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LeBron James
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LeBron Raymone James (born December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. A three-time Mr Ohio in high school, "King James," was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while still a sophomore at St. Vincent - St. Mary's. At just 18, he was selected with the number one pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cavaliers and signed a US$90 million shoe contract with Nike before his professional debut.
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Encyclopedia
LeBron Raymone James (born December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. A three-time Mr Ohio in high school, "King James," was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while still a sophomore at St. Vincent - St. Mary's. At just 18, he was selected with the number one pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cavaliers and signed a US$90 million shoe contract with Nike before his professional debut. Listed as a small forward but often classified as a point forward due to his ability to run the offense like a point guard, James has set numerous youngest player records since joining the League. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003-2004, and has been both All-NBA and an All-Star every season since 2005.
The focal point of the Cleveland offense, James has led the team to consecutive playoff appearances in 2006, 2007, and 2008; in 2007, the Cavaliers advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1992 and the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Runner-up in the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award balloting, James is also a member of the United States men's national basketball team, winning the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and a gold at the 2008 Olympics.
High school
James attended St. Vincent - St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, where he became a starter during his freshman year for the Fighting Irish. He averaged 21 points and 6.2 rebounds, and led the team to a 23–1 record en route to the Division III state title. Keith Dambrot, now head coach at the University of Akron, was the head coach at St. Vincent - St. Mary. Coach Dambrot started working with James doing $1 clinics at a local recreation center. In his sophomore year, James averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals. He led the team to a 261 record and a Division III state title for the second straight season. He was the first sophomore to be named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball" and also became the first sophomore player ever selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team.
In James' junior year his stats improved again. He averaged 29.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.3 steals and was again named Mr. Basketball of Ohio. He also earned a spot on the All-USA First Team, and was named the 20012002 boys' basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year. It was at this time that his nickname "King James" would become a household staple in Ohio.
James appeared in SLAM Magazine, which began his nationwide exposure. However, the St. Vincent - St. Mary basketball team did not defend its state title when increased enrollment forced the team to move up to the more challenging Division II (Ohio high school basketball has four divisions based on annual enrollment figures) and lost to Roger Bacon High School (Cincinnati). James attempted to declare for the NBA Draft after the season ended, petitioning for an adjustment to the NBA's draft eligibility rules which at the time required prospective players to have at least completed high school. The petition was unsuccessful, but it ensured him an unprecedented level of nation-wide attention as he entered his senior year. By then, James had already appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine. His popularity forced his team to move their practices from the school gym to the nearby James A. Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron. NBA stars such as Shaquille O'Neal attended the games, and a few of James' high school games were even televised nationally on ESPN2 and regionally on pay-per-view.
Gloria James created a firestorm of controversy when a bank took her son's future earning power into consideration, resulting in an approval of a loan used to buy an $80,000 Hummer H2 for her son's 18th birthday. The event prompted 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 jerseys of Wes Unseld and Gale Sayers 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. That forfeit loss was the team's only official loss that season.
Despite the distractions, the Irish won a third state title, with James averaging 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals on the season. James was named to the All-USA First Team for an unprecedented third time, and was selected as Mr. Basketball of Ohio. 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 officially lost his NCAA eligibility. James finished his high school career with 2,657 points, 892 rebounds and 523 assists.
NBA career
2003–04 season
James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Facing the Sacramento Kings in his first NBA game, James recorded 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals and shot 60% from the floor. After the game during the press conference, James was asked who he wanted to be like the most and his answer was Jason Kidd. James had admired Kidd since he took the floor in 1994 and dedicated his first triple double to him. James praised Kidd by saying he was the best point guard alive today, and his passing abilities were second to none. After recording a season-high 41 points against the New Jersey Nets, James became the youngest player in league history to score at least 40 points in a game. He averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game for the season, and was named 2003-04 NBA Rookie of the Year; becoming the first Cavalier and youngest NBA player to ever receive the award. He joined Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only three players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in their rookie season. The Cavaliers improved by 18 wins and concluded the regular season with a 35–47 record, but failed to make the playoffs.
