AKRON, Ohio — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from the May 23, 2022, episode of The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.
LeBron James might live in Los Angeles. But the Akron native is hardly a stranger to Northeast Ohio.
With James' Lakers having failed to qualify for the playoffs this season, the four-time MVP has been hitting the road this offseason. But while he previously vacationed in the Maldives alongside his wife, Savannah, this week brought him back to Northeast Ohio, with a trip that included a visit to his I Promise School in his hometown of Akron.
"Appreciate y’all letting me crash your last day of school @ipromiseschool!!" James wrote on Instagram in a post that included pictures of his visit. "Love you all and have a fun and safe Summer. Don’t forget what we talked about."
James' return to the Rubber City also included a stop at his alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where he visited with his former coach, Dru Joyce Jr.
"Just a Kid from Akron stopping by to say hi to his former coach," the school wrote on its Instagram account.
James' return to Akron comes nearly four years after he first opened the I Promise School, which is designed to help at-risk children with a curriculum focused on science, technology, engineering and math. Earlier this year, one of the former Cleveland Cavaliers star's most famous friends, Drake, pledged $1 million to the school, which comes as the result of a partnership between the LeBron James Family Foundation and Akron Public Schools.
“Myself and Eddie from Stake, we’re going to dedicate $1 million to the I PROMISE School, and I’m going to come drop it off myself before the school year is over,” the rapper could be seen telling James in an Instagram video that was posted in March.