A number of marquee athletes jetted abroad this summer, but LeBron James is truly the veteran of the overseas tour. The Nike-sponsored athlete made his 12th annual trip to China, from Sept. 10-12, visiting both Guangzhou and Beijing.
In Beijing, he spent most of his time working out with and coaching members of the U23 Chinese National basketball team, made up of young athletes ages 13 to 19. The goal was to improve the team’s play as part of a first-time partnership with the Chinese National Basketball Federation.
To kick off the event, “Coach” James led an hourlong training session in the weight room, where he shared tips and techniques from his personal off-season workout regimen and instructed the teens on proper form.
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Then on the court, he joined them for shooting drills and game strategy sessions, while coaches Damon Jones and Otis Hughley reviewed offense basics with the team. (One thing they didn’t need advice about: their sneaker game. All team members were outfitted in red and black-camo versions of the Nike LeBron Soldier 10.)
During his visits to China over the years, James — and Nike — have endeavored to make a lasting impact on basketball around the world. But as the NBA star shared on Instagram, he recognizes firsthand the impact the game has had on his own life.
In a post marking the finale of his tour, he wrote: “Every day is a dream. I’m so blessed that this game of basketball has taken this kid from Akron around the globe. I never take a single moment for granted. To all of my fans in China, thank you. You guys are unbelievable!! My Chinese fans threw me a championship parade and I want to thank them for it again!“
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