2004–05 season
In the 200405 season, James was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game and recorded 13 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds, as the Eastern All-Stars defeated the Western All-Stars 125115. During the season, James became the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double, score 50 points in a game, and make the All-NBA Team. He averaged 27.2 points, 7.2 assists, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game. However, the Cavaliers failed to reach the playoffs again and finished with a 4240 regular season record.
2005–06 season
In the 200506 season, James was elected to his second straight All-Star Game appearance and led the Eastern All-Stars to a 122120 victory, with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. He became the youngest All-Star MVP at 21 years, 51 days. He was named NBA Player of the Week for an unprecedented three consecutive weeks and concluded the season with five honors. He scored 35 or more points in nine consecutive games and joined Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as the only players since 1970 to accomplish the feat. For the season, James averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, and became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 30 points. He also became the fourth player in NBA history to average more than 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a single season. The Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since 1998, and improved from a record of 1765 in 200203 to 5032 in 200506.
Following the regular season, James was named as one of the top candidates for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Although he finished second to Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns in MVP voting, he was awarded co-MVP honors with Nash by The Sporting News; an award given by the publication that is based on the voting of thirty NBA general managers.
James made his playoff debut against the Washington Wizards in 2006. He recorded a triple-double with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 9786. 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, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards in six games. In the process, however, James set a new record for turnovers in a 6-game series, with 34. In the second round of the playoffs, James and the Cavaliers lost in seven games to the defending Eastern Conference champion and divisional rival Detroit Pistons. James averaged 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in the playoffs.
At the end of the season, James negotiated a three-year contract extension, with a player option for a fourth year. The contract is worth US$60 million and begins at the start of the 200708 season. Although it is for fewer years and less money than the maximum he could sign, it allows him the option of seeking a new contract worth more money as an unrestricted free agent following the 2010 season.
2006–07 season
James was elected to his third consecutive All-Star game appearance during the 200607 season. He played a game high 32 minutes and finished with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
In the regular season, the Cavaliers tied the previous season's record with 50 wins and clinched the second seed of the Eastern Conference on the last day of the season. For the season, James averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average 27 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for three consecutive years.
In the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to their first sweep in franchise history over the Washington Wizards in four games. It was also the first time the franchise had won consecutive road playoff games. For the series, James averaged 27.8 points, 7.5 assists, and 8.5 rebounds. In the second round of the playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to a 4–2 series victory over the New Jersey Nets. He averaged 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.6 assists in the series, as the Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 15 years.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, James led the Cavaliers from an 02 deficit against the Detroit Pistons to win the series in six games. His performance in Game 5 was especially memorable. James recorded a franchise-record 48 points on 54.5% field goal shooting, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. In addition, James scored 29 of Cleveland's last 30 points, including the team's final 25 points in a double-overtime victory. NBA analyst Marv Albert referred to James's performance as "one of the greatest moments in postseason history," while color commentator Steve Kerr called it "Jordan-esque."
In the 2007 NBA Finals, James averaged 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists, as the Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in four games. For the postseason, James averaged 25.1 points, 8.0 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game. He set a franchise record for double-doubles in a playoff season with eight and became the first Cavalier and the first non-guard in NBA history to have at least seven assists in eight consecutive playoff games.
2007–08 season
In the 200708 season, James continued his dominant play, earning his fourth consecutive All-Star Game appearance and once again positioning himself as one of the frontrunners for the NBA Most Valuable Player award. He won the 2008 All-Star Game MVP with 27 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals as the Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated their Western counterparts, 134128.
