"It's hard to remember a year with such a crowded field of Sportsperson candidates," said Chris Stone, Sports Illustrated Editor in Chief. "But in the end LeBron James was the clear choice. It's not just the way he took over the NBA Finals—though that performance was epic. It's that LeBron was also carrying the weight of that promise he made when he returned to Cleveland in 2014. It's a special thing for a favorite son to follow through on that kind of commitment to his hometown. Especially since he doubles down on that commitment off the court, with the work his foundation does for underserved kids in Akron and with his increasing willingness to speak out in the fight for social justice. On court and off, James was the athlete in full in 2016."