ESPN's Rachel Nichols' Interview with LeBron James to Air on GMA, Today

ESPN host Rachel Nichols conducted a rare one-on-one interview this week with three-time NBA champion and four-time league MVP LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The interview debuts Thursday morning on ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA - James will then be in-studio with GMA host Robin Roberts - and later that morning during editions of SPORTSCENTER on ESPN. This weekend, SPORTSCENTER will also air an extended version of the conversation with James.

Nichols, host of ESPN's in-season weekday NBA show The Jump, got an inside look at how the LeBron James Family Foundation is working to provide opportunities to kids in Akron. Established by James in 2011, the Foundation's mission is to positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education and co-curricular educational initiatives. The program begins working with kids in the third grade, the age at which children are most at risk of starting to fall behind. Kids remain in the program as they progress through grade school. The inaugural class is now entering eighth grade.

In addition, the University of Akron has pledged to offer college scholarships to kids who complete the Foundation's program when they graduate high school.

In the conversation with Nichols, James discusses his efforts to help kids in Akron, and he talks about his memorable speech at the ESPYS in July. While joined by fellow NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade, James said on-stage: "It's time to look in the mirror and ask ourselves what are we doing to create change...We need to go back to our communities, invest our time, our resources, to help rebuild them, help strengthen them, help change them." James also touches upon a number of NBA and basketball topics.

Image courtesy of ESPN

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