Lebron James Deemed Athlete Of The Decade By The Associated Press

LeBron James is the AP’s Male Athlete of the Decade.

Receiving the acclaimed honor, James joins a list of the most iconic sports legends throughout history from Tiger Woods to Wayne Gretzky to Arnold Palmer. 

Entering the decade, James was 25-years-old, ringless, and about to make the most controversial decision of his career– a decision that indisputably paid off. He joined the Miami Heat, won two titles, came back to Cleveland and won another before setting off on his current challenge, Los Angeles. “I’m just in a better (place) in my life and have a better understanding of what I want to get out of life,” James told the AP on how he’s ending the decade.

“He grew immensely here as a leader,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said of James’s growth. “He impacted winning as much as with his leadership as he did with his talent. I think that was the most important thing he learned with us. And he’s been able to take that to different franchises and continue using that as a template.”

LeBron James has completely dominated the sports world over the last ten years. The AP says he was a “runaway winner” in the vote, beating out runner-up Tom Brady.

LeBron’s next game is against the Mavs on Sunday.