LeBron

Earlier today, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Brandon Roy were among those involved with Nike’s “Let Me Play” program, which included dedicating a basketball court at New Orleans’ St. Bernard Community Center. The day also featured LeBron cutting the ribbon on a brand-new playground on the St. Bernard property that he built through his LeBron James Family Foundation, in partnership with State Farm.

Lisa Leslie, Saints RB Deuce McAllister (massive human being), DJ Clue (with bodyguard), Steve Stoute and New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin were also on-hand.

When the Dime crew arrived, the outdoor playground was buzzing with local kids, media and industry types, and it got even crazier when ‘Bron showed up in all-white LBJ gear and an all-black Yankees cap, flanked by security guards and local cops. After a few quick words and the ribbon-cutting, things moved inside to the gym, where Nagin was one of the speakers who went before LeBron. Mayor Nagin talked about how no one thought the Hornets would come back to New Orleans, but not only were they back, they have the most wins in the West. Durant (who’d been introduced by one of the speakers as “Kevin Doo-raunt”) and B-Roy perked up when he said that.

Then LeBron spoke for a minute or so, his most memorable line being, “I was a kid once…” Yeah, like two years ago. The players then ran through some layup lines with a couple of local youth-league teams: LeBron did some effortless self alley-oop dunks while Durant (wearing some crispy white Air Force 1s with Sonic-green laces) flicked in threes from about 32 feet out. All the guys had fun with the kids, which had to be cool for them to say they tossed Durant an oop or kinda/sorta gave LeBron buckets.