LeBron James Biography
LeBron Raymone James is a forward for the Miami Heat, who acquired James in the summer of 2010. Prior to that, James spent the first seven years of his professional basketball career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers selected James with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. James is a eight-time NBA All-Star, three-time NBA most valuable player and in 2012 led the Miami Heat to the NBA title, winning Finals MVP in the process.
Early Years
LeBron James was born on Dec. 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio to Gloria James and Anthony McClelland. McClelland wasn't a part of Gloria's life, leaving her to raise LeBron alone at the age of 16. Gloria James began dating Eddie Jackson when LeBron was a young child. Despite Jackson being in and out of jail for most of LeBron's youth, James formed a bond with him.
Prep Career
LeBron James attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. As a freshman, James averaged 18.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, leading his team to a 27-0 record and a Division III state title.
As a sophomore, James became the first sophomore player ever chosen to the USA Today All-USA First Team after averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. St. Vincent-St. Mary's won its second straight Division III state title after going 26-1.
James improved his numbers a junior, averaging 29.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. He became more of a household name after appearing in Slam Magazine, Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine. Despite his personal improvement, St. Vincent-St. Mary's didn't repeat as Division III state champions, losing in the championship game.
James ran into some trouble during his senior year. The Ohio High School Athletic Association investigated James when a bank approved a loan for $80,000 for the purchase of a Hummer H2 by his mother, Gloria, for his 18th birthday. James later accepted a Gale Sayers and Wes Unseld throwback jersey from a local store, which violated the OHSAA's policy on an amateur accepting a gift for more than $100. James was stripped of his eligibility. He appealed before a judge, who blocked the ruling and reduced the penalty to a two-game suspension. The school was forced to forfeit one of their wins as a result, which was their only loss on the season.
James averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game during his senior year. He was selected as Mr. Basketball of Ohio and to the All-USA First Team for the third consecutive year. James was the Most Valuable Player of the Jordan Capital Classic, the EA Sports Roundball Classic and the McDonald's All-American Game. By playing in three postseason all-star games, James forfeited his NCAA eligibility.
In 2009, a documentary of James' high school career was released titled "More Than a Game."
NBA Career
Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010)
Rookie season
James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the number one overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. In his first professional game, he recorded 25 points against the Sacramento Kings, setting an NBA record for most points scored by a prep-to-pro player in his debut outing. In a late season match-up with the New Jersey Nets, he scored a season-high 41 points, becoming the youngest player in league history to score at least 40 points in a game at 19 years. James was eventually named the NBA Rookie of the Year, finishing with averages of 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game. He became the first Cavalier to receive the honor and joined Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in their rookie season (Tyreke Evans has since joined this group). The Cavaliers finished the season 35–47, failing to make the playoffs despite an 18-game improvement over the previous season.
2004–05 season
James recorded his first ever triple-double on January 19 of the 2004–05 season, becoming the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double at 20 years. His play earned him his first NBA All-Star Game selection, where he added 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in a winning effort for the Eastern Conference. On March 20, James scored a career-high 56 points against the Toronto Raptors, setting Cleveland's new single game points record. With averages of 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game to finish the season, he became the youngest player in league history to be named to an All-NBA Team, being selected to the All-NBA Second Team. Despite a 30–20 record to start the year, Cleveland again failed to make the playoffs, finishing the year with a 42–40 record.
2005–06 season
At the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, James led the East to victory with a 29 point, 6 rebound, 2 assist performance, and became the youngest ever winner of the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award at 21 years, 51 days. For the 2005–06 season, he averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 30 points per game. He was considered a strong candidate for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but eventually finished second in the voting to Steve Nash; however, he was awarded co-MVP honors with Nash by The Sporting News.
Under James' leadership, the Cavaliers qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1998, improving their record by 33 wins from three years prior. In his playoff debut, he recorded a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in a winning effort versus the Washington Wizards. He joined Johnny McCarthy and Magic Johnson as the only players in NBA history to register a triple-double in their playoff debut. For the series, James averaged 35.7 points per game and Cleveland defeated the Wizards in six games. In the next round, the Cavaliers were ousted by the defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. James' final playoff averages were 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game.
After the playoffs, James and the Cavaliers negotiated a three-year, $60 million contract extension with a player option for a fourth year. Although it was for fewer years and less money than the maximum he could sign, it allotted him the option of seeking a new contract worth more money as an unrestricted free agent following the 2009–10 season. He discussed this decision with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, fellow members of his 2003 draft class, who also re-signed with their respective teams while allowing them to be unrestricted agents in 2010.
2006–07 season
 |
James at the free throw line in April 2007 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
|
2007–08 season
 |
| James engages in his pre-game ritual of tossing crushed chalk into the air in March 2008. |
During the 2007–08 season, James was selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star Game and won the All-Star Game MVP award for the second time behind a 27 point, 8 rebound, 9 assist, 2 block, and 2 steal performance. On February 27, he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 10,000 career points at 23 years, 59 days in a game against the Boston Celtics. On March 21, he moved past Brad Daugherty as the Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer in a game against the Raptors, doing so in over 100 less games than Daugherty.With seven triple-doubles to finish the year, James set a new personal and team record for triple-doubles in a season.
 |
| James drives to the basket in April 2008. |
Despite James' individual accomplishments, Cleveland's record fell from the year before to 45–37. Seeded fourth in the Eastern Conference entering the playoffs, the Cavaliers were matched up with the Wizards in the first round for the third consecutive season.
