LeBron James goes viral for reunion photo with track and field star Chari Hawkins

American track and field star Chari Hawkins created a memorable moment at the 2024 Paris Olympics by sharing a reunion photo with NBA superstar LeBron James. The picture quickly went viral on social media, showcasing a touching story that spans over two decades.

Hawkins, who is making her Olympic debut in the heptathlon, first met James in 2002 when she was 11 years old. At the time, James was a high school basketball phenom at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, on his way to becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Hawkins, then a middle schooler, approached James for a photo at a basketball tournament where her father was coaching.

“This is me when I was in middle school, and LeBron James was in high school. He was the no. 1 recruit at the big-time tournament. My dad was a basketball coach. I went up to him, he was on the phone, I was like, ‘Excuse me, can I take a picture?’ He was literally so nice, he was like ‘Of course!’ and he took a photo with me and then he resumed his phone call,” Hawkins said in a video shared on social media.

Fast forward to the present, Hawkins brought that photo to show James during the Olympic opening ceremony while taking a selfie with the Team U.S.A. basketball star.

“When we took this picture, you better believe I had this other photo ready to go and I said I have to show you something. He took my phone out of my hand, and was like ‘No way,’” Hawkins said. “Literally, he has been incredible since he was 17 years old. He is still so incredible. I wasn’t expecting him to be so kind about it. It was honestly really cool, it was such a full-circle moment from when I was just a little kid who idolized him.”

Hawkins excelled as a three-sport athlete in track and field, basketball and volleyball before attending Utah State. There, she earned second-team All-American honors in each of her final three seasons on the track and field team. At the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June, Hawkins secured her spot in the Paris Games with a total of 6,456 points in the heptathlon (h/t Adam Wells of Bleacher Report), ranking second behind Anna Hall.

The women's heptathlon at the Paris Olympics is scheduled for Auf. 8-9. James, who served as the U.S. flag bearer alongside tennis star Coco Gauff at the Opening Ceremony on Friday, leads the U.S. men's basketball team in their first game against Serbia on Sunday.