LeBron James appeared last night on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” which showed video of James and other NBA stars talking about police violence during the opening moments of this year’s ESPY Awards. Host Trevor Noah asked, “Why do you feel you need to say something like that in a sports forum?” James: “It just comes natural to me. ... I know the challenges that kids have. And for our society to become as great as it should, I think it starts from the ground up, and it starts in our own communities, going back into our communities, using our resources, using our knowledge. Anybody can lend money or anybody can go give an appearance. But I think actually being there and them seeing you gives the kids hope.”
Noah and James discussed his charitable efforts, including providing college scholarships for students, with Noah noting there are “probably kids out there that have come up to you and gone, ‘Hey LeBron, I was going to go straight from high school to the NBA but you shut that down. So now I've got to go to college.’ Is that why you did it?” James: “I’ve had kids say, ‘Well, Mr. James, you want us to go to college but I read something about you. You didn't go, and I thought it was practice what you preach.’ And I was like, ‘Well, back then when I had an opportunity, I was a lot older than you, and they didn’t have college when I came out of high school’” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 8/17).
James on "GMA" this morning said of the Rio Games, "Every time I watch 'em I wish I was out there. I did not retire from Team USA. I just did not play this summer. So I still left the door open" ("GMA," ABC, 8/18).
