LeBron visits Manila to mentor Filipino basketball talents

MANILA, Philippines - LeBron James hopes his story can inspire young Filipinos to rise out of adversity through basketball.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star is in the Philippines to mentor finalists of ''Rise,'' a Nike-sponsored reality TV program aimed at finding young Filipino basketball players, mostly from the countryside, and honing their talents.

Here are some clips of James' class in session:

Complete with pyrotechnics:

Coming from humble beginnings and raised by a single mother, James said he can relate to what the ''Rise" kids are going through.

He says, ''I think my story speaks for itself. You know, I was a kid who didn't believe that I can't make my dream become a reality, and I know it will take a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice and a lot of love.''

James said he wants to teach the kids skills and to ''tell the stories that I can give them, tell them about the game.''

It's a continuation of a summer of goodwill from James, who's recently donated uniforms to an Akron high school football team, and established an educational program that awards those who complete it with full scholarships to the University of Akron.

- With files from theScore