The untimely and tragic murder of singer Aaliyah had a significant impact on LeBron James's high school athletic career.
When James was a high school student, sportswriter Brian Windhorst chronicled his athletic career.
On Wednesday, Windhorst spoke about the relationship between the two superstars on ESPN's basketball-focused show "NBA Today." Windhorst told Malika Andrews, the host of the program that the athlete was going to quit football after his sophomore year [at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio], then Aaliyah, one of his favorite singers, died in a plane crash. It compelled him to decide that he was not going to let fear rule his life.
On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah, just 22 years old, perished in a Bahamas plane crash.
At the time of the disaster, which claimed the lives of eight other people, the "Are You That Somebody" singer was traveling back from a video shoot in the Caribbean nation.
However, her songs endure over time. Early in his high school career, James planned to give up football in order to save his body and energy for basketball, even though he was already receiving a lot of attention from professional teams and schools.
James was a junior wide receiver for St. Vincent-St. Mary who took in 57 passes for 1,160 yards and 16 touchdowns. In order to concentrate on basketball during his senior year, he made the decision to forgo playing the physically demanding sport.
In his well-known "The Chosen One" Sports Illustrated interview, the NBA legend from Akron had already discussed how Aaliyah's passing had motivated him.
As an all-state wide receiver for the St. Vincent-St. Mary football team, James has actually been taking a chance on a potentially career-ending injury for the past two years.
LeBron convinced his mother Gloria to allow him to perform last autumn after the 22-year-old singer Aaliyah perished in an August aircraft crash, according to a 2002 article by journalist Grant Wahl.
LeBron did break his left index finger, but he still managed to lead the Irish to the state playoffs.
Aaliyah's journey into showbiz started early. She was raised in Detroit and was born on January 16, 1979, in Brooklyn, New York. When she was just ten years old, she made her television debut on the talent show "Star Search." She honed her singing and dance skills at Detroit School of Arts High School's Ford Theater for the Performing Arts.
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However, it was her encounter with R. Kelly and the subsequent publication of her debut album, "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number," that signaled her official ascent to fame. Her seductive vocals and the album's release in 1994 made her an immediate sensation and hinted at her extraordinary talent. But it was her distinct manner and unquestionable personality, not just her song, that enthralled audiences.
Aaliyah's style, which was distinguished by her crop tops, loose-fitting jeans, and stylish sunglasses, became well-known. She created styles that are being imitated today by effortlessly capturing the essence of the 1990s and early 2000s.
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