2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Looking forward to tonight'- LeBron James shares emotional message ahead of 'Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning' premiere
NBA legend
recently posted a heartfelt message on Instagram Stories. The message was addressed to one of the greatest athletes, Jim Thorpe, as History TV has developed a documentary on him.
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The movie, called "Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning', examines the life and career of the Native American athlete who became well-known and respected throughout the world for his athletic abilities.
LeBron James honors Jim Thorpe ahead of 'Lit by Lightning' premiere with heartfelt Instagram tribute
took to his Instagram on July 7 and just before the release of the documentary, he wrote:
'Jim Thorpe.. One of the greatest to ever do it.. Looking forward to tonight.'
He further added a lightning emoji along with a black and white picture of the athlete playing football.
The movie is set to premiere on The History Channel on Monday, July 7. The plot revolves around Jim Thorpe, America's all-time great athlete.
Born in an Indian territory, he was a multi-sport athlete who played basketball, baseball, and football. He also won Olympic gold medals in the track and field event in 1912. He later started to advocate for Native rights. However, his journey was not an easy one. He faced many challenges, including racism and loss.
Nevertheless, he never gave up.
Meanwhile, the movie is being directed by
, who is renowned for his progressive Native-focused filmmaking in 'Smoke Signals' and, more recently, the popular AMC drama 'Dark Winds.' He partnered with LeBron James' UNINTERRUPTED sports platform for this project. This is a highly acclaimed attempt to give the famous athlete's incredible and almost forgotten legacy its due recognition.
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LeBron James in action (Image via Instagram / @kingjames)
As per Native News Online, during an interview, when asked what motivated him to tell Jim Thorpe's story, he answered:
'I first heard about Jim Thorpe when I was five or six. The story was simple but stuck with me. At the Olympics, someone stole his shoes, so he found two mismatched shoes in a trash can, put them on, and still won the gold medal. He wasn't just a great Native athlete, but a great American athlete, and the very first celebrity athlete.
I felt like his name was being lost, and that was a tragedy. So when the chance to tell his story came through LeBron James and History, I said: whatever it is, I'm in….
'
Additionally, another work related to Jim Thorpe's life is called "Path Lit by Lightning.' This biography is written by David Maraniss. It explores his life in depth, separating fact from fiction and providing a comprehensive look at his triumphs and failures.
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