Several feats remain undecided for LeBron James in 2020, as he continues to chase his fourth NBA championship, but the superstar completed one achievement earlier this week, earning his first Emmy Award.
James’ SpringHill Entertainment, a production company he launched with business partner Maverick Carter was behind an award-winning Muhammad Ali documentary which aired on HBO. The film earned the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Long Sports Documentary as it explored the challenges, confrontations, comebacks and triumphs faced by Ali. James and Carter contributed as executive producers of the piece titled What’s My Name | Muhammad Ali Part I.
When James relocated to Los Angeles to sign with the Lakers in 2018, many analysts cited his business interests away from the NBA as a reason for the decision. Winning his first Emmy is an example of those interests already beginning to materialize. What’s My Name made its TV debut as a two-part series for HBO in May 2019, but James and Carter’s SpringHill Entertainment began working on the project as far back as 2016.
James had a second Sports Emmy nomination, for his HBO talk show titled The Shop: UNINTERRUPTED, which was up for Outstanding Edited Sports Special or Series but did not win.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
