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LeBron James

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LeBron Raymone James (IPA: [ləbrɑn dʒeɪmz], born December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio), commonly nicknamed King James, LBJ, or The Chosen One, is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA.

Beginning in his junior year of high school, James was highly promoted by the national media in the United States as a future NBA star. He was selected with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, directly out of high school at the age of 18. He is now widely considered as one of the more gifted and versatile players as well as serving as one of the more prominent figures in the league.

Contents

Early life

LeBron James was born an only child in a low-income area of Akron, Ohio to the unwed Gloria James on December 30, 1984. His mother was only 16 at the time and six months shy of graduating from high school. Due to his family's humble circumstances, James, being raised solely by his mother and her associates, led a transitory lifestyle, moving frequently from one home to another. Things began to look up for him when his mother began seeing a man by the name of Eddie Jackson. James was young enough at the time to have him serve as a father figure; he did not have any contact with his biological father. Jackson would often be seen supporting James later on at his high school basketball games. Starting as early as his junior year in high school, James had made it clear he was planning to pursue an NBA career following his graduation.

High school

Freshman year

James attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron. He was the starting point guard on a team led by James' future best friend and manager Maverick Carter. Although Carter is commonly referred to as James' cousin, they are not actually related. With James at the point and the primacy of Carter, the team cruised to a perfect 27-0 record and won the Division III state championship. James averaged 18.2 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Sophomore year

James took over the helm of the team after Carter's graduation and averaged 27.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and four steals for SVSM en route to another state title. He was subsequently named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball"and selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team — the first sophomore to be so honored.

An avid football player in addition to basketball, James was also able to add to his resume the distinction of being First-Team All-State as a wide receiver for his high school team. However, injury concerns influenced James to concentrate solely on basketball.

Junior year

In James' third year of high school his stats improved even further. He averaged 29.7 points and 8.4 rebounds, and was once again named Mr. Basketball Ohio. In addition, he again found a spot on the All-USA First Team, and was named the 2001-02 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. It was then that his nickname "King" James would become a household staple in Ohio.

In his junior year, he appeared in SLAM Magazine which was the beginning of his nationwide exposure.

Dubbed "The Chosen One" by Sports Illustrated, James was the first high school basketball player on the cover since Rick Mount.
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Dubbed "The Chosen One" by Sports Illustrated, James was the first high school basketball player on the cover since Rick Mount.

However, the St. Vincent-St. Mary basketball team failed to defend its state title when it moved up to the more challenging Division II and lost to Cincinnati's Roger Bacon High School. James attempted to declare for the NBA Draft, petitioning for an adjustment to the NBA's rules of draft eligibility, which then required the completion of high school by a prospective player. The petition was unsuccessful, but it led to an unprecedented level of attention on him as he entered his senior year. By then, "King" James had already appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine. His popularity soared to new heights, forcing his team to move from their playing at the school gym to the nearby James A. Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron. Celebrities such as Shaquille O'Neal attended some of the games, hoping to get a glimpse of the prodigious young basketball player. A few of James's high school games were even televised nationally on ESPN2 and regionally on pay-per-view.

Senior year

Gloria James touched off a firestorm of controversy when she was allowed to use her son's future earning power as collateral to secure a bank loan to buy an $80,000 Hummer H2 for her son's 18th birthday, prompting an investigation by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). Under the OHSAA guidelines, no amateur may accept any gift valued over $100 as a reward for athletic performance. When James later accepted two throwback basketball jerseys worth $845 from NEXT, an urban clothing store in Shaker Square, in exchange for his posing for pictures to be displayed on the store's walls, OHSAA stripped him of his eligibility. James appealed and a judge blocked the ruling, reducing the penalty to a two-game suspension and allowing him to play the remainder of the season. However, James's team was forced to forfeit one of their wins as a result.

Despite the distractions, the Irish won a third state title, and James, for an unprecedented third time, was named Mr. Basketball Ohio and to the All-USA First Team. He earned MVP honors at the McDonald's All-American Game, the EA Sports Roundball Classic, and the Jordan Capital Classic. Although it was a foregone conclusion, by participating in more than two high school all-star events, James legally lost his NCAA eligibility.

NBA career

Rookie season

In what was one of the most anticipated NBA drafts in recent memory, James was the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Because of immense public interest in James, he became an instant celebrity. Even before James played a single NBA game, he was awarded an unprecedented $90 million shoe contract by Nike.

LeBron James on the shootout practice with US national team before the game vs. Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade, August 6, 2004.
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LeBron James on the shootout practice with US national team before the game vs. Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade, August 6, 2004.

In his first NBA basket, he came up with a steal and a fast-break dunk for two points. That lead the way to netting 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and four steals on 12-of-20 shooting in his first regular season NBA game against the Sacramento Kings. He went on to win Rookie of the Year honors. He finished his rookie season with 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, joining Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only three players to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in a rookie season. The Cavaliers improved by 18 wins in his first season, but failed to make the playoffs.

2004-05 season

In the offseason, James played for Team USA in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece where he and his teammates won the bronze medal in men's basketball, the first time an American Olympic team using NBA players (called the Dream Teams) failed to win the gold medal. Due to coach Larry Brown's preference for experienced players, James' minutes on the court were limited.

In the 2004-2005 season, James became the youngest player to register a triple-double (double digits in three statistical categories such as points, assist, rebounds) and the youngest player to score 50 points in one game (56 points in a loss to the Toronto Raptors), making his first All-Star team in the process. James's season averages also improved statistically (27.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, and 7.2 apg). He joined a select group of players to average over 25 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in a season and was the youngest on that list by far. Again, the Cavaliers failed to reach the playoffs (lost the tie-breaker to NJ), finishing two games over the .500 mark.

