“I know that you give so many people inspiration, including me,” James wrote. “You are living out what it means to be a role model, to be a good person, to put others first and live life to the fullest, doing what makes you happy … That is a reminder to me to continue doing that whether I’m on or off the court.”
“My bucket list is to meet LeBron,” he said at the time. “That’s the one thing I want to do … That’s my role model. He inspires me to do everything. To be a good person, to put other people first, to live your life and do what makes you happy. If I meet LeBron James, that would make my day. I wouldn’t ask for anything.”
“It hit home,” James told reporters Friday morning, when asked about Duncan’s trials. “Obviously, I know there’s a lot of kids and there’s a lot people around the world who are in similar situations … I just thought this one was unique, and it means something to me. Just me being myself.”