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United in Black Fatherhood With Jay-Z, Dwyane Wade and Barack Obama, Close Aide to Ex-POTUS Drops His 2 Cents on LeBron James: “So Natural to Him”

Published 06/19/2023, 8:10 AM EDT

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LeBron James‘ run in the NBA is an inspirational tale. On the back of his long and illustrious NBA stint, the 38-year-old has been setting an example for basketball icons, aspirants, and aficionados alike. The same can be said about James’ role as a father. Not missing any chance to cheer on his children, King James has time and again surprised the world with his role as a parent. Being a popular culture icon of his stature, life as a father, however, has been no bed of roses for LeBron.

As has not been the case for fellow black fathers like Barack Obama, Dwyane Wade, and Jay-Z. In a recent ode to black fatherhood, President Obama’s close aide threw light on LeBron James’ successful, yet challenging role as a father.

Ex-POTUS’ close aide gives a shout-out to LeBron James’ fatherhood

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Quite a lot of stereotypes revolve around black fatherhood. The most destructive among them is the ‘absent black father.’ However, it was a reality for LeBron James, who was raised by his mother. The prevalence of such stereotypes, combined with James’ fame as an elite athlete, makes fatherhood a difficult role for him. The case is no different for fellow black fathers.

via Reuters

According to a report on Andscape, LeBron James’ family along with those of Barack Obama’s, Jay-Z’s, and Dwyane Wade’s form the most prominent black families in American popular culture. When it comes to fatherhood, James has gone through similar scrutiny as the aforementioned names. For the likes of James and other recognized black parents, parenthood has been a pursuit to make the right calls while constantly having an eye on their backs.

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In the report, Joshua DuBois, the CEO of Values Partnerships, a social impact consultancy and a White House aide in the Obama administration, gave a shout-out to LeBron James’ fatherhood. “If it wasn’t authentic, I assume it would feel heavy, but it seems so natural to him. LeBron gets in more trouble when he quotes the wrong lyric on social media,” said Joshua DuBois. Furthermore, DuBois added that King James, as a dad, has always been unfazed by scrutinizing eyes. As stressed by DuBois, LeBron has never shied away from cheering on his children and their different endeavors.

King James breaking stereotypes as a father

As rightly pointed out by Joshua Dubois, LeBron James as a father continues his journey unfazed in the hostile air that comes with his famed stature as a black athlete. From pouring cereal with his children in a Samsung commercial to eagerly welcoming his son Bronny to Instagram and baking with his daughter Zuri, James has overlooked the extensive scrutiny to display his love for his kids.

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WATCH THIS STORY: “He Had a Lot of Help”: Moments After Nikola Jokic Dismantles LeBron James and AD, Lakers Legend Magic Johnson Reacts to Nail-Biting Game 1 of WCF 2023

When it comes to supporting his two sons’ basketball aspirations, even the NBA might not have as effervescent a cheerleader as LeBron James. LeBron lauds his son Bryce’s high school exploits like a young fan. After showing up for Bronny’s game, the 19x-All-Star became a popular meme. Nonetheless, James continues to relentlessly support his children. Fans surely hope James will achieve his ultimate goal as a father and a player; to play with his son Bronny in the NBA.

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Written by:

Krishna Prasad M

980Articles

One take at a time

Krishna Prasad is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He holds professional qualifications in English and Journalism from reputed institutions. As a trained reporter, Krishna's intense passion for sports writing prompted him to become an NBA journalist.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth