LeBron James: 3 times that his career transcended basketball

Times LeBron James transcended basketball: The Shop

Sensing tensions in America rising, LeBron James and his childhood friend and business partner Maverick Carter launched Uninterrupted in 2014 to give athletes an opportunity to share their experiences with the world.

Initially, Uninterrupted received donations from athletes like Rob Gronkowski, Draymond Green, and Ronda Rousey. By the end of 2015, however, Warner Bros. and Turner Sports saw the immense potential of the site and invested 15.8 million in the platform.

Soon after, LeBron and Carter had the idea to expand the site into a show where viewers could step inside of their safe haven of black culture: The barbershop.

When asked how the idea came to fruition, James told the media:

“When I was a kid, being in barbershops meant listening to adults talk about sports, clothing, politics, music, everything happened in the shop. It was so real and so candid — no one had a sense of, well I can’t be myself here. That’s how The Shop became an idea.”

After filming an episode in Toronto during All-Star weekend and a second in New Orleans for the Uninterrupted website, HBO got wind of the idea and launched the show officially in 2018.

The show features James and Maverick Carter but also rotates in a slew of athletes and media personalities ranging from athletes like Draymond Green and Candace Parker to actors, performers, and TV personalities like John Stewart, Seth Rogan, and Tiffany Haddish.

Despite their differences in profession and background, the guests and James discuss difficult subjects like politics, civil rights, and the pressures of fame.

With the Shop, James has welcomed the world into the safe space of the black community and brought people of all walks of life together over a glass of wine and a hair cut.

As the show and James’ activism continues to rise to new heights, we can’t help but be thankful that we have such strong leadership from the face of our league.