LeBron James Is Named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year

LeBron James was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year for 2012 after winning his first National Basketball Association title along with a third NBA Most Valuable Player award and an Olympic gold medal.

James, 27, guided the Miami Heat to the NBA championship after the 2011-12 season and added the NBA Finals MVP to his regular-season award. He then helped the U.S. successfully defend the men’s basketball title at the London Games.

James is the seventh NBA player to receive SI’s award, the Time Inc. magazine said today in an e-mailed statement. James’s Heat teammate Dwyane Wade was the league’s last winner, in 2006.

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net