'Its going to be a lot of fun. ESPYS have always been
very good to me'
CLEVELAND - LeBron James is going Hollywood this summer.
The Cavaliers All-Star will co-host this years 15th annual ESPY
Awards in Los Angeles with late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel,
the Associated Press learned on Tuesday.
Its another first for the 22-year-old James, who has previously
appeared on the show as a winner and presenter.
Im really looking forward to it, James told the AP. Its going
to be a lot of fun, and a chance to get out there and crack some
jokes along with Jimmy. The ESPYS have always been very good to
me.
James is the second athlete to serve as a host for the event, which
honors the years best sports moments and athletes. Last year,
cyclist Lance Armstrong hosted and the seven-time Tour de France
champion also beat out James to win his fourth consecutive male
athlete of the year trophy.
This is the first time the show has ever had co-hosts. The ESPYs
will be taped at the Kodak Theatre site of the Academy Awards
on July 11 and air on July 15.
James is no stranger to ESPN and its fans.
Hes an almost nightly fixture on the cable networks SportsCenter,
where his slam dunks, 3-pointers and no-look passes regularly make
the highlight packages. James ties to ESPN date back to his junior
year at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School when the network
televised one of his games.
Kimmel has twice presented at the ESPYs. He joked that he was
looking forward to working with James again.
I am delighted to have been asked to host the 2007 ESPYs, but as a
father, it is especially exciting to be asked to host with my son
LeBron, Kimmel said.
Although this will be his first foray into hosting an awards show,
James insists he isnt scared.
Hed better get nervous, Kimmel cracked in a phone interview,
because if hes not hes not going to do a good job.
Kimmel has hosted the American Music Awards three times. He and
James met a few years ago backstage at the ESPYs.
We shook hands and I said, Hello, and he just kind of looked at
me quizzically, Kimmel said. Hes very, very tall. Im not sure
everyone knows that about him.