You can’t live as long as me without meeting some nice guys in sports. I’ve met my share of jerks, too.

Most professional athletes are modest, generous and mature. They realize their talent is a gift. It makes them fortunate - not better than everybody else.

It is refreshing to be reminded that true greatness comes with humility, grace and selflessness.

Ben Cohen, a gifted sports writer, reminded me of that. He writes for The Wall Street Journal. I’ll bet you didn’t know the Journal has sports pages but it contains some of today’s most perceptive sports writing.

Cohen had a brilliant idea for a story about NBA great LeBron James. He interviewed his former team mates.

Character counts

Take Lance Allred, a selfdescribed “deaf kid from Montana making my way up through the minor league to get to the NBA”.

On his 1st day with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Allred had on a pair of ratty, generic sneakers he had worn in the developmental league.

“What size are you?” LeBron asked him.

“15,” Allred said.

“Me, too,” LeBron said.

“Take a pair of mine.”

How stars like LeBron relate to coaches, fans and other players tells a lot about their character.

Cohen figured 173 players – some future Hall of Famers Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis – had played on the same teams with LeBron.

What stories like Allred’s might they tell. We don’t have space for all of them but here are some stories that Cohen unearthed.

It’s what you know

Alex Kirk described himself as “a complete nobody from a small town in New Mexico” and was an undrafted rookie who found himself on the Cavaliers.

He knew everything about the great LeBron James. He didn’t expect LeBron to know anything about him.

The 2 players were getting their ankles taped when LeBron started asking him about New Mexico.

He was stunned.

He said, “The best player in the world and he knows I’m from New Mexico.”

Kirk was traded and wouldn’t see LeBron until Summer League. He didn’t have to reintroduce himself.

“What’s up, Albuquerque?” LeBron said.

Make ‘em feel welcome

Lance Allred recalled that LeBron once told him, “You’re my favorite teammate of all time.”

“That was not true,” he said, “but he had a way of making you feel welcome.”

LeBron was filming a commercial more than a decade later in Salt Lake City where Allred lived.

The producers knew they had played together and invited him to the set.

LeBron was so delighted that he hugged Allred.

Do you have a great athlete story? Please write me at ChronicleSports@yahoo.com .