At 40 years old, LeBron James is already a mega star beyond his play on the basketball court. He is considered by many to be the best NBA player of all time, and has a huge global influence off the court.
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However, he has found a way to have even more global influence by partnering with Mattel to create his own Barbie doll.
This is not a collaboration many were expecting, but now that it has happened, it makes a lot of sense for both sides. Mattel is launching a 'Kenbassador' series, focusing on dolls for male role models. As one of the top male athletes, LeBron makes a lot of sense to be the first Kenbassador in the series.
The doll as a whole highlights who LeBron is as a person and why he is a male role model worthy of his own Barbie doll. The outfit is personalized with LJ on the front, an Ohio and crown patch on one sleeve, 23 on the other sleeve, and the message "Just a kid from Akron" below his name on the back.
His t-shirt says "We Are Family" which is a tribute to the LeBron James Family Foundation, and he also has a wristband on that says "I Promise" which represents his I Promise School.
The first 5,000 dolls sold at Target in the first five days starting on April 14 will be matched by Mattel with a copy of James's I Am More Than book to a charity called Save the Children.
While the doll itself brings a lot of exposure to James as an athlete, it clearly is much more than that, and represents charitable causes in multiple ways, showcasing why both sides are happy with this partnership.
On the court, LeBron is still playing like he's in his prime, helping the Lakers reach the third seed in the Western Conference with three games left in the season. They can fall in the standings, so the last three games are meaningful to hold on to home-court advantage.
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LeBron has also been in the public eye due to the presence of his son Bronny James on the Lakers roster. Bronny hasn't had much opportunity to succeed on the court, which is understandable for the 55th overall pick.
LeBron has also recently started the second season of his podcast 'Mind the Game' with Steve Nash, which has been a success across its two seasons. He began the first season with now head coach J.J. Redick.
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