
LeBron by Jeff Benedict Photo courtesy of Simon & Schuster
Sports Illustrated writer Jeff Benedict has an eye for the greats, or as they're commonly referred to by fans, G.O.A.T.s — the greatest of all time. His biography, "Tiger Woods" was the basis for a two-part docu-series on HBO, and his book "Dynasty," covering the unbeatable New England Patriots team led by Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick has been ordered as an upcoming series for Hulu. His latest biography of an American superstar is "LeBron." Known as King James to his NBA fans, Lebron James is undeniably one of the greatest to ever play the game. I spoke with Benedict ahead of a talk he'll give at House of Books in Kent, Conn., on Friday, May 5, at 6 p.m.
Alexander Wilburn: When we talk about these larger-than-life sports figures you’ve written about — Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, and now LeBron James — who almost transcend their role as just athletes to become pillars in the culture, what makes an icon?
Jeff Benedict: To me, those three are the transcendent athletes of the 21st century. I’d add a fourth in Serena Williams. The reason I wanted to write about Tom, Tiger, and LeBron is that they’re not just athletes, they’re global figures. In order to be interesting enough to write a book about someone they have to be more than just a great athlete. Tiger and LeBron were certainly helped by being the two global spokesmen for Nike — Michael Jordan was in the ‘80s and ‘90s — Tom was helped by leading the greatest sports team that we’ve seen in this century. There have obviously been a lot of endorsements and business opportunities. Tom Brady has built a brand as a businessman. That’s also what separates them, they built businesses while they were playing at the peak of their careers. Traditionally most athletes have waited until they retired to try and start a business.
AW: The movie “Air” directed by Ben Affleck is out now about the creation of the Air Jordan. Nike and Michael Jordan teamed up to create a cultural legacy that’s still relevant 30 years later. Why hasn’t LeBron captured that?
JB: Jordan was first. Whenever you’re first, that’s the legacy that lasts, and it should. When he joined Nike it was a low-grade sneaker company. People only bought Nikes if they were going jogging. He was really responsible for catapulting Nike into a global company. In LeBron’s case, he came second, the baton was passed to him from Michael. What LeBron did differently is he really is responsible for opening up China. He has gone to China every single year since he’s been in the NBA, he’s really opened up the foreign markets for Nike. People in America really underestimate the significance of that. We’re so insular here, most Americans don’t really recognize how much impact LeBron has had with Nike in markets that we don’t pay attention to. But China is the biggest market in the world, and LeBron James is the most recognized athlete in China. Michael Jordan was a ground breaker and a trailblazer and the Air Jordan brand is never going to be eclipsed because it is so intricately married to Nike, and “Air,” which I loved, did a good job of showing that. LeBron, he’s more than just Nike. He’s in movies and TV and HBO comedies. He owns a piece of the Boston Red Sox. His portfolio is more diverse.
AW: Just this year LeBron James broke the scoring record previously held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Is that bittersweet?
JB: We’re talking about a handful of players who become the all-time leading scorer, hit the most home runs, and won the most Super Bowls…we can count those players on one hand. When you set a record like that, you’d love for that record to stand forever. But players also realize they’re always going to be someone who’s going to come along and threaten the record. I thought Kareem was gracious. These records are so rarely broken, the person who previously held them usually isn’t alive. So it’s actually neat that Kareem was here to see that happen. That record that LeBron just broke — that record just stood for a long time.
AW: Thinking about his legacy: Jordon was a Bull, Kareem was a Laker, Larry Bird was a Celtic — who will claim LeBron?
JB: By the way, people dismiss the fact that Kareem spent a huge swath of his career as a Buck and he didn’t win there. He didn’t win any championships until he went to the Lakers and paired up with Magic Johnson.
AW: But we think of him as a Laker.
JB: No, that is how we think about him, and you’re absolutely right. LeBron is different from them, and different from all of the great players who came before. He's "The World Traveler." He’s been to four cities and he has delivered a championship to every team he’s played on. That’s what distinguishes him. I wasn’t knocking Kareem when I said he played for the Bucks, but he only won championships with one team [Editor's note: Abdul-Jabbar did win one championship with the Bucks in 1971]. Same with Jordan, same with Bird. There’s no other journeyman, no other greatest of all time, who’s in the conversation, who was able to go to all these teams and deliver.
