John Michael with his hometown team.

On Thursday afternoon, I asked our ten-year-old grandson, John Michael, “So, where do you think Lebron James will end up after his big announcement tonight?” (In case you are sports-challenged like me, I’ll fill you in from what I learned on Fox News. This guy is earning as much as the gross national product of a small country in exchange for slamming a basketball through the hoop. Everybody wants him on their side. And on Thursday night he bought an entire hour of prime time t.v. to announce his choice. In his defense, the add sales from the show did go to charity.)

After my question, John Michael stopped eating his ice cream and studied the ceiling a minute. Then said, “Well, I don’t know for sure what he’ll do, but I kind of hope he stays in Cleveland.”

His mother asked him why, and I waited for some strategic answer about team stats and career opportunities. Instead, John Michael said. “Well, Papa doesn’t really like it when all the best players leave their home teams when they get big. And I think that, too.”

Then he went back to his ice cream.

I don’t really care one bit where Lebron James plays basketball. But I love to the zillionth degree that John Michael agrees with his Papa. In that one second answer, I saw a boy being shaped into a man of integrity, character, loyalty, and honor by a simple conversation about basketball with his father.

Go, team.