The reporters who travel with LeBron have gotten to know him well. Many of them have followed his career since he debuted in the league. Their stories offer insight to his character behind the scenes—something that may interest long-term collectors of his cards.
Kristen Ledlow, who covers the NBA for TNT, said that “When I think about the one story that sums LeBron up as not just a basketball player, but as a man, he asked me to come co-host his LeBron 12 launch at the Nike headquarters a few years ago. And the night before the launch, we all went to dinner: Me, LeBron, and his management team and, of course, the Nike Basketball team as well. He told a story that as a child he couldn’t even afford one pair of basketball shoes. With tears in his eyes, he looked around the table and proposed a toast and thanked everyone for making it possible that he just had 12 pairs of shoes named after him. To watch him in that moment recognize the influence he had not just as a basketball player with a basketball shoe, but as a man impacting younger generations was an incredibly powerful thing. When I think about my favorite LeBron moment that continues to come to mind, because I won’t forget his face, I won’t forget his tone, and I won’t forget this man realizing how much influence and power he has in the position he is.”
And that is one of the many reasons LeBron has such a loyal following. In the card industry, this rare parallel has a following of its own. It features LeBron fresh out of high school as he arrives in the NBA. With its wicked Auto 10, renowned Upper Deck SP branding, solid design, and limited production of /50, it should have its own moment in extended bidding.
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