Lebron James is a cartoon man now. The Miami Heat guard will launch his own web-based animated series, The LeBrons, this spring. The series is based upon the popular Nike commercials featuring LeBron and his “family.” There will be Business LeBron (the only character that James himself will voice,) Athlete LeBron, Kid LeBron, and Wise LeBron.
Like a latter-day “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” each episode will convey a message — the value of staying in school, staying off drugs or sticking by your family — while its character design and wry sensibility owe an inspirational debt to “The Boondocks,” the satirical comic strip and television series created by Aaron McGruder.
“ ‘The Boondocks’ is very edgy,” Mr. James said, “but it has some great points, too, and if you can extract yourself from how edgy it is, you can find that point and you can use it.
Sorry, LeBron, but if you feel it necessary to “extract yourself” from the edginess of The Boondocks, then you don’t get it.
James currently leads all Forwards in votes for the 2011 NBA All-Star game to be held in Los Angeles, February 18th – 21st.
