Akron native starts GoFundMe account to raise money for LeBron statue

LeBron James has given a lot to Northeast Ohio, and now one resident of the region is trying to give a little something back.

Aaron Carey, a fellow Akron, Ohio, native and St. Vincent-St. Mary High School alum, has set up a GoFundMe page with the intention of raising $1 million to build a bronze LeBron statue in his hometown.

"I can't help but be inspired by all of the great things LeBron has accomplished on and off the basketball court," Carey wrote on the fundraising page. "As a nonprofit co-founder myself, seeing the growth and impact of the LeBron James Foundation has been impeccable. When I was a kid, I would volunteer at the LeBron James Bike-A-Thon which evolved into the 'I Promise' program. Since then, his initiative has grown from giving out hundreds of bikes to kids, to building mentoring programs, youth development, support of college athletes, and starting his own elementary and secondary schools."

James responded to news of the fundraising effort after Cleveland Cavaliers shootaround on Monday before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

"First of all, thank you," James told reporters. "It would be cool, not only for myself, but for my family and all the people that had anything to do with this journey thus far. So, just appreciative even of the thought. That means a lot."

Carey told Craig Webb of the Akron Beacon Journal that he wants the statue to be in Akron, and is considering several different locations - in front of St. Vincent-St. Mary, on the street named for James (King James Way), outside James' I Promise School, or somewhere on the University of Akron campus. Carey said he's reached out to artist Omri Amrany - who's sculpted iconic statues of Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Jerry West, among others - about designing one of James. He also said he's spoken to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, and that Gilbert was receptive to the idea.

"We really want this to be in Akron," Carey told Webb. "We talked to Dan Gilbert and he wants to put one up in Akron after LeBron retires."

Carey says he's yet to reach out to James himself about the project.

"We don't want to be a distraction," he said. "We want this to grow organically at first then hopefully meet with his team after the playoffs are over."

To date, the GoFundMe campaign has raised $255.