On Thursday, the entire world was saddened by the death of former South African president and human-rights icon Nelson Mandela. The sports world was no exception — athletes from all sports reacted to the news on Twitter.

In the Miami Heat’s locker room before Thursday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center, four-time NBA MVP LeBron James had some heartfelt words when asked about Mandela’s passing:

His words, his mind will live on forever. In his 95 years, he was able to do some unbelievable things, not just for South Africa but for the world. You hate to lose a pioneer and a great, but what they leave behind means more than anything, and I think what Nelson Mandela will leave behind is more than him himself. It’s going to going to live on forever like Martin Luther King and some of the other greats that have come and gone. It’s a sad day for his family, but I think for us to all be in this position to see what he meant for the world means everything.

It’s hard to disagree with any of that. James recognizes that there are many things more important than the sport he’s paid to play, and it shows.