Like many, LeBron James spent the better part of the past few months self-isolating amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
And when it came to what the 4-time NBA MVP missed most, there was something other than basketball that topped the list.
“It’s the first time in my life that I went that long without seeing my mom,” James told reporters during a press conference in Orlando on Monday. “I hadn’t seen my mom since All-Star weekend and then I saw her two weeks or three weeks before we had to report to our respective cities. That was extreme for me."
James' close relationship with his mother, Gloria James, has been well known since the Akron native emerged as a household name during his high school career at St. Vincent-St. Mary.
"Obviously, you guys know my story, coming from a single-parent household., being an only child," the Los Angeles Lakers star said. "My mom was 16 when she had me and for me to be away from her for that long, she was like, 'I'm not leaving Akron. I'm not getting on a plane.' She kept me sane because she said, 'In due time, we'll join back together.' So that's the only thing that I really missed."
Having not played organized basketball since March, James will return to the court next week when the NBA resumes its season with 22 teams playing in Orlando. Entering the final eight games of the regular season, James' Lakers lay claim to the best record in the Western Conference at 49-14 and are considered one of the front-runners to win the NBA championship.