AW: When the topic of The GOAT comes up — the greatest of all time — it’s likely you’ll get a different answer depending on the generation of the basketball fan. Is it actually worth trying to rank Kareem, Jordon, and LeBron, or should we let the different generation have their own GOATs and appreciate the players on their own?
JB: It’s great discussion material for sports talk radio, but to me, I don’t ever weigh in on that. The only people I think can really weigh in with authority are those players themselves. When you look at Michael Jordan, I like what Michael said at the pinnacle of his career and being compared to Bill Russell. He said he thought it was inappropriate to compare, because they played in different eras, and the game was very different in those eras. To me, that makes a lot of sense with Michael and LeBron as well. Michael played his last game as LeBron was being drafted. Literally, one era closed and another opened in the same summer. Sometimes history had a beautifully poetic way of unfolding. I think in the end, LeBron will be remembered for a lot of things besides his talent in basketball. That’s not a knock on Michael, he was a world-class entertainer who happened to be an athlete. LeBron has branched out into areas that Michael purposefully stayed away from, like politics and social activism. That is another form of legacy.
The Canaan Pirates pose as champions after defending the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Majors Little League title.
THOMASTON — The Canaan Pirates are champions once more.
In the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Majors Little League title game Friday, June 13, the Pirates defeated Thomaston JRC Transportation by a score of 6-2.
Brody Ohler pitched a two-hitter for Canaan. Milo Ellison relieved him, facing one batter who flew out to right field where Ben Young secured the final out.
Canaan never trailed in the game against top-ranked Thomaston, which lost one game all season prior to the championship. Both JRC losses came from the Pirates, with players aged 10 to 12 from Cornwall, Falls Village, Kent, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury and Sharon.
Milo Ellison played second base before relieving pitcher Brody Ohler.Photo by Riley Klein
In the title game at Reeves Field in Thomaston, the Pirates started strong with a lead in the top of the first inning. Ohler singled, then stole second base. Liam Downey brought him home with a single, then Sam Hahn doubled to put runners on second and third. Ellison brought them both home with a triple and the Pirates took a 3-0 lead.
The margin held until the sixth inning when the Pirates extended their lead to 6-0. With J.T. Farr and Bentley King on, Ohler sent a deep shot to center field and rounded the bases for an in-the-park home run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Ohler surrendered two runs before reaching his pitch limit. Ellison stepped in to end the game with some help from Young in right field.
The Pirates piled on Young in the outfield chanting “Benny! Benny!” The two sides shook hands in the spirit of sportsmanship before trophies were awarded.
The Pirates rejoice around Ben Young after he secured the final out.Photo by Riley Klein
After winning the District 6 title for the second straight year, Coach Tom Downey said "It feels awesome. Especially this group who worked really hard. Last year we were dominant, this year these guys worked their butts off."
"We definitely earned it," said third baseman Michael Prisco.
Ohler finished with nine strikeouts on the mound, three hits in three at bats, two RBI and a home run. Ellison hit 1-for-2 with two RBI, Liam Downey went 1-for-3 with an RBI, Sam Hahn and J.T. Farr hit 1-for-3 and Sam Hamlin hit 1-for-2.
For Thomaston, Owen H. hit 1-for-2 with two RBI and Lucas K. hit 1-for-2. The pitching trio of Gavin M., Jackson Ether and Brody Conlon combined for 12 strikeouts.
J.T. Farr and Brody Ohler are back-to-back District 6 champions.Photo by Riley Klein
NORTH CANAAN — The Canaan Red Sox ended the season with a thrilling 14-13 win over the Tri-Town Phillies Thursday, June 12.
Canaan trailed for most of the game but kept it close. Ultimately, the Red Sox secured the victory with a final-inning comeback in front of the home crowd at Steve Blass Field.
The Red Sox rejoiced as victors. Reflecting on the season, Coach Nikki Blass stated, “My boys continue to come off the field smiling and doing better than the game before.”
The Red Sox are part of the Northwest Connecticut Steve Blass Little League AAA program, consisting of players aged 9 to 11 from Cornwall, Falls Village, Kent, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury and Sharon. Tri-Town includes players from Goshen, Litchfield, Morris and Warren.
