An emotional LeBron James discusses Muhammad Ali's legacy

On a somber day in the world of sports after the passing of Muhammad Ali, LeBron James was one of many NBA players who shared thoughts on just how transcendent the boxing legend was, not only as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, but as a pioneer for change.

"So many thoughts come to my mind when I think about the man who passed away yesterday," an emotional James said at media availability at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Saturday. "What he represented, as a kid, I gravitated towards him because he was a champion, but I only knew as a kid what he did inside the ring. As I got older and started to be more knowledgable about sport in general and about the guys who paved the way for guys like myself, I understood that he is the greatest of all time, and he was the greatest of all-time because of what he did outside of the ring. Obviously we knew how great of a boxer he was, but I think that was only 20% of what made him as great as he was."

Appreciation: Muhammad Ali was a champion in and out of the boxing ring

Ali, who famously refused to join the U.S. Army for the Vietnam War and was subsequently stripped of his heavyweight title, fought Parkinson's disease for more than three decades before his death Friday from septic shock.

"What he stood for — I mean that's a guy who basically had to give up a belt and relish everything he had done because of what he believed in and ended up in jail because of his beliefs," James said. "That's a guy who stood up for so many different things throughout the times where it was so difficult for African-Americans to even walk in the streets. For an athlete like myself today, without Muhammad Ali, I wouldn't be sitting up here talking in front of you guys. I wouldn't be able to walk in restaurants. I wouldn't be able to go anywhere where blacks weren't allowed back in those days."

As James recognized Saturday, the results of Ali's outspoken stance on civil rights and the anti-war movement is something still felt today.

"When an icon like Muhammad Ali passes away, it's just very emotional. It's also gratifying to know that a guy, one man, would sacrifice so much of his individual life knowing that it would better the next generation of men and women after him. Today I can sit and go to China and make trips to China and all over the world and people know my name and know my face — I give all credit to Muhammad Ali, because he was the first icon. He is the GOAT. He's the greatest of all-time and it has zero to do with his accomplishments inside the ring."

Follow AJ Neuharth-Keusch on Twitter @tweetAJNK