LeBron James mourns Grant Wahl's death with poignant message: "It’s unfortunate to lose someone as great as he was"

LeBron James is one of the many people who mourned Grant Wahl's death in Qatar on Saturday. James shared a poignant message following the LA Lakers' loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Wahl was the one who interviewed "The King" for his famous 2002 Sports Illustrated cover.

James sent his condolences to Wahl's family, calling his death tragic. The Lakers superstar shared that he spent time with the journalist early in his high school career in Akron, Ohio. Wahl covered teenage James, who was still known as the "Chosen One" at the time.

"My condolences go out to his family," James said. "I saw his brother say something as well. Until we get further details into what transpired (I will not comment further on the nature of his death). But I'm very fond of Grant and having that cover shoot — me being a teenager and him covering that, it was a pretty cool thing. And he was always pretty cool to be around.

"So, it's a tragic loss. It’s unfortunate to lose someone as great as he was and I wish his family, like I said, the best. And may he rest in paradise."

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Grant Wahl's death shocks the soccer world

Grant Wahl (Photo: New York Post)

Grant Wahl's death came as a shock since he was covering the 2022 FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands on Friday night. According to the Los Angeles Times, Wahl's cause of death is still unknown. He reportedly collapsed inside the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, with paramedics treating him for around 30 minutes.

However, Wahl was pronounced dead on Saturday after he was brought to a medical facility. He was a longtime reporter for Sports Illustrated, with his interview with a young LeBron James one of the highlights of his career. But his most important contribution is helping soccer grow in the United States.

Wahl was 49 years old at the time of his death. He was also covering the eighth FIFA World Cup of his career. A few days before his death, Wahl revealed on his website that he visited a clinic due to bronchitis. He was also having trouble sleeping.

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LeBron James' 2002 Sports Illustrated cover

LeBron James (Photo: NBA.com)

In 2002, LeBron James became the first high school basketball underclassman to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Grant Wahl wrote the cover story of the famous "Chosen One" edition. At the time, James was already being touted as the heir to Michael Jordan.

Fast forward to more than two decades, the "Chosen One" has become "The King." He's the closest to Jordan, for some people, while also being on the verge of becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer.