Former NBA Point Guard Gilbert Arenas ex-Laura Govan Reacts to LeBron James’ Mother's Hand In Her Sons Achievements

LeBron James is one of the most prolific athletes of our time, currently playing for the NBA team Los Angeles Lakers. Other than his playing creds, the Lakers star also has quite a few lucrative business deals to his name, the biggest one being his $1 billion lifetime deal with the sports apparel brand, Nike.


Laura Govan, on the other hand, is a TV personality who was in a relationship with NBA legend Gilbert Arenas for more than a decade. The two were engaged for almost 6 years, and have four children together. Govan recently reacted to James’ admission about how his mother was a big part of all he has achieved today.

LeBron James' mother had the best advice for her son

Recently, LeBron James opened up about how his mother played a pivotal role in him choosing Nike, which became one of the best deals of his life. When he was still in high school, he had already made a name for himself in the world of basketball. Not just recruiters, but big-name brands were also trying to get him to sign with them. Among these brands were Reebok, Nike, and Adidas.


James recounted during his recent appearance at the New Heights podcast by the Kelce brothers that the first meeting he had at the time was with Reebok. He went there with his mother, Gloria Marie James, and met the CEO of Reebok at the time - Paul Fireman. Reminiscing about the time, James revealed how the meeting went.


"The guy slides over a check to me at the end of the table, it's me and my mom and Maverick Carter, and [Reebok CEO Paul Fireman] says, 'If you don't go talk to any other companies, this is yours.'”


A young James was tempted by the figure, but it was his mom who talked to him about trusting himself and going with his gut.


"My mom looked at it, and me and my mom were living in an apartment, Section 8 housing in Akron, and my mum looked at me, she says 'Son trust your gut, if they're offering you this then who knows what the other companies may offer you.'”

And of course, a mother's advice hardly ever misses. And instead of a $10 million deal, LeBron James later got the offer of a lifetime after signing with Nike for $1 billion.

Laura Govan praises LeBron James’ mother’s instincts

After learning about how LeBron James' mother helped him during his younger years in making the best decision for himself, Gilbert Arenas’ ex-fiance, Laura Govan took to her socials to praise Mama James. She posted an excerpt on her Instagram stories with the caption - "A mother's work!” No doubt, as a mother to four children herself, Govan knows how important the motherly instinct is, and that is exactly what aided James in his younger days.


Govan is also related to LeBron James in another way, as her uncle, Aaron Goodwin, was James’ agent till 2005 until he was fired by the player. The latter negotiated a $90 million deal on behalf of James with Nike, which was a big step up for the NBA veteran. Currently, Goodwin represents Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks and helped him negotiate a lifetime deal with Adidas.

Currently, four active players in the NBA have a lifetime deal with shoe companies - LeBron James with Nike, Stephen Curry with Under Armour, Kevin Durant also with Nike, and Damian Lillard with Adidas. Out of these four, Govan's uncle Aaron Goodwin has worked as an agent with three over the course of their career at different points in time. Laura Govan herself has been associated with the game in different capacities for a long time and is loved by fans for her honest attitude all through these years.

Also Read: Former NBA Champ weighs in on LeBron James’ post-retirement plans amid partner’s $5 billion investment venture