LeBron James amazes us on and off the court as he helps people in Akron

(This opinion article represents the collective viewpoint of the Akron Beacon Journal's Editorial Board, which includes two editors and four community members.)

Just a kid from Akron.

Father of three and husband.

Successful global businessman.

Philanthropist helping people in his hometown.

Social influencer whose thoughts matter on important issues of our time.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer, scoring well above his career average at age 38.

LeBron James is all of those things, and each is remarkable in its own way — let alone when combined into the legendary status he's achieved in all facets of his extraordinary life.

James' ascension to the top of professional basketball's all-time scoring list on Tuesday night comes 20 years after he last played at Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, leading the Fighting Irish to three state titles.

By then, he'd already been prophetically featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as "The Chosen One."

Months later, he would be playing for his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA as a teenager. The rest, as they say, is history.

Developed in Akron:LeBron James sets NBA scoring record with the support of Akron, Cleveland basketball stars

Locally, we appreciate LeBron's passion for Akron, helping children and struggling families through the I Promise School, House 330, I Promise Institute and a housing project under construction for the school's families at Cedar and Maple streets. He's helped students attend college with scholarships at Kent State, the University of Akron and Stark State.

The LeBron James Family Foundation is a driver of change in Akron that is focused on helping people in all facets of their lives. It's help that our community truly needs.

As his mother, Gloria, noted in a tearful video released after his record-setting shot, "You are empowering our kids and families in Akron and communities everywhere to reach their dreams."

What strikes us on this occasion is not just James' well-documented rags-to-riches story or ability to improve his game late in his career.

Despite living in a glaring spotlight since his high school days, James has thrived where so many burgeoning stars have failed on or off the court. He's been a role model for his own children and those who watch his every move. He's commanded every aspect of his growing empire with the same precision he shows on the court.

Even after leaving the Cavaliers and winning two NBA titles in Miami, he came back home to lead Cleveland to its first professional championship in 52 years in 2016. He's since won a fourth championship with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Everybody's journey makes them who they are," James said in a 2022 Nike video documenting his work in Akron. "Because of the shortcomings and things that I had to go through when I was younger, I wanted to make sure the majority of the kids that came from the same community didn't have to go through ... You just hope that you can leave it in a better place than it was when you was growing up."

Those are words we wish everyone aspired to follow.

Congratulations, LeBron. Thanks for helping Akron. We can't wait to see what's next.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron's LeBron James amazes us on and off the court