The NBA superstar and crypto.com will bring Web3 to students and families of Akron, Ohio, where LeBron James was born.
Four-time NBA champion and Los Angeles Laker LeBron James has partnered with cryptocurrency platform crypto.com to “support educational and workforce development opportunities focused on Web3.”
James and his foundation, Lebron James Foundation, will give students and families connected to its I PROMISE program access to tools like Web3 to build the future of the internet.
Web3 is a roughly defined vision for a decentralized internet that uses technologies including blockchain.
Web3, while largely conceptual, has become a hot topic among tech futurists and a buzzword for startups in cryptocurrency and similar cutting-edge areas.
“Blockchain technology is revolutionizing our economy, sports and entertainment, the art world, and how we engage with one another. I want to ensure that communities like the one I come from are not left behind,” said James in a statement.
“Crypto.com and I are aligned on the need to educate and support my community with the information and tools they need for inclusion. I’m looking forward to working with them to bring these opportunities to my community,” James added.
Athletes in Crypto
Crypto.com has become one of the larger cryptocurrency platforms, and the company has become far more visible in recent months.
The platform is making a big push into sports to lure in new users. In November, the Singapore-based platform paid more than $700 million for the naming rights of the Staples Center, home of the Lakers, Clippers, Kings and Sparks.
As for Lebron James, he is one of the athletes and celebrities who invest a lot in the crypto space, either by financing startups or via NFTs.
Last year, NBA fans drove the price of a LeBron James highlights video into six figures using NFTs or nonfungible tokens, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Besides basketball star James, other athletes like footballer Odell Beckham Jr., NBA great Steph Curry and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady have started investing in the crypto space.
In September, NBA star Stephen Curry announced a partnership with fast-growing crypto platform FTX run by Sam Bankman-Fried. Football great Tom Brady has also signed a separate deal with FTX.
