Lebron James has scored another win for himself, as well as the underserved kids at his Promise School in Akron, Ohio. According to General Mills, the Lakers superstar will be the next athlete to grace the iconic orange Wheaties box.
The last athlete to grace the cover was AP Athlete of the decade Serena Williams.
However, this year’s box will be different from the previous boxes, as it will feature a wraparound image of Lebron and the students and staff of his IPromise School. In 2018, Lebron opened the school to help at-risk children from his hometown in Akron, Ohio.
On Wednesday, Lebron announced the news in a statement, saying, “The movement we’ve started in Akron is about doing our part to uplift our community by first listening and then responding with the resources they need.” He said, “We will continue to do everything we can to create a better future for our kids and our community, and it starts with the students, teachers and everyday champions you see on this box.”
Over the next few weeks, you can expect a rollout of The LeBron James Wheaties box in the U.S.
James has built quite a legacy for himself on the court, which includes 13 all-NBA first-team selections, ten NBA Finals, three NBA championships, and just one game away from his fourth, in just seventeen seasons.
The idea to include the IPromise students and staff on the box was to illustrate that this “Kid from Akron” has “never forgotten where he came from.”
Brand experience manager Taylor Gessell said in a statement, “We all know LeBron James for his record-breaking basketball career, but his achievements off the court truly set him apart.”
“From starting the LeBron James Family Foundation, to boldly speaking out on racial injustice, to launching the I Promise School – LeBron is a champion of change who is using his sports platform to better the world. We couldn’t be prouder to feature such a positive force of inspiration for the next generation of champions on Wheaties’ historic box,” she added.
Although he is currently competing for his fourth championship, Lebron said he is honored to join the long list of athletes who have graced the cover of the Wheaties box,
“Growing up where we come from, to see my I Promise kids and families from Akron, Ohio, represented on the iconic Wheaties box means everything,” he said. “The movement we’ve started in Akron is about doing our part to uplift our community by first listening and then responding with the resources they need. We will continue to do everything we can to create a better future for our kids and our community, and it starts with the students, teachers, and everyday champions you see on this box.”
The back of the box will feature Lebron’s history, but it will also include the history of the IPromise School and its mission to help the children of Akron.
Executive director for the Lebron James Family Foundation, Michele Campbell said that Wheaties has helped make IPromise School’s goal of not just helping the students, but their entire families as well, with quality education, a safe place to live, and food on the table.
“Having our students, families and educators on the Wheaties box alongside LeBron is pretty powerful, and it illustrates that deep and meaningful work cannot be done alone.” She said, “It takes an entire community to truly rally around those that need it most, and it takes a lot of passion and hard work. But it can be done, and we’re humbled to continue pushing the envelope on what’s possible for these families and all communities across the country.”
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