LeBron AP Male Athlete of the Year

MIAMI -- Hanggang sa pagtulog ay iniisip ni LeBron James ang basketball.

Bagama’t sa tingin ng marami ay siya na ang pinakamahusay na basketball player sa buong mundo kungdi man sa buong kasaysayan ng NBA, hindi bumibilib si James sa kanyang sarili.

Matapos ang makulay na 2013 na kinatampukan ng kanyang kasal, NBA championship at ikaapat na MVP award, patuloy na naghahangad si James.

Naghahangad ng higit pa sa kung anong mayroon siya kaya patuloy ang kanyang pagsisikap.

Inihayag ng  The Associated Press na si James ang kanilang 2013 Male Athlete of the Year para maging ikatlong basketball player na komopo ng award na sinimulang ibigay noong 1931.

Tumanggap si James ng 31 sa 96 votes sa botohan upang talunin sina Peyton Manning (20) at Jimmie Johnson (7).

“I’m chasing something and it’s bigger than me as a basketball player,” sabi ni James. “I believe my calling is much higher than being a basketball player. I can inspire people. Youth is huge to me. If I can get kids to look at me as a role model, as a leader, a superhero... those things mean so much, and that’s what I think I was built for. I was put here for this lovely game of basketball, but I don’t think this is the biggest role that I’m going to have.”

Ang mga dating nanalo ng award ay sina Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Carl Lewis, Joe Montana, Tiger Woods at Michael Phelps. Si Serena Williams ang AP Female Athlete of the Year.

Makakahanay nina James sina Michael Jordan at Larry Bird bilang NBA players na nanalo ng naturang  award.