Basketball's reigning king has placed his bets on Hillary Clinton, the United States' first woman to be a major party's official Presidential nominee, as the 2016 election nears.

Lebron James, a three-time NBA champion and Cleveland Cavaliers star, formally endorsed Clinton on the front page of the Akron Beacon Journalwhich has since been published by Business InsiderJames, who grew up in poverty in Akron, explained that he sees a champion for down-on-their-luck kids in Clinton, and that he'll proudly cast his vote her way come November.

"As a kid, I didn't have much money," he wrote. "It was just my mom and me, and things were rough at times. But I had basketball. That gave me a family, a community, and an education. That’s more than a lot of children in Akron can say."

"I am determined to make sure my kids in Akron have what they need to become their best selves," he continued. "Opportunities, a support system, and a safety net for kids in poverty or kids in single-parent households shouldn't be limited to those lucky enough to be blessed with athletic talent...Only one person running truly understands the struggles of an Akron child born into poverty. And when I think about the kinds of policies and ideas the kids in my foundation need from our government, the choice is clear. That candidate is Hillary Clinton."

James added that Clinton's commitment to expanding affordable education is critical to the future of his hometown's youth, and that rebuilding unsafe communities by actively addressing violence is key.

"We must all stand together — no matter where we are from or the color of our skin," he noted. "And Hillary is running on the message of hope and unity that we need."

According to NPRClinton said she was "so excited" upon getting the news that James decided to so vocally support her.

On the other hand, things haven't been going so well for Clinton's opponent, Donald Trump, across the past week. On top of some arguably damning tax return leaks and the reality that Clinton has expanded her lead over Trump in national polling since the candidates' first debate last week, a new report says Trump was ruthlessly sexist as host of The Apprentice.

More than 20 people connected to the show — which aired between 2004 and 2015 with Trump as host — have come forward to explain that Trump demeaned women contestants with sexist language and even rated them based on breast size, according to The Associated PressOnce, he even lewdly addressed a camerawoman's rear end and compared her looks to his daughter Ivanka's. He often encouraged Season 1 contestants to shorten their dresses' hems, the site continues to allege.

What do you make of Lebron's endorsement? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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