LeBron thanks fan for ‘more than an athlete’ poster

LeBron James gifted a young fan his shooting sleeve Tuesday night after spotting his custom-made sign.

The Cleveland Cavaliers easily beat the Phoenix Suns in Arizona Tuesday night, but the most memorable part of the game came off the court, after LeBron James noticed a young fan holding a custom-made sign that read, “You are more than an athlete.”

The message was a referring to an incident that occurred several weeks ago, when Fox News host Laura Ingraham told LeBron and Kevin Durant to “shut up and dribble” in response to their speaking out on political issues.

LeBron took to social media the next day, telling Ingraham that he’s “more than an athlete.” The country views LeBron as a successful man in both sports and life. He’s way more than an athlete, and has devoted time and considerable money to helping underserved communities in Ohio and beyond.

The message — that athletes aren’t there merely to entertain us and can be a force for change in the political realm — clearly resonated with that young fan in Phoenix, and LeBron, moved by the gesture, showed his respect by giving him his shooting sleeve as a gift.

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LeBron told the Cavs security guard to hand the young fan his shooting sleeve right before the end of the game. The fan was understandably thrilled to be recognized by one of his heroes, and reacted accordingly.