In the most recent episode of the Road Trippin’ with R.J. and Channing podcast, which was released on Friday and included Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith, LeBron James talked candidly about his early years.

James began his speech at 43:30, discussing how the fourth grade marked a turning point in his life and recounting how, despite missing 82 days of school, he was still able to pass the grade. James stated:

“One day in the spring, when my mom and I went to school, my teacher said, ‘Your son applies himself so much when he’s here, but he’s never here.'” “What can we do so my son doesn’t fail?” my mother then asked. My son shouldn’t feel like a failure, in my opinion.

Richаrd Jeffersоn clаims tо be hоlding his hаnd аrоund а fооt high. “My teаcher аt the time—I’m sоrry I cаn’t remember yоur nаme—gаve us а stаck оf pаpers аnd sаid, ‘If yоur sоn cаn finish this stаck оf extrа credit, we’ll pаss him.'”

“This is my mother, G. My mother and I went home and divided the extra credit papers. It was half hers, half mine. We handed that in, and they went ahead of me. That is the reason my mother is still a G.

Without athletics, I would have given up. The streets are so fascinating that sports have rescued my life. It’s fascinating that you don’t understand what other people don’t understand.

The podcast, which is currently available on James’ Uninterrupted network, goes into further detail about how athletics literally saved his life. His mother made him move in with the Walker family the following year because she claimed to have known her son was intelligent and that all he needed was structure in his life, which allowed him to thrive.

James recounted how he made the honor roll his first six little league football games, scored eighteen touchdowns, and won the city championship. He also remembered how he missed zero days of school in the fifth grade.

Jаmes remаrked, “I wаs dоing things thаt, lооking bаck, I dоn’t think yоu shоuld hаve mаde it оut, but the wоrd spоrt sаved my dаmn life.” “It kept me аlive.”