2005-06 season

The Cavaliers made several off-season moves in the summer of 2005, adding Larry Hughes (from the Washington Wizards), Damon Jones (from the Miami Heat) and Donyell Marshall (from the Toronto Raptors). The Cavs' front office underwent substantial management changes at this time as well. Long-time owner Gordon Gund sold the franchise to Dan Gilbert, who subsequently replaced General Manager Jim Paxson with former Cavs player Danny Ferry, and brought in Mike Brown as the new head coach.

At the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, James led the Eastern Conference team to victory with a 29-point, six-rebound performance. He was awarded the game's MVP, becoming the youngest player to do so.

James finished the season with 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game, joining Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a single season. James also became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 30 points per game in a season. One of James' highlights in the season was going for nine straight games with 35+ points. The only other players since 1970 to accomplish that feat were Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

MVP candidacy

Following the 2005-2006 regular season, James was one of the top candidates for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He was third in the league in scoring, and second in the league in PER behind Kevin Garnett. He also finished first among forwards with 6.6 apg and 31.4 ppg.[link] James finished second to Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns in MVP voting.

James was awarded co-MVP honors with Nash by The Sporting News, an award given by that publication based on voting of the thirty General Managers in the league.

Playoffs

On March 29, 2006, the Cavaliers clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1998. In just three years, James had transformed the Cavaliers from a lottery team (17-65 the season before he arrived) into a playoff contender, ending the 2005-2006 season with a 50-32 record, 4th in the Eastern Conference.

On April 22 James made his playoff debut against the Washington Wizards and recorded a triple-double, with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in the Game 1 victory. He became the third player in NBA history to register a triple-double in his playoff debut, joining Johnny McCarthy (1960) and Magic Johnson (1980). On April 28 in Game 3, he became the first player to score over 40 points in his first playoff road game, with 41 in a win over the Wizards. The Cavaliers won the series 4 games to 2, and James tallied 35.7 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. His scoring average is third all-time behind Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for a player's first playoff series.

James led the Cavaliers to a 3-2 series lead over the defending Eastern Conference champion and divisional rival Detroit Pistons. The Pistons, however, eliminated the Cavs by winning the final two games.

James averaged 30.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg, and 5.8 apg in his first ever playoff appearance in the NBA.

Contract Extension

James has negotiated a contract extension for three years (with a player option for a fourth) worth 60 million dollars. The deal is for fewer years (and less money) than the max deal he could sign, but would lead to free agency faster. In additon, in the NBA a player with less then 7 years experience can only be payed maximum 25% of a teams salary cap. A player beyond 7 years experience can recieve 30% of a teams salary cap under the NBA's collectibve bargaining agreement that took affect a few years ago. This has augmented concerns that he could someday leave for a bigger market. Rumors have swirled that in his Nike endorsement contract, James would be paid substantially more if he played in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

However, some have suggested he is signing this deal because it enables him to sign a bigger contract after his seventh year. Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade have agreed to similar deals.

Player profile

James is one of the few players in the league who can play 4 of the 5 positions well. James primarily is featured as a guard/forward. He has the length and quickness of a small forward, the size of a power forward, court vision and handles of a two guard or point guard. During the All-star game, James started as the shooting guard for the East. He has a career average of 6.6 apg. James' overall skill sets and on-court play have led to comparisons to NBA greats such as Magic Johnson and his childhood idol Michael Jordan (both considered guards).[link] Due to James' versatile gameplay, others consider him more in the vein of the legendary Oscar Robertson, who was known for his great all-around play. In the 2005-06 season, James ranked among the league leaders in triple-doubles, and has 11 in his career (9 - Regular Season, 2 - Postseason). James relies on his quickness, size and strength to get to the basket, and is skilled at drawing contact and the resulting foul. In the 2006 season he led the league in completed traditional three point plays. Among his less developed areas according to analysts of James' game, are that his defensive efforts lag behind his offensive skills, as he has yet to receive a significant amount of votes for any of the defensive teams, receiving only 3 votes in 2006.[link]

Awards and honors

NBA highlights

NBA milestones

James owns numerous NBA "youngest player" records:

* 1,000 points*
* 2,000 points*
* 3,000 points*
* 4,000 points*
* 5,000 points*
* 6,000 points in his career (21 years, 89 days) set on March 29, 2006 vs. the Dallas Mavericks.
  • Youngest player in NBA history to win an All-Star Game MVP (21 years, 55 days)
  • Youngest player in NBA history to be named to the All-NBA first team (21 years, 138 days)

    • Personal records

    Cavaliers franchise records (10)

    High school achievements

    2001
    USA Today All-USA First Team (first sophomore to receive this honor)
    Ohio Mr. Basketball (first sophomore to receive this honor)
    Adidas ABCD Camp Underclassmen MVP
    2002
    USA Today High School Player of the Year
    Gatorade Circle of Champions National Player of the Year
    USA Today All-USA First Team
    Ohio Mr. Basketball
    2003
    USA Today High School Player of the Year
    Gatorade Circle of Champions National Player of the Year
    USA Today All-USA First Team
    Ohio Mr. Basketball
    Ohio Division II Player of the Year
    Naismith High School Player of the Year
    Morgan Wootten Award (McDonald's National Player of the Year)
    McDonald's High School All-American
    McDonald's High School All-American Game MVP
    Jeremy Nathaniel Memorial Classic MVP
    Jordan Capital Classic MVP
    EA Sports Roundball Classic MVP

    Trivia

    Further reading

    External links

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