In a pre-series interview, Washington guard DeShawn Stevenson stirred up controversy when he called James "overrated". James answered by saying that responding to Stevenson would be like rap icon Jay-Z feuding with one-hit wonder Soulja Boy. In the series, Cleveland defeated the Wizards in six games before being eliminated in seven games by the Celtics in the next round. During the decisive seventh game in Boston, James scored 45 points and Paul Pierce scored 41 in a game the Associated Press described as a "shootout".
2008–09 season
In the 2008–09 season, James finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and made his first All-Defensive Team behind 23 chase-down blocks and a career-high 93 total blocks. He also became the fourth player in NBA history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories (total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks) in one season. Behind his play and the acquisition of All-Star Mo Williams, the Cavaliers went a franchise record 66–16 and fell one game short of matching the best home record in league history. With averages of 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and a career-high 1.2 blocks per game, James became the first Cavalier to win the NBA MVP Award.
 |
| James defends Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics in October 2008. |
In the playoffs, Cleveland swept the Pistons in the first round. At the end of Game 4, Detroit's home crowd started an MVP chant for James, who registered 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists that night. In the next round, the Cavaliers swept the Atlanta Hawks. In the Conference Finals, Cleveland were matched up with the Orlando Magic. In Game 1, James scored 49 points with a 66 percent shooting rate in a losing effort for the Cavaliers. In Game 2, he hit a game-winner to tie the series at 1–1. The Cavaliers would lose the series in six games, and following the loss in Game 6, James immediately left the floor without shaking hands with his opponents, an act many media members viewed as unsportsmanlike. James later told reporters: "It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them, I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. ... I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."
2009–10 season
 |
| James attacks the basket in April 2009. |
To address their lack of an inside presence against Orlando, the Cavaliers traded for center Shaquille O'Neal before the 2009–10 season. To give James more scoring help, Cleveland also added All-Star Antawn Jamison to their roster at the trading deadline. On March 13, he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 15,000 career points at 25 years, 79 days during a game against the Chicago Bulls. At the end of the season, he was named NBA MVP for the second consecutive year with averages of 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, a career-high 8.6 assists, 1 block, and 1.6 steals per game on 50 percent shooting. The Cavaliers also finished the regular season with the league's best record for the second straight year.
 |
| James takes a free throw against the Atlanta Hawks in April 2010. |
In the playoffs, the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round but fell to the Celtics in the second round.[96] James was heavily criticized for not playing well, particularly in Game 5 of the series when he shot only 20 percent on 14 shots, scoring 15 points. At the conclusion of the game he walked off the court to a smattering of boos from Cleveland's home crowd, the team having just suffered their worst home playoff loss ever.[98] The Cavaliers were officially eliminated in Game 6, with James recording 27 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists, but on just 38 percent shooting with 9 turnovers.
Miami Heat (2010–present)
2010–11 season
James officially became a member of the Heat on July 10, completing a sign-and-trade six-year contract with the team. With the move, he became only the third reigning MVP to change teams and the first since Moses Malone in 1982. Although his contract would have allowed him to earn the maximum salary under the collective bargaining agreement, he took less money in order for Miami to be able to afford Bosh and Wade as well as further roster support. That evening, the Heat threw a welcome party for their new "big three" at the American Airlines Arena, an event that took on a rock concert atmosphere. During the gathering, James predicted a dynasty for the Heat and alluded to multiple championships. Outside of Miami the spectacle was not well-received, furthering the negative public perception of James.
 |
| James attempts a slam dunk in March 2011. |
Throughout the 2010–11 season, James embraced the villain role bestowed upon him by the media. He later said that the negativity surrounding him as a result of his actions during the 2010 free agency period "basically turned me into somebody I wasn't ... You start to hear 'the villain,' now you have to be the villain, you know, and I started to buy into it. I started to play the game of basketball at a level, or at a mind state that I've never played at before ... meaning, angry. And that's mentally. That's not the way I play the game of basketball." In an early season victory versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was Miami's primary ball handler and registered a game-high 12 assists, the most ever by a Heat forward. Throughout the season, he played the point guard role that Riley sold to him during free agency. On December 2, he returned to Cleveland for the first time since departing as a free agent, scoring 38 points and leading Miami to a win while being booed every time he touched the ball. In a well-publicized visit to New York after rejecting their summer free agency bids, he had his second triple-double of the year with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win for Miami over the Knicks. On February 3, he registered a season-high 51 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 8 assists versus Orlando.
Entering the playoffs as the Eastern Conference's second seed, Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round and the Celtics in the second round. In the Conference Finals, Miami met the first-seeded Bulls, winning in five games. In the 2011 NBA Finals, Miami stumbled against the Dallas Mavericks, losing in six games despite holding a 2–1 series lead going into Game 4. James received the brunt of the criticism for the loss, averaging only 3 points in fourth quarters in the series. His scoring average of 17.8 points per game signified an 8.9-point drop from the regular season, the lowest such drop-off in league history.
