LeBron James is Akron to the core.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star and four-time NBA MVP announced Thursday that his LeBron James Family Foundation is teaming with the University of Akron and JP Morgan Chase to sponsor full scholarships for the 1,100 Akron kids currently enrolled in his "I Promise' program.

"I think it's probably one of the best things I've ever been a part of," James told ESPN, while attending the USA Basketball minicamp in Las Vegas. "This is very special to me. As a kid growing up in the inner city and as an African-American kid, you don't really think past high school because it's not possible or your family can't support you. For us to be able to do something like this...it means so much."

The kids in James's program, which he has been sponsoring for over five years, range from third to seventh grade. In order to have their full tuition covered at the University of Akron, they must meet attendance and grade requirements. The annual tuition at the University of Akron is currently about $9,500.

The university also announced that it's renaming its College of Education after James's foundation.

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(Photo: Theo Wargo/NBC/Getty Images for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon")