LeBron James will attempt to turn the page by drawing inspiration from a page-turner.
The Cleveland Cavaliers star was spotted leafing through a book Wednesday during shootaround prior to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, which obviously raised some questions. Which book was he reading, and why?
We now have answers: Turns out LeBron finally has moved on from “The Godfather” and is reading Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist.”
James’ athletic trainer and close friend, Mike Mancias, gifted the novel to the veteran forward, who has “flip(ped) through about half the book” in the last few days, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“What do you give a guy that through his hard work now has access to explore whatever sparks his interest? Well, I thought you can’t go wrong with sharing a good book,” Mancias told ESPN.
“The Alchemist” traces the quest of an Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, who sets off to discover his “personal legend” while journeying through the North African desert. Along the way, he meets a wise alchemist who helps him find his true self. The international best-seller is full of valuable life lessons, among them its most famous line: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
The universe didn’t do James any favors Wednesday night, as he committed six turnovers in a 96-83 Cavs loss that pushed them to the brink of elimination. But just as Santiago overcame adversity in “The Alchemist,” LeBron is intent on keeping his season’s book open as the series shifts to Cleveland for Game 6.
“I like the challenge,” James told McMenamin after Game 5. “If you put the challenge in front of my face, I’m going to go for it.”
James’ favorite thing about the book, per McMenamin, is the original publisher dropped Coehlo and his story because it “didn’t think it was a money maker.” The book now has sold more than 150 million copies, according to Penguin Random House.
In short, James likes tales of disproving naysayers and overcoming long odds. He’ll certainly have that opportunity, as the Cavs are one loss away from potentially closing his chapter in Cleveland.
