Before Game 3 of the 2015 NBA Finals began, LeBron James turned away from the court at the then-Quicken Loans Arena
All five of the Warriors’ starters were stationed for the opening tipoff, and most of the Cavaliers were aligned, too.
But James noticed Jim Brown sitting courtside, and in a three-second exchange, the Cavaliers star — in his second season back in Cleveland, the city where professional teams drafted both him and Brown — bowed toward the NFL fullback, who returned the gesture.
James shared that clip on Instagram, along with a message about Brown, after the 87-year-old died peacefully Thursday night in his Los Angeles home, his wife, Monique, confirmed.
“I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives,” James wrote on Instagram, while calling Brown a “hero” and “legend.”
“We all stand on your shoulders Jim Brown. If you grew up in Northeast Ohio and were Black, Jim Brown was a God.
“As a kid who loved football, I really just thought of him as the greatest Cleveland Brown to ever play,” James wrote. “Then I started my own journey as a professional athlete and realized what he did socially was his true greatness. When I choose to speak out, I always think about Jim Brown. I can only speak because Jim broke down those walls for me. I am so grateful that I was able to call you my friend.”
James joined a lengthy list of athletes and public figures to acknowledge Brown, who led the NFL in rushing for eight of his nine NFL seasons, following his death.
Brown starred in football, lacrosse and track and field at Syracuse — even playing basketball, too — before becoming the No. 6 overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft.
During an interview with the Browns’ website in 2015, Brown called the NBA Finals exchange with James “one of my greatest sports moments,” according to Sports Illustrated.
“I’m not a basketball player,” Brown continued. “I had one of the greatest seats on earth. I had no concept that LeBron even knew I was at the game. And when he made his gesture, it was just a great thing for an old guy.”
The Cavaliers lost that year to the Warriors, but the next year, in 2015-16, the next year, James helped the city of Cleveland snap a 52-year title drought that dated back to when Brown and the Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964.
“I hope I can continue to honor your legacy with my words and actions,” James wrote to conclude his statement on Instagram, adding “#LegendsNeverDie” and a praying emoji to the end of his post. “My prayers to your family. I know they are all incredibly proud of everything you did for our community!”
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LeBron James honors Jim Brown with heartfelt message, clip of 2015 NBA Finals exchange - New York Post
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