How lebron james became a basketball player

LeBron James is an American professional basketball player. James has won three National Basketball Association (NBA) championships and four NBA MVP awards (2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, and 2012–13). He has competed in several men’s Olympic basketball tournaments. Today he is widely considered one of the greatest all-around basketball players of all time.

Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James was a locally known basketball prodigy. In high school James led St. Vincent–St. Mary High School to three state championships in four years. He was named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball, or high-school player of the year, three times during 2001–03.

Selected first overall in the 2003 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James played for the Cavaliers through the end of the 2009–10 season. He then signed with the Miami Heat and won two championships before returning to the Cavaliers in 2014. James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.

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LeBron James, in full LeBron Raymone James, byname King James, (born December 30, 1984, Akron, Ohio, U.S.), American professional basketball player who is widely considered one of the greatest all-around players of all time and who won National Basketball Association (NBA) championships with the Miami Heat (2012 and 2013), the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016), and the Los Angeles Lakers (2020).

A locally known basketball prodigy since elementary school, James was named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball (high-school player of the year) three times while leading Akron’s St. Vincent–St. Mary High School to three Ohio state championships in his four years on the team. He became a national media sensation in his junior year after appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, where he was billed by the magazine as “The Chosen One.” James was the consensus national high-school player of the year in his senior season, and he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall selection of the 2003 NBA draft. Additionally, he signed an unprecedented $90 million endorsement contract with the Nike shoe company before he ever played a professional game.

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Despite the pressures brought on by these singular circumstances, James led the Cavaliers in scoring, steals, and minutes played over the course of the 2003–04 season, winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award in the process.

A 6-foot 8-inch (2.03-metre) “point forward” who was as adept at bringing the ball down the court as at playing near the basket, James presented a unique challenge for opposing teams; his unmatched athleticism and well-muscled body would not have been out of place in the National Football League.

His game progressed over the following years. He was voted one of the starting forwards on the Eastern Conference All-Star team during his second season, and in his third season he led the Cavaliers to their first playoff berth in nine years. These accomplishments were exceeded during the 2006–07 season, when James guided Cleveland to the franchise’s first berth in the NBA finals. After the Cavaliers upset the favoured Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals, the Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA finals, but James’s impressive postseason play led many observers to place him among the very best players in the league. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2007–08 season and earned first team All-NBA honours, but the Cavaliers lost to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in a dramatic seven-game series in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

James piloted the Cavaliers to a team-record 66 wins during the 2008–09 season, which helped to earn him the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. The following season James averaged nearly 30 points per game as he was again named MVP.

At the end of the 2009–10 season, James became arguably the most sought-after free agent in NBA history when his contract with the Cavaliers expired, and he began a prolonged courtship process with a number of teams that had in some cases been planning for his free agency for over two years. In an unprecedented hour-long television special, criticized by many for its undue grandiosity, James announced that he was signing with the Heat. He helped Miami reach the NBA finals in his first year with the team, but the Heat lost the championship to the Dallas Mavericks. In the 2011–12 season James averaged 27.1 points per game and won his third MVP award while helping Miami advance to its second consecutive NBA finals appearance. Backed by his stellar play—James was named the finals MVP—the Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the championship.

He had arguably his greatest individual season in 2012–13, as he averaged 26.8 points, 7.3 assists, and a career-high 8.0 rebounds per game while posting a .565 field-goal percentage, a remarkable rate of made shots for someone who so frequently played away from the basket. James also helped Miami win 27 consecutive games that season (the second longest such streak in NBA history), and he was rewarded with his fourth league MVP award. In the following postseason, the Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs in a seven-game series to win the NBA championship, and James was again named the finals MVP. He continued his stellar play in the following season, even increasing his shooting percentage by .002, and he again led the Heat to an appearance in the NBA finals. However, Miami lost that rematch with the Spurs in a five-game series.

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After that finals loss, James opted out of his contract with the Heat, leaving an aging Miami roster, and—after a week of frenzied speculation among fans and media—he decided to return to Cleveland.

Although his 25.3 points per game was James’s lowest scoring average since his rookie season, he nevertheless guided a young and inexperienced Cavaliers roster to the second best record in the Eastern Conference in 2014–15. In the following postseason he led an injury-laden Cleveland team to just two playoff losses en route to a berth in the NBA finals. There James had one of the greatest individual performances in finals history, averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game while leading the undermanned Cavaliers to the franchise’s first two finals victories before ultimately losing a six-game series to the Golden State Warriors.

James had another strong regular season in 2015–16 but, once again, truly shined in the playoffs. He led the Cavaliers to a rematch against the Warriors, who had set a league record with 73 wins during the regular season, in the NBA finals. There the Cavaliers became the first team to come back from a 3–1 finals deficit to capture the first title in franchise history and end a 52-year title drought for Cleveland professional sports teams.

James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game in the finals—becoming the first person to lead all five statistical categories for players on both teams in the finals—and was unanimously named finals MVP.

In 2016–17 James had arguably his best regular season by setting career highs with averages of 8.7 assists and 8.6 rebounds per game while still scoring 26.4 points per game. He sustained his excellence in the Eastern Conference playoffs, scoring 32.5 points per game (which included his 5,988th career postseason point, breaking Michael Jordan’s all-time NBA playoff scoring record) while leading the Cavaliers to a third consecutive match-up against the Warriors in the NBA finals. There Cleveland could not overcome the team James referred to as a “juggernaut,” losing to the Warriors in five games despite James becoming the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over the course of the finals (with 33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game).

In 2017–18 he played a full 82-game regular season for the first time in his career and led the NBA in minutes played per game (36.9) while averaging 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and a new career-high 9.1 assists per game. James again excelled in the following playoffs, scoring more than 40 points seven times in the team’s 18 Eastern Conference postseason games (which included two seven-game series) to lead the Cavaliers to their fourth straight NBA finals series against the Warriors. He continued his strong individual play in the finals, but it was not enough to overcome Golden State’s overwhelming talent advantage, and the Warriors swept the series.

In the following off-season, James, a free agent, joined the Los Angeles Lakers. He continued to play at a high level, averaging 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, but he missed significant playing time because of an injury (a strained groin) for the first time in his career. The Lakers struggled in his absence and ultimately finished the 2018–19 season with a 37–45 record, ending James’s personal playoff streak at 13 seasons.

The following season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a four-month suspension. Play resumed in July 2020 with a shortened schedule, and the Lakers ultimately defeated the Miami Heat to claim the franchise’s 17th NBA title. James’s dominating performance—he averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game—earned him his fourth finals MVP award.

In addition to his achievements in the NBA, James was a member of the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball teams that won the bronze medal at the 2004 Games, the gold medal at the 2008 Games, and the gold at the 2012 Games. He also published a memoir, Shooting Stars (2009; cowritten with Buzz Bissinger), that chronicles his years as a high-school standout.

How Did LeBron James Become The “King”?

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LeBron James is primarily recognized as one of the best basketball players of his generation. He is one of the top athletes in the world because of his extraordinary mix of strength, abilities, height, and leaping ability.

If you want to discover more about this guy and his nickname, read on with Scott Fujita!

LeBron James is a basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers in the United States. James rose to prominence after being named the best high school basketball player.

He was a four-time NBA MVP thanks to his unusual mix of size, athleticism, and court vision. After winning titles with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, James returned to Cleveland in 2016 to assist the Browns in winning their first championship.

On December 30, 1984, LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio.

So, now he is 37 years old. He grew up in Akron, Ohio, and had a difficult upbringing. His father was a convicted felon who was absent while a child.

His family was impoverished and going through a difficult period. Fortunately, LeBron’s basketball coach, Frankie Walker, took him under his wing and let him stay with his family, away from the projects, to concentrate on school and basketball.

In January 2018, at the age of 33, James passed Bryant as the youngest player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points, becoming the eighth player.

He fell slightly over 8,000 points short of Abdul-all-time Jabbar’s high of 38,387 points. James moved into the fourth position on the all-time list in 2019, surpassing Jordan’s career total of 32,292 points.

In January 2020, one night before his predecessor’s unexpected death in a helicopter crash, he surpassed Bryant’s total of 33,643 points to move into the third position.

LeBron James’ numbers after 16 NBA seasons included regular-season per-game averages of:

Even now, most members of the media, as well as players and coaches, refer to LBJ by this moniker.

LeBron has absorbed this identity into his life to the point that ‘King’ appears before his name on his social media profiles.

There are numerous legends about how a high school athlete became the King, but none are true. While some say, LeBron called him the King because he thought he was more significant than the other players.

On the other hand, some audience members think a local newspaper gave him the moniker during his high school years. So it’s unknown how LeBron got to be known as “The King,” but whatever the case may be, this is something that will always be associated with LBJ.

LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio, on December 30, 1984. James has a natural knack for basketball from a young age. In 1999, he was persuaded to join the basketball squad at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

James amassed 2,657 points, 892 rebounds, and 523 assists during his four years there.

James scored 18 points a game as a rookie. He scored 25 points in the championship game to help the squad win the Division III state championship.

James’ outstanding basketball abilities were well-known, and he got multiple awards due to his efforts. LeBron James was named team USA or Today All-USA First Team as a high school sophomore.

He was the first sophomore to get this honor. For the second year in a row, his team won the Division III state championship. James was selected PARADE magazine’s High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year the following school year.

After his junior year, LeBron James was such a good player that he considered turning pro. James had a fantastic final year on the court after deciding to continue his education.

He scored 31.6 points per game on his way to his team’s third state championship. That year, the St. Vincent-St. The Mary High School squad was ranked first in the country. James would quickly establish himself as one of the best players in the NBA.

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked LeBron, and he spent his first seven seasons with them. He was considered a hero of the hometown team and Cleveland’s biggest celebrity ever because he grew up just down the road in Akron, Ohio.

Despite LeBron’s outstanding play on the court, the team could not win a title. LeBron James became a free agency in 2010. As a result, he was free to join any team he pleased.

It was important news when he announced which side he would support. LeBron James even had his show on ESPN dubbed “The Decision” when he announced that he would be joining the Miami Heat.

LeBron James led the Miami Heat to the NBA championship finals every year during his four years with the team, winning twice. LeBron returned to Cleveland in 2014. He aspired to deliver a title to his hometown.

In 2014, the Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals but were defeated when Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving’s key players were injured.

In 2016, LeBron delivered the NBA title to Cleveland for the first time.

James opted to leave the Cavaliers and join the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. A few years later, in 2020, he led the Lakers to their fourth NBA title and was named Finals MVP.

According to Ryan Ward of the Lakers, James is expected to play in Tuesday’s game against the Kings. In starting Sunday’s game 110-106 win against the Pistons, James logged a team-high 33 points, nine assists, two steals, five rebounds, and a block in 37 minutes despite a right abdominal strain.

He maintained he didn’t exacerbate his abdominal injury during the game and that he’ll be ready to play Tuesday during his postgame news conference.

It’s no surprise that James was the first player selected in the 2003 NBA Draft right out of high school, given his stellar NBA record.

The big young forward was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he proved to be a vital addition to the ailing organization.

The squad had finished ninth in the Eastern and Western Conference the previous season.

On July 1, 2018, LeBron James revealed that he would be moving on to the next chapter of his career by signing a four-year, $153.3 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. This renowned team has produced legends like Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic Johnson.

By midseason, the positive sentiments had worn off, and the Lakers had stuttered through a 17-game run without their injured star. “If you’re still allowing distractions to affect the way you play, this is the wrong franchise to be a part of,” James said in late February 2019, when the team was still struggling.

When the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from playoff contention in March 2019, it ended James’ streak of 13 consecutive postseason appearances and eight consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that their star would miss the last six games due to a nagging groin ailment, capping up a challenging first season in Los Angeles.

The following season, the team got off to a much better start, thanks mainly to acquiring athletic big man Anthony Davis to the squad. In November 2019, James became the first player in NBA history to post a triple-double against all 30 teams, propelling the Lakers to the top.

James was named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Decade the following month, adding to his ever-growing list of achievements.

In 2005, James was picked for the first time in the NBA All-Star Game, and he would go on to play in the annual showcase for the following 15 seasons.

The NBA announced in January 2018 that James and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry had won the most votes and will be captains of the 2018 All-Star Game.

In 2006, James was awarded the NBA All-Star Game’s Most Valuable Player, which he would repeat in 2008 and 2018. In 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12, and 2012-13, LeBron James was voted NBA MVP four times.

James has volunteered his time outside of the NBA to benefit others.

In 2004, he and his mother Gloria founded the LeBron James Family Foundation to aid children and single-parent households in need.

Among its various initiatives, the group constructs playgrounds in low-income regions and holds an annual bike-a-thon.

From the 2010-11 season until the 2018-19 season, James was a member of eight consecutive NBA titles. He won three championship rings during that period, twice with the Heat (2011-12 and 2012-13) and once with the Cavaliers (2015-16).

How do you feel about LeBron James after reading this article? If you want to read more about NBA history and the best players of all time, Scott Fujita is the way to go.

How LeBron James became the most successful and wealthy basketball player in the 21st century

In the history of basketball, there was only one athlete who could earn more than $ 1 billion in his career - the legendary Michael Jordan. Now there are two such athletes. The other day, Forbes reported that LeBron James became the only current NBA player who managed to earn a billion. Over a 19-year career, he has received more than $385 million from the clubs he has played for, as well as $900 million from his personal brands. Forbes Life Explains What the Lakers Basketball Phenomenon Is

Four NBA titles and the best scoring of any player in the league

Any athlete is "fed" first of all by his results. And although it would not be entirely fair to say this about LeBron (after all, third-party income brings him most of the profit), it should be understood that without success on the site, he would hardly have been able to build an entire business empire.

In his 19 year career, LeBron has won four NBA titles with three different clubs and has been MVP in all Finals.

We will not dwell on James's statistical achievements in detail, but we will note that he is the champion among active basketball players in terms of the number of points scored in his career.

In terms of NBA scoring rating, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played for the Lakers in the 1980s, could score more than LeBron, but judging by the average per game, in a couple of seasons, James will probably become the sole leader of the entire league history.

In addition to club and individual achievements, LeBron won two Olympic medals with the US team, as well as World Championship bronze and American championship gold. In short, the Lakers player has achieved the highest recognition in his sport during his career and continues to rapidly move towards the title of the main star in the history of basketball. In terms of greatness, it can only be compared with Michael Jordan, but here everyone chooses the best based on their tastes and preferences.

Investing in your body

LeBron James was selected in the NBA draft in 2003, and since then several generations of talented basketball players have changed at once. But LeBron has always been number one among his competitors.

For 37-year-old LeBron, fitness is of the utmost importance. And the Lakers basketball player has it just phenomenal - in the current NBA season, he looked no worse than ten years ago. This is confirmed by statistics - this calendar year, LeBron scored more than a thousand points in 33 games. The outstanding physical form of LeBron during his jumps is especially clearly visible - when he flies over the ring, the viewer forgets that this basketball player is already almost 40 years old and that only a few remain in the game at that age.

LeBron regularly works on his body and invests in it very seriously. One of the NBA's top analysts, Bill Simmons, in his "Book of Basketball" mentioned that LeBron spends about $ 1.5 million on his body a year. In addition to training with the team, James holds daily classes with his personal trainer Mike Manchias, and also consults with Donnie Raymond, personal recovery specialist. With this approach, it is not surprising that a basketball player at 37 looks no worse than 10-15 years ago.

Own studio and starring role in a blockbuster

To become better than Michael Jordan, you need to try to “beat” him not only on the sports ground, but also in the media field. LeBron, like his stellar predecessor, is also trying to build an acting career, but unlike Jordan, the Lakers player also tries his hand at producing and on television.

In the 2000s, he managed to try himself as the host of the ESPY Award ceremony, and also regularly appeared on Saturday Night Live. At the same time, his producer debut happened - he participated in the creation of the film "More than a game", and also began to appear in various projects in the role of himself.

In 2020, LeBron co-founded The SpringHill Company with his manager, which develops projects for Walt Disney, Netflix, NBC and many other companies. The main project of the studio at the moment is the film Space Jam 2: The Next Generation, where LeBron himself played the main role. And although the picture turned out, to put it mildly, unconvincing, it is worth noting that he managed to create a stir. Mostly thanks to LeBron himself.

Nike record deal

LeBron was able to monetize his talent as a teenager.

The first brand that noticed the young athlete was Nike. The company signed a contract with him when the basketball player was still playing for the school team.

Later, in 2015, the agreement became for life. According to USA Today insider Sam Emick, LeBron receives $30 million from the brand every year. And that's without taking into account bonuses from sales of the LeBron line of sneakers. At the time of signing the contract, LeBron was the brand's highest paid athlete. James also has active agreements with Walmart, AT&T and PepsiCo. And such demand is explained not only by the results of the athlete, but also by his successful way.

Major investor in the world of basketball

Contracts with big brands are a common story for top-level athletes. But competent investments are still a somewhat atypical model.

Much of LeBron's financial success is due to the fact that he really knows how to invest his money. For example, he is a shareholder of Apple and Liverpool football club, which brings him considerable income. On investments in the English team alone, he was able to earn more than $70 million.

LeBron also has his own investment brainchild, which brings him a considerable part of his fortune. We are talking about the network of pizzerias Blaze Pizza, in which he invested ten years ago almost at the start of the brand's existence. According to ESPN, this business brings him more than $30 million annually. Few athletes can boast such an entrepreneurial flair.

LeBron James became the first billionaire among current NBA players :: Basketball :: RBC Sport

Forbes calculates that LeBron James earned more than $385 million in salary during his 19-year career, plus another $900 million from endorsements and successful investments.

NBA star Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has become a billionaire. This was reported on the Forbes website.

37-year-old James became the first active player in the history of the league with a fortune of $1 billion. Another basketball player on the list of billionaires, the legendary Michael Jordan reached this mark in 2014, when he had long since retired.

Forbes has calculated that James earned over $1.2 billion (before taxes). He has received more than $385 million in salary from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers and is the highest paid current player in the NBA. Off the court, he has earned more than $900 million from advertising and various business ventures.

He has many sponsorship deals, such as Nike, Walmart, AT&T and PepsiCo. James is a co-owner of the Spring Hill media company (Forbes estimates the basketball player's share in the company at $ 300 million), the Fenway Sports Group holding ($ 90 million), who owns Liverpool (football), the Boston Red Sox (baseball), and the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL), he also owns Blaze Pizza ($30 million), real estate ($80 million), and cash and other investments of James Forbes estimates at $ 500 million.