On February 19, 2008, James recorded his fifth triple double of the 200708 season by putting up 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists against the Houston Rockets. It was the 15th triple double of his career. He is the third youngest player to post 15 triple doubles, behind Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. He scored his 6th triple double of the season and 16th of his career against the Indiana Pacers the very next game. It was the second time during the season that he had a triple double in back-to-back games. The last player to accomplish that feat was Magic Johnson in 1988. James finished the season with seven triple doubles, breaking his personal and team records for triple doubles in a season and 17 career triple doubles broke his team record as well.
On February 27, 2008, against the Boston Celtics, James became the youngest person to score 10,000 points in his career at 23 years and 59 days, achieving the feat in style with a slam-dunk over 11-time All-Star Kevin Garnett, eclipsing the old mark by more than a year. James did so in 368 games, the ninth fastest in league history. On March 5, 2008, James scored 50 points with 8 rebounds and 10 assists on the New York Knicks, becoming only the third player since the ABA-NBA merger to record a 50-point 10-assist game. On March 21, 2008, James scored 29 points against the Toronto Raptors, taking him past Brad Daugherty's all-time Cavaliers scoring record of 10,389 points. Daugherty achieved this record over the course of 548 games, while James took only 380 games to score 10,414 points.
All told, James had propelled Cleveland to a 4537 record, good for second place in the Central Division and the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Prior to Cleveland's first-round series versus the Washington Wizards, Wizards guard Deshawn Stevenson said James was "overrated".. The Cavaliers would go on and win the series in 6 games (42), setting up a meeting with the Boston Celtics. The series was decided by the seventh game in Boston. James and opponent Paul Pierce each scored 40+ points, but the Cavaliers could not get a victory, thus losing the series (43).
2008–09 season
"Answering" a 61-point game by Kobe Bryant two days before, James nearly scored the first 50-point triple double since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975, when he recorded 52 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 4. The game was originally counted as a triple double, but the NBA later took away one rebound.
On February 14, 2009 at the All Star Game in Phoenix, when asked by Cheryl Miller whether he will participate in the 2010 Slam Dunk Contest, he said that he's going to be part of it, following the path of mercurial superstars Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
LeBron James scored 55 points in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on February 20, 2009.
United States national team
After his rookie season, James played on the 2004 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Athens, where the United States won the bronze medal in men's basketball. It was the first time a U.S. Olympic team with NBA players failed to win the gold medal. Limited to 14.6 minutes per game, James averaged just 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. James also competed in the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan and averaged 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. However, the team finished with an 8–1 record, and was again awarded the bronze medal.
James was named as one of three captains for the 2006 USA Men's World Championship team, alongside Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade. After failing to win the 2006 World Championships, the team competed at the 2007 Tournament of Americas Olympic qualifiers to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. During the gold medal game against Spain, James recorded 31 points, the most by an American in an Olympic qualifier, as the United States captured gold medal honors. He averaged 18.1 points (on tournament-high field-goal percentage (76%) and three-point percentage (62.2%), 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 22.2 minutes per game.
James, along with the rest of Team USA reclaimed the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, defeating Spain 118 to 107. He finished the gold medal game with 14 points along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists as the USA went unbeaten, avenging their gold medal drought dating back to the 2000 Olympics.
Player profile
James has established himself as a legitimate triple-double threat and has averaged 27.3 points, 6.6 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game for his career. As of the 200708 season, he has recorded 17 triple-doubles in his career, with 14 in the regular season and 3 in the postseason. On offense, James utilizes his quickness, size, and strength to get past defenders. James is known for his exceptional upper body strength. When penetrating to the basket, James exhibits superb body control, adjusting his shot in mid-air according to the defense, allowing him to absorb contact and finish at the basket. He is also proficient at finishing around the rim with both hands. In the 200506 season, he led the league in completed traditional three point plays. He is a solid rebounder who regularly ranks among the league leaders in rebounds for the small forward position. His overall skill sets and on-court play has led to many comparisons to NBA legends Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan.
Although James exhibits exceptional offensive ability, he has yet to be featured on the NBA All-Defensive Team and has struggled with his free throw shooting he averaged a subpar .698 free throw percentage in the 2006-07 season.
