Why LeBron James Is the 'Sports Illustrated' 2016 Sportsperson of the Year

As we announced earlier this month, LeBron James was named Sports Illustrated’s 2016 Sportsperson of the Year, the second time the NBA superstar earned such an accolade. Today, the longstanding publication released video footage of Jay Z’s introduction and LeBron’s acceptance speeches, in addition to a brief featurette in which SI editors detail why they chose the three-time champ.

There’s no doubt that it’s been an impressive year on the hardwood for the future first ballot Hall of Famer: most notably, he brought a championship to his hometown of Cleveland, something he promised to do when he first entered the league in 2003. However it was James’s off-court efforts that solidified his position atop the sports world. Not only does he give to countless charities, including his own, LeBron never shies away from speaking out on pressing issues that impact the underserved and unfortunate. Whether it’s police brutality, voting or education, he rarely misses an opportunity to use his platform for good. So much so that he decided to wear a safety pin on his lapel for the cover photo, a symbol of solidarity for those who fear they’ll be disenfranchised by a Donald Trump presidency.

Enjoy the videos below.