Category Archives: Sports

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LeBron’s Legacy: Nepotism or Master Plan

July 19, 2024 gabbyfaith36 Leave a comment

By Gabrielle Edwards
Contributing Writer, The Bold Opinion

The James’ family NBA legacy brews into fruition.

It is 2026, LeBron James is 41 years old, making him the longest playing player in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. LeBron’s youngest son Bryce James is eligible to enter the NBA after one year of college, making Bryce eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft. LeBron’s eldest child, Bronny James is entering his rookie season as Los Angeles Laker. One may wonder, is LeBron planning a succession plan? However, numerous news and sports media outlets are questioning whether Bronny’s drafting to the Los Angeles Lakers is a classic case of nepotism.

Bronny as a rookie has a 7.9 million dollar contract making over a million dollars a year. Would he have such a high contract as a second round rookie if his father wasn’t LeBron James? The 2026 NBA season raises questions about LeBron James’ potential succession plan, as his eldest son Bronny enters his second season with the Los Angeles Lakers amidst scrutiny of nepotism, while his youngest son Bryce becomes eligible for the upcoming NBA Draft.

LeBron James’ strategic career moves should be studied. He is a 20-time NBA All-Star, 4-time Finals MVP, and the only player in NBA history to record at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists. Though his future successors have major shoes to fill, let us not forget about his ambitions that he made known early in his career.

In a 2014 interview with GQ, LeBron James made known of his goal of becoming a billionaire as a NBA player.

“If it happens. It’s my biggest milestone.” – LeBron James

In 2022, at the age of 37, LeBron became the first active NBA player to become a billionaire, according to Forbes. In that same year 2014, LeBron threw out in the universe it would be a dream to play with his son Bronny in the league. The universe saw fit and Bronny James is a Los Angeles Laker.

Let’s get back to the idea of Lebron’s succession plan. Both Bronny and Bryce have already demonstrated that they are formidable basketball players. Bronny’s stats prior to his cardiac arrest were 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He led his team to a 23–11 record. Bronny is now drafted to the Lakers and made history as part of the first father-son duo on the same court.

Bryce is considered a high school prodigy and has earned two Division I offers from Duquesne University and Ohio State. With the guidance and elite training from their father and others, the two James brothers can potentially prove their worth. Regardless of their hard-earned success, others still argue that Bronny and Bryce are simply “nepo babies,” regardless of how well they perform.

The risk and implications for the NBA, Lakers, and LeBron James are vast. With Bronny drafted to the Lakers, it could possibly tarnish many things. One of them could be the legacy of his father if he does not meet the high expectations set on him by fans, media outlets and everyone in between. The NBA could receive backlash from the press and others for choosing Bronny because of who his father is or they chose Bronny too soon because of his college career.

The championship team, the Lakers, is facing criticism for drafting Bronny based on his previous season stats. Not to mention, there is a lot at stake for LeBron, one of the best basketball players of all time, as his legacy needs to be protected and continued through his successors that meets the hype.

A classic case of nepotism or a dream fulfilled? LeBron has been dreaming of this sentimental moment for quite some time. He has always said, it’s his dream to play with his son on the court. Now that the time is here, the question is, will he be playing with both of his sons.

Argue if you will whether Bronny and, possibly are products of nepotism, but when your father is an influential billionaire NBA Star, success is inevitable. LeBron is making moves as the average billionaire would in his position, if you ask me. It’s exhilarating to see what the future holds for the James family’s legacy and ongoing succession plan. An ongoing legacy for two or three more generations of James’ that will exist beyond LeBron’s own lifetime.

Potentially a first-time line of succession /legacy.

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Currents, Sports

Six Morehouse School of Medicine Students Chosen To Participate In NFL’s Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative

September 14, 2023 JannahB Leave a comment

By Jannah Bolds
EIC, The Bold Opinion

The National Football League is making strides to diversify its operational circuit; an effort that’s well overdue.

The NFL together with the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) and Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) roster six Morehouse medical students to participate in the second year of the NFL’s Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative.

