LeBron James Voted 2018 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year

A big year for LeBron James has earned the Los Angeles Lakers star Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year honors for the third time.

Per Tim Reynolds of the AP, James received 78 points in the voting to beat out Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox (46 points). Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals finished third.

James spoke to Reynolds about receiving the award and what this year meant to him:

"I would describe it as a success because I was able to inspire so many people throughout the year. I got to go back to China, to Paris, to Berlin, I opened up a school. And all these kids I was able to see, all over the world and in my hometown, I was able to inspire, to make them think they can be so much more than what they think they’re capable of being. That was my outlook for 2018."

The crown jewel of James' year came July 30 when he opened the I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, to help underprivileged students set a path for themselves and provide support for parents.

Dwyane Wade, who was James' teammate for four seasons with the Miami Heat, explained that James is a once-in-a-generation athlete because of what he's done away from the basketball court.

"There will never be another LeBron James, and a lot of it is from what he's done away from the game," Wade said. "Him understanding his voice has been so refreshing and so important to the culture and his friends."

Even though James' 2018 didn't include a championship, he's continued to be the most dominant player in the NBA. He has brought the Lakers back to national prominence with a 20-14 record. The four-time MVP leads the team with 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game.

James joins Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and Michael Jordan as the only three-time winners of AP Male Athlete of the Year.