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Despite his PR’ing ways when leaving Cleveland, when leaving Miami, when talking the “high road” when he stepped directly over Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, LeBron James has used his wide platform rather well.

That’s because he has used his platform, one of the longest-reaching in the world, for good.

And that’s why we should want him on the world stage that is the NBA Finals.

Among NBA stars, it is James who paid tribute (with his entire team following his lead) to teenage boy Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman; who spoke against former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for Sterling’s many racist comments. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling after James’ comments.

It is James who wore an “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirt (as did a teammate) in recognition of Eric Garner, who was put in a chokehold by a police officer; who drew attention to a Cleveland baby who was shot dead; who spoke out against the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by police officers, linking to a Time.com article about the death of Castile, using #BlackLivesMatter in his tweet:

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This article says it all man! Sickens me and I shed multiple tears about it all. https://t.co/Tsj9646QoT #ItNeedsToStop #BlackLivesMatter — LeBron James (@KingJames) July 8, 2016

It is James who advocated for social change at the ESPY awards and at an event he has hosted for years; who campaigned against a certain White House occupant, speaking against him since regarding racism and democracy; who wore shoes saying “EQUALITY”; who spoke against a man’s spray painting the “n-word” on the front gate of his house; who stood up to right-wing anchor Laura Ingraham in front of press and in social media activity that got media attention; who supports an NBA head coach being a woman.

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There’s also the philanthropy.

James co-founded Wheels for Education, a program in his home city of Akron, Ohio, designed to fight the national issue of dropouts, seeking to motivate kids to graduate from high school.

James made a new gymnasium for his high school, St. Vincent-St. Mary, possible, with a $1 million donation.

James is helping make it possible for students in the I PROMISE initiative go to college.

It appears that when other NBA players also wore the “I Can’t Breathe” shirt, it was because of James: unanimously, he was elected by peers as the vice president of the players association. He’s the first to hold such a role.

As a reminder, it is James who has set a new record for most all-NBA selections of all time, a new record for most field goals made in the NBA playoffs, a new record for steals in the postseason in hardly three weeks. James is also seventh all-time in the NBA in scoring (he could become first). He will be tied for fourth place in consecutive NBA Finals appearances if he, as the lone star on his team, can manage a win Sunday. Even if he doesn’t, he is fifth.

His accomplishments have made him someone who has the attention of the entire planet; who has an incessant following as to whether he can become, as it’s called, The Greatest Of All Time.

Yet, on social injustice, LeBron James said, “it’s bigger than us.”

#wewillnotshutupanddribble Don’t like ads? Become a supporter and enjoy The Good Men Project ad free A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Feb 16, 2018 at 7:47pm PST

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