During their one-month rotations, students will observe and participate in the care of NFL players, working directly with and under the supervision of the orthopedic team physicians, primary care team physicians and athletic trainers to gain medical knowledge and exposure to patient care in sports medicine. Additionally, students will become familiar with return-to-play guidelines and on-field treatment considerations for NFL players.

“Mentorship is a critical component of recruiting students into our field, so we’re thrilled to immerse more talented medical students with diverse backgrounds into the NFL clubs’ medical communities.”
NFLPS President & San Francisco 49ers head team physician, Timothy McAdams, MD

By the end of the rotation, students will understand the basic elements of all facets of care provided to NFL players from an orthopedic, primary care sports medicine and athletic training perspective.

Participating Students

– Temitope Elutilo-Ayoola for the Arizona Cardinals

– Brandon Chiedo for the Atlanta Falcons

– Alexandria Williams for the Cincinnati Bengals

– Adam Munoz for the Indianapolis Colts

– Valdemar Wany for the New York Giants

One of this year’s participants, Brandon Chiedo MS4, spoke to us about the uniqueness of this opportunity and its potential impact for students like him.

“I am extremely grateful to the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons, and Morehouse School of Medicine for providing me with this unique opportunity to participate in The Diversity in Sports Medicine Initiative program,” said Chiedo.

“When I made the decision to pursue a career in medicine, I had developed a keen interest in musculoskeletal, rehabilitative, and sports medicine. My goal upon the completion of my medical training is to work with athletes in some capacity. My involvement in this program will undoubtedly provide me with an opportunity to get one step closer to this goal by providing me with valuable insight into the world of sports medicine at the highest level of competition. Being able to have an opportunity like this at this point in my medical training is a blessing and one that I will not take for granted,” he added.

About the NFL D.S.M.P.I. Program

This program aims to increase and diversify the pipeline of students interested in pursuing careers in sports medicine and, over time, help to diversify NFL club medical staffs.

Diverse students from 19 medical schools will complete clinical rotations with NFL club medical staffs focused on primary care sports medicine and/or orthopedic surgery.

Learn more about the NFL’s diversity in sports medicine initiative online.

Currents, Sports

Delta Air Lines Partners With Tom Brady In New Long-Term Strategic Partnership

September 8, 2023 JannahB Leave a comment

By Jannah Bolds
EIC, The Bold Opinion

Brady partnering with the number one air line in the nation was unforeseeable, yet ironically poetic.

Yesterday, Delta Air Lines announced its newest, innovative partnership with seven-time Super Bowl champion, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Tom Brady as a long-term strategic advisor.

This new venture aims to connect Brady’s teamwork expertise, drive, and passion for success to the Delta ecosystem.

“Delta’s people are driven by their commitment to world-class performance, excellence and a desire to achieve best-in-class results,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “Bringing a leader like Tom onto the Delta team furthers our mission to connect the world while accelerating our drive to continuously improve for our colleagues, customers and communities.”

According to Delta, this first-of-its-kind partnership will operate in the following areas:

Communities
Supporting Delta’s work to positively impact communities where employees live and work, inspiring the next generation of Delta Community leaders.

Customers
Supporting Delta’s “Keep Climbing” mantra by strengthening brand identity through marketing and customer engagement.

Employees
Supporting Delta’s development by advising on strategic training and teamwork tools for more than 90K employees.

“I am grateful to be joining the Delta family, a company I have loved and respected for years,” Brady said. “Growing up with a mother as a flight attendant, I have always admired the people that make seamless air transportation possible. Throughout my career, my teammates and I flew Delta countless times, spending hours traveling for some of the most important games of our lives, even celebrating Super Bowl wins on the plane.

“Those championship teams were built off of great leadership and a commitment to excellence, and Delta certainly shares those qualities. Now, alongside Ed and the Delta team, I look forward to playing my part to continue the company’s success,” he added.

Brady joins Issa Rae, Kelly Norda, and others under Delta’s impressive roster of brand partnerships; all of whom share common values of integrity, perseverance, teamwork and the goal to be the best in their industry.