LeBron James to open LeBron James Museum in Akron in 2023
LeBron James is unique in many ways as an NBA player, and here's one more: He has a museum about him opening before his retirement.
The Los Angeles Lakers star's foundation announced Friday that a LeBron James Museum located in the his hometown of Akron will open in 2023. Sports memorabilia company Upper Deck will reportedly be involved in creating the exhibit.
The announcement on Instagram featured a few photos of what will eventually become the museum.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, the museum will be located in the basement of House Three Thirty, an upcoming dining, retail and entertainment complex operated by the LeBron James Family Foundation that will take the place of Akron's defunct Tangier entertainment complex.
The museum will reportedly feature exhibit spaces dedicated to stages across James' life and career, including:
his early years in Akron's Springhill Apartments
his high school career at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
his NBA career, from the Cavaliers to the Lakers
his off-the-court business ventures, such as "Space Jam: A New Legacy" and Blaze Pizza
his philanthropy via the LeBron James Family Foundation
If all that sounds fun to you, the museum, which will reportedly charge admission, opens next year.
Of course, there could still be plenty more to add because James remains an active NBA player, though his career appears headed for a crossroads after the Lakers' slow start to the season. There is plenty of smoke emerging around his relationship with the team and how he plans to end his career alongside his son, Bronny, fueling speculation around a potential foray into free agency next summer.
Should James decide to change teams in free agency — like he did in that fateful summer in 2010 — we can think of one place where he could probably make the announcement.
