“Basketball is my passion, I love it. But my family and friends mean everything to me. That’s what’s important.” Lebron James

‘King’ Lebron James is a proven professional basketball leader, champion, role model, and league superstar who is making not only a name for himself on the court of the current professional basketball stage, but is also cementing a convincing case to be remembered as one of the sport’s all-time greats, as well as the face for basketball mental toughness.

In a quick-paced game of match-ups, speed, and athleticism every league player is familiar with the stresses, and sensationalized media coverage that the bright lights of a professional sport entail.

Lebron James’ quote speaks to a softer, less-covered part of the mental game of basketball – the ability to step away from the characters that are created on the court and tend to the things that matter most in life, like friends, family, and community.

When arguably one of the best players – in any era – of professional basketball speaks such altruistic words of wisdom, the rest of the league listens. Players are more than just the sum of their actions and correlated scoreboards on the court; they are people as much as the next person.

In today’s age of media expansion and round-the-clock sports coverage it can be easy to overlook this truth and ‘buy into’ a false basketball psychology that caters to the very ego that the media builds for players the whole league over.

Being a parent, a husband, a son, an uncle, a teacher, a student, even a good samaritan, can all be cast to the wayside in favor of big endorsement deals, relentless corporate shilling, and the at times immoral temptations that only fame and money can conjure.

Today’s basketball can be changed to accommodate ‘King’ Lebron James’ words, and the mental game of basketball doesn’t have to be tied to the lasting image of macho dominance seen on the court or the sensationalized lifestyles off of it that reaches the watching eyes of young athletes the whole world over.

Professional basketball players have been touted for their athletic abilities, basketball mental toughness, fiercely competitive mentalities, as well as their flamboyant and camera-ready personalities.

They have also had their fair share of legal troubles ranging from domestic violence, marital infidelities, disorderly conduct, and other various less favorable acts potentially initiated by their own rampant egoism.

The new mental game of basketball should stress the need to leave the game on the court, and when the clock expires the real individual behind the publicized athlete should know what matters most.

When a ‘King’ speaks the rest of society listens, and ‘King’ Lebron James’ emphasis on family, friends and a life prioritized by the moments outside of the spotlight is a testament to the changing sports psychology for basketball.

Athletes whom embrace the spotlight and the characters it can create tend to run afoul of the undeniable fact that an inability to separate the athlete from the person is of benefit to nobody.

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