LeBron James waxes eloquent about his love for candles: 'I'm very high on that'
LeBron James loves candles so much, he carries them with him all the time. Speaking to GQ, the basketball said he relies on the scent of candles to calm his nerves and lights one up before every game.
When discussing his travel must-haves, James started out by explaining how he packs his “size 15, 16” shoes, before going on to list some other essential items, including candles.
In the GQ interview, the Lakers superstar revealed: "I have to light a candle in my room on every road trip while I’m in my room. It has a lot to do with the energy of the universe. I’m very high on that — I actually get that from my wife."
But his love for candles is so much more than that.
“But I also just love the smell of candles. You know, hotel rooms can have a stagnant smell. I think a candle gives it a fresher smell. I can bring some home with me, it makes me very comfortable. So the energy, the essence, behind a candle, and also the smell quality of just keeping me as comfortable away as I am when I’m home,” James continued.
The professional athlete's candle discussion didn’t stop there, for he also went on to explain that Diptyque is one of his favorite candle brands, as the scent boasts “a tangy coolness of freshly picked blackcurrant berries.” And if he happens to run out of candles when he travels, well, he just goes out and gets more at the hotel gift shop.
“If I run out of candles, I’ll actually walk down to the gift shop at the hotel and see if they have good ones. Any time I’m staying at the Four Seasons — I don’t know the brand that they work with, but they have great selections of candles, and I will pick from them,” he explained.
In addition to candles, the NBA player’s size 15 and 16 sneakers also hold a special place in one of his two travel cases. “I’ve got one bag that’s just dedicated to my shoes, because my shoes take up so much space,” James said, adding his toiletries, iPad and game film also made the cut.
With 16 all-galaxy NBA seasons under his belt, it's safe to say that James has the energy-of-the-universe thing straightened out. He's got the packing thing down to a science, especially since he is one of the faces of hyper-luxury luggage brand Rimowa’s new ad campaign, with short films set to launch between now and June.
“I personally just think the way I live my life, my legacy will speak for myself,” James says. “For me, it's about how I build my legacy as a father, as a husband, as a son, as a friend, as a basketball player, as a guy that works his tail off in the community, giving back to my school back home, in my hometown of Akron, Ohio, the I Promise school.”
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