Watch LeBron James Explain His Personal Connection To Kendrick Lamar’s Music

LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a huge come-back victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, helping his team erase a 25-point deficit at half time on their way to the win. But, in the post-game press conference, he fielded a question about another impactful person: Kendrick Lamar.

James, who previewed tracks from the Compton rapper's DAMN. album on Instagram before its release, spoke about his personal connection to Kendrick's music. "The guy is an unbelievable talent," James said. "His wordplay in his lyrics is unbelievable, and it hit home for me at times because I was a kid who grew up in the inner city."

He continued: "His story of the notion of you either play basketball or sell drugs, that’s it, there’s no out. You become a statistic. As an African-American kid growing up in the inner city, they don’t believe you can get out and become something. That’s why I’m able to relate to a lot of his lyrics and relate to a lot of his stories. He’s an unbelievable artist and an unbelievable person. I’m glad he’s able to put those words onto a track for all of us to be able to hear. For me, I definitely appreciate it.”

Watch LeBron James's full answer to the question above.

Thumbnail image: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images.