LeBron James humbled that Conor McGregor is inspired by his actions

LeBron James has said that he feels humbled after learning that Conor McGregor took inspiration from the NBA star.

McGregor, who is set to face Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in the main event of UFC 246 this weekend, has been opening up in a series of interviews over the course of the last few weeks in the lead-up to Saturday’s event.

In a recent chat with ESPN, McGregor spoke about the inspiration that he’s taken from James. 

“I actually said this to Tony Robbins, right?” McGregor said. “Because I read something about LeBron James a while back, about maybe a year ago. He spent $1.5 million annually on his health, his self, his everything, his nutritionist – and I spent nothing.

“Only in camp (do) I bring a team together. That’s not the way to do this, but I drop money on a bleeding car or a watch. I’m like, ‘Spend on myself, my health, and my fitness.’ That’s helped me. Then you acquire more. You’re going to acquire even more then.”

James, during a recent scrum, had the following to say when asked about this comment from McGregor. 

“To be in all honesty, I play the game and I train my body,” LeBron James said (via MMA Junkie). “I put the work into my body to hope to inspire other athletes around the world – other great athletes. If I’m able to rub off on Conor and other athletes that feel like it’s beneficial to them, I think that’s a pretty cool thing. It’s humbling for one.

“I take my body very seriously. I’m just trying to maximize my career and see how long I can continue to play the game that I love. It starts with the body. It ends with the mind. If the mind is sharp, then you can go a lot longer than you may think. That’s what it’s all about. You’ve got to be disciplined. It’s all about discipline, as well.”

What do you think of this exchange between Conor McGregor and LeBron James?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 1/16/2020.