Berkley Karcheski connects for a Red Sox hit June 12.Photo by Simon Markow
The result June 12 marked the first win of the season for the Red Sox. The night before, Coach Nikki Blass reassured her team with a letter, writing, “You should keep your heads high and know that you are all an asset to this team. Tomorrow we are clearing the slate and we will win.” She continued, “I hear in addition if you put a bat under your bed you get an amazing hit on game day.”
The bat trick paid off and many Red Sox logged hits in the game. “Everyone was on fire,” exclaimed Blass after the game.
Quinn McKniff pitched the majority of the match for Canaan with reliever Myles Shippa taking the mound for the final inning.
Blaze Freund heads for home.Photo by Simon Markow
Offensively, Blaze Freund logged his first hit of the season. His twin brother Roan scored after sliding head-first into home “Pete Rose-style.” Myles Shippa recorded an RBI double in the game.
The Red Sox gathered beneath the scoreboard for a team photo after the win. With wide smiles and baseballs held high, the players ended another joyous Little League season.
Written by Riley Klein with reporting from Simon Markow.
The Red Sox conclude the 2025 season with a win.Photo provided
State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) was treated for her injuries at Sharon Hospital.
The day after concluding what has been described as a grueling legislative session, State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) had a running accident, leaving her with a broken pelvis and collarbone among other more minor bruises and abrasions. Despite the injuries, she is in good spirits and recuperating at home, eager to get back on her feet.
Horn said after spending weeks in the assembly hall, she was eager to get some outdoor exercise in, but perhaps pushed a little too hard too soon. She said she was excited to get a run in on the morning of Friday, June 6, but was still exhausted from her time in Hartford and in the final stretch of recovering from a meniscus repair surgery in December.
Before the run, she told friends she was hoping for a “hard reset for [her] health,” she said with a rueful laugh.
Nearing the end of the loop, Horn said her leg was fatigued and gave out, causing her to fall on the pavement. She is grateful for the community members who helped during the ordeal, including an unknown motorist who waited with her until her husband arrived, and the staff at Sharon Hospital who she said were “wonderful.”
She was directed to keep weight off her hip for 4 to 6 weeks, and since her collarbone is also fractured, cannot use crutches so she’s partially wheelchair-bound for the time being. While she’s disappointed to be missing out on the start of hiking, biking and running season, she’s keeping her sights forward and focusing on recovery.
In the meantime, she said she’s grateful for the video and photo updates from her son, who is hiking the Connecticut portion of the Appalachian Trail: “I’m living vicariously through him.”
Milo Ellison sends a fly ball to left field, bringing home Brody Ohler and Sam Hahn in a walk-off win for the Canaan Pirates June 11.
NORTH CANAAN — The Canaan Pirates advanced to the league championship after a comeback victory over the Tri-Town Red Sox Wednesday, June 11.
Down 3-2 with two outs and two on in the bottom of the 6th inning, "Mighty" Milo Ellison stepped up to the plate and launched a fly ball deep to left field. The single brought home Brody Ohler and Sam Hahn for a walk-off Pirates win.
"Milo did it," shouted a teammate. "Let's hear it for Milo!"
Elite pitching from both sides kept the game close. Starter Sam Hahn pitched five and one-third innings for the Pirates and recorded 10 strikeouts. For the Red Sox, Joey B. struck out 11 batters over five innings.
Sam Hahn threw 10 strikeouts for the Pirates against the Tri-Town Red Sox June 11.Photo by Riley Klein
Milo Ellison led the Pirates offensively, batting 2-for-3 with one run and three RBI. Sam Norbit logged an RBI and went 1-for-2 at the plate for Canaan.
"Nothing like a walk-off," said a spectator after the Pirates won 4-3.
Canaan, which includes players aged 10-12 from the six Region One towns and Norfolk, will face top-ranked JRC Transportation in the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Little League title game.
The Pirates rejoice after winning the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Little League semifinal game.Photo by Riley Klein
The Pirates are the reigning champs of District 6 and have a 10-2 record this season. Brody Ohler, who pitched the win in last year's championship, is expected to start on the mound once again for Canaan.
JRC Transportation led the league this season with a record of 11-1. Canaan delivered JRC its lone loss 1-0 on May 27, but JRC defeated Canaan 15-4 in the June 6 rematch.
The championship will be played at Reeves Field in Thomaston Friday, June 13, at 6 p.m.
The Northwest Connecticut Steve Blass Little League Majors Pirates have a chance to go back-to-back in District 6.Photo by Riley Klein