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.
During his sophomore year at St. Vincent - St. Mary High School, he was named first-team all-state as a wide receiver in football, and in his junior year, he led his team to the state semifinals.
In basketball, James respected how Penny Hardaway played the game. James in 2003 stated, "Penny sees the whole floor and can score" and that, "He's still one of my favorite players of all-time."
James has endorsement contracts with Nike, Sprite, Glacιau, Bubblicious, and Upper Deck. With Nike, James has released six signature shoe styles, and four additional shoes (20-5-5, Soldier, Soldier 2, Ambassador). He has acted in a series of commercials called "The LeBrons".
During the 2007 NBA Playoffs, James drew criticism when he declined to sign a petition started by his teammate, Ira Newble, regarding the Chinese government's alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan, stating that he did not know enough about the issue. A year later, however, James did talk publicly about the issue, saying, "At the end of the day we're talking about human rights. And people should understand that human rights and people's lives are in jeopardy. We're not talking about contracts here. We're not talking about money. We're talking about people's lives being lost and that means a lot more to me than some money or a contract."
James, with comedian Jimmy Kimmel, co-hosted the 2007 ESPY Awards. James himself was nominated for three ESPYs: Best Male Athlete, Best NBA Player (winner), and Best Record Breaking Performance. The Record Breaking performance was when he scored 48 points in Game 5 of the 2007 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, including 29 of the last 30 points and all of the team's 25 points in overtime. In other comedic pursuits, James hosted the 33rd season premiere of Saturday Night Live. The show's creator Lorne Michaels praised him for his versatility.
In December 2007, James was ranked at #1 in the Forbes Top 20 Earners Under 25 with annual earnings of $27 million.
James has received criticism from Cleveland fans and critics for attending Cleveland Indians games against the New York Yankees dressed in a Yankees hat. James said, "As individuals I want every Indian to succeed. I love all these fans for coming out and supporting us. But team-wise I want the Yankees to win." Despite residing in Ohio for all of his childhood, James added that he grew up as a Yankees fan, a Dallas Cowboys fan for the NFL and a Chicago Bulls fan for the NBA. In January 2008, Nike released of the Air Zoom V LeBron shoe, which featured a Yankees-type motif and was made available only in New York City.
In March 2008, James became the first black man to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine, posing with Gisele Bόndchen. He also was just the third man to appear on the cover of Vogue, after Richard Gere and George Clooney. Some considered the cover offensive, describing the positioning of James and Bόndchen as a reference to classic imagery of the movie monster King Kong. James told the The Plain Dealer he was pleased with the cover, saying he was "just showing a little emotion," and "Everything my name is on is going to be criticized in a good way or bad way."
In June 2008, James donated $20,000 to a committee to elect Barack Obama.
In August 2008, a source close to James said he would strongly consider playing in Europe for Olympiacos if given a $50-million annual salary. However, James later said he may sign a contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the conclusion of the 2008-2009 NBA season.
On October 29, 2008, James gathered almost 20,000 people at the Quicken Loans Arena for a viewing of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's 30-minute American Stories, American Solutions television advertisement. It was shown on a large screen above the stage, where Jay-Z later held a free concert.
James and Ice Cube have paired up to pitch a one-hour special to ABC based on James' life. James will also act as executive producer if the show is greenlighted.
Avant-garde guitarist Buckethead honoured James' 24th birthday with two new songs on his website called "LeBron" and "LeBron's Hammer" both later released on the 2009 album Slaughterhouse on the Prairie. One of his earlier songs, "King James" from Crime Slunk Scene (2006), is also dedicated to James.
Following the release of teaser ads on TV and the internet featuring James from behind making an announcement to a crowded room (supposedly full of media) that he will "follow his first love", a State Farm ad aired on Sunday January 18 in which James fantasizes about playing for the NFL's Cleveland Browns.
James appeared on the cover of the February 2009 edition of GQ magazine.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
|