2011–12 season
Humbled by Miami's loss to Dallas, James spent the off season attempting to improve himself as a basketball player and a person, and worked with Hakeem Olajuwon on his post game. The Heat opened the lockout-shortened 2011–12 season on a strong note, finishing January with a 16–5 record and matching their best start to a season in franchise history. In the 2012 All-Star Game, James tied Kevin Durant with a game-high 36 points and tied the All-Star Game record of six three-pointers made. At the conclusion of the season, James was named league MVP for the third time, finishing with averages of 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on 53 percent shooting.
The Heat entered the playoffs with the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Knicks in five games in the first round before falling behind 2–1 to Indiana in the second round. In Game 4, James turned in one of the best all-around performances of his career, registering 40 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists in a winning effort on the road. Miami eventually won the series in six games. In the Conference Finals, the Heat again faced the Celtics, winning the first two games before dropping the next three. Facing elimination, James lead Miami to victory by scoring 45 points in Game 6, making 19 of 26 shot attempts for a 73 percent shooting rate. He also contributed 15 rebounds and 5 assists, becoming the second player in league history to do so besides Wilt Chamberlain for the San Francisco Warriors in 1964. The Heat won Game 7 to advance to the 2012 NBA Finals.
 |
| The Big Three of the Miami Heat holding their Championship Trophy in 2011-2012 Season. |
In the Finals, the Heat were matched up with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite holding a 13-point first half lead in Game 1, Miami lost the first game of the series. In Game 2, the Heat again built a double-digit lead, this time holding on and winning to tie the series at 1–1. Back in Miami, the Heat took Game 3 to go up 2–1. Game 4 proved to be a memorable one for James. With five minutes left in the game, he started experiencing leg cramps and was carried off the floor. He returned soon after and hit a three-pointer with 2:51 left to give Miami a three point lead they did not relinquish. In Game 5, James registered his only triple-double of the season with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists as Miami defeated Oklahoma City for their second ever championship and James' first championship. James was unanimously voted the NBA Finals MVP with averages of 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. His final playoff averages were 30.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.
2012–13 season
On January 16 of the 2012–13 season, James became the youngest player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points at 28 years, 17 days during a game against the Golden State Warriors. In February, he had a "month for the ages". To start the month, he became the first player in league history to score at least 30 points and shoot at least 60 percent in six straight games. He finished the month having made 139 of 217 field goals (64.1%), becoming the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in March 1983 to take more than 200 shots in a calendar month and make at least 64 percent of them. During this period, the Heat began a 27-game winning streak, the second longest in league history.
International career
 |
| James attempts a shot over China's Yao Ming at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. |
At the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, James took on a greater role for Team USA, averaging 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game as co-captain. The team finished the tournament with an 8–1 record, winning another bronze medal. James' behavior was again questioned, this time by teammate Bruce Bowen, who confronted James during tryouts regarding his treatment of staff members.
Before naming James to the 2008 Olympic team, Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski gave James an ultimatum to improve his attitude, and he heeded their advice. At the FIBA Americas Championship 2007, he averaged 18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, including a 31-point performance against Argentina in the championship game, the most ever by an American in an Olympic qualifier. Team USA went 10–0, winning the gold medal and qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. James credited the team's attitude and experience for their improvement, saying: "I don't think we understood what it meant to put on a USA uniform and all the people that we were representing in 2004. We definitely know that now." At the Olympics, Team USA went unbeaten, winning their first gold medal since 2000. In the final game, James turned in 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists against Spain.
James did not play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but rejoined Team USA for the 2012 Olympics in London, England. He became the leader of the team with Kobe Bryant, who would soon be 34, stepping back. James facilitated the offense from the post and perimeter, called the defensive sets, and provided scoring when needed. During the Games, he recorded the first triple-double in U.S. Olympic basketball history. Team USA went on to win their second straight gold medal, again defeating Spain in the final game.[188] James contributed 19 points in the win, becoming the all-time leading scorer in U.S. men's basketball history. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only players to win an NBA MVP award, NBA championship, and Olympic gold medal in the same year. Afterwards, Krzyzewski said James "is the best player, he is the best leader and he is as smart as anybody playing the game right now."
Off the court
Personal life
James has two children with his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson. The first, LeBron James Jr., was born on October 6, 2004, and the second, Bryce Maximus James, on June 14, 2007. They currently reside in Coconut Grove, a Miami suburb, where James bought a three-story mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay for $9 million. James became engaged to Brinson on December 31, 2011, proposing to her at a party to celebrate New Year’s Eve and his 27th birthday.
Off the court
Personal life
 |
| James with his Family. |
James has two children with his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson. The first, LeBron James Jr., was born on October 6, 2004, and the second, Bryce Maximus James, on June 14, 2007. They currently reside in Coconut Grove, a Miami suburb, where James bought a three-story mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay for $9 million. James became engaged to Brinson on December 31, 2011, proposing to her at a party to celebrate New Year’s Eve and his 27th birthday.
No comments:
Post a Comment