LeBron James donates $2.5 million for Muhammad Ali exhibit

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James announced he will donate $2.5 million to a Muhammad Ali exhibit at the recently-opened Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C.

The exhibit, named "Muhammad Ali: A Force for Change," features Ali's headgear and training robe from the 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach, where the three-time heavyweight champion who died in June at age 74 trained.

"Muhammad Ali is such a cornerstone of me as an athlete because of what he represented not only in the ring as a champion but more outside the ring -- what he stood for, what he spoke for, his demeanor," James told USA Today.

The exhibit also pays tribute to Ali's past as a social activist.

James joins fellow NBA legend Michael Jordan in donating to the museum, which opened Sept. 24. Jordan donated $5 million last August.

"I am overwhelmed by the incredible generosity LeBron James has shown," Ali's widow Lonnie said in a statement. "This exhibit will enable children visiting the Smithsonian to learn more about Muhammad's work outside of the ring."