Sports Illustrated will announce its choice for 2013’s Sportsman of the Year on Dec. 16. Here’s one of the nominations for that honor by an SI writer.
By: Lee Jenkins
In 2012, LeBron James won the NBA championship, NBA MVP, Finals MVP and Olympic gold medal. He delivered a playoff performance that was unforgettable, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Indiana, and then one that was epic, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Boston. He rescued the United States in pool play versus Lithuania and again in the gold-medal game versus Spain. During the regular season he shot 53 percent — Larry Bird never even shot 53 percent — with an efficiency rating nearly four points higher than anybody else’s. He set a career-high in rebounds and attempted fewer three-pointers than ever while sinking them at a higher clip than ever. He was named SI‘s Sportsman of the Year. “It gets no better for a basketball player,” said Heat guard Dwyane Wade.