LeBron James reacts to rising tennis star Mirra Andreeva’s success sparks viral message

In the world of sports, some names stand out due to their greatness. Regardless of the discipline, athletes like LeBron James become a source of inspiration for younger generations. While the King shines in basketball, his influence spans across sports, and one of his admirers is Mirra Andreeva, the 17-year-old Russian tennis champion.

Mirra Andreeva is making headlines for her incredible performance in tennis. Her impressive stats and victories at such a young age are turning her into a tennis sensation. However, it appears she’s a fan of LeBron James and has openly declared the Lakers player as an inspirational figure in her journey.

LeBron James inspires Mirra Andreeva

The Russian tennis star is a sensation on the court. She recently claimed titles at the WTA 1000 tournaments in Dubai and Indian Wells—achievements she secured before turning 18. Many believe her future is extraordinarily promising. Adding to this narrative are her 12 consecutive wins, including victories over top-ranked players like Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

But what does LeBron James have to do with all this? Well, according to Andreeva, the NBA star is one of her constant sources of inspiration.

Mirra Andreeva: I’ve been listening to a lot of LeBron James interviews & he said that It’s easy to be confident & play good when everything goes your way, but what makes you a champion is when you’re giving your best when you don’t feel great. So that’s what I tried to do today. pic.twitter.com/u3pvTggjFU

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) February 22, 2025

“I’ve been listening to a lot of interviews with LeBron James, and he says it’s easy to be confident and play well when everything goes your way. But what truly makes you a champion is when you give your best even when you don’t feel great. So that’s what I tried to do,” Andreeva shared.

The king’s response

LeBron James had his own words of encouragement for the Russian tennis player. Following her triumph at Indian Wells, LeBron responded to her comments with a message of his own. Posting to his Instagram stories, the Lakers star wrote: “Congratulations! I’m glad I could help.”

LeBron James congratulates Mirra Andreeva on winning Indian Wells.

Her star keeps rising. ⭐️❤️ pic.twitter.com/c3vjdxBcoj

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 17, 2025

While referencing Andreeva’s earlier remarks, LeBron James made it clear that the credit for her success belonged solely to her. “But honestly, you did it yourself! All your effort, motivation, and dedication to your sport,” he continued.

Whether inspired by LeBron James or not, everything points to Andreeva having the qualities of a natural-born winner. At such a young age, she’s already conquered some of the toughest arenas in the world, consolidating her place among the best with the guidance of Conchita Martínez. Her journey, however, continues at the WTA 1000 in Miami, where she’s set to face either fellow Russian Veronika Kudermetova or Chinese player Xinyu Wang in the second round.

 

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