ang nasambit niya.
Aniya, ”What is there not to like about Miami? It is home. My family is very happy; I’m very comfortable. But U.S. 1? I wish that was a highway.”
Sa nakaraang dalawang taon, malaki ang responsibilidad niya kung bakit daang libong tao ang nasa mga lansangan para sa championship parade ng Heat.
At kung siya ang masusunod, mangyayari ito muli sa Hunyo.
.. Continue: Balita.net.ph (source)
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