Chadwick Boseman dead at 43; sports figures including LeBron James react to shocking news

Tom Gatto

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Chadwick Boseman dead at 43; sports figures including LeBron James react to shocking news image

The shocking news hit Friday night: Actor Chadwick Boseman was dead of colon cancer at the age of 43.

For many, the shock was compounded by learning for the first time that the "Black Panther" and "42" star battled the disease for four years. That meant Boseman was ill while he created art that inspired countless numbers of people.

Sports figures were devastated along with the rest of the world. They, too, took inspiration from the man who brought T'Challa to life on the screen and who skillfully told the story of Jackie Robinson.

A sample of how athletes and teams reacted to Boseman's death, beginning with LeBron James:  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Rest In Paradise King 👑! #TheHellWith2020 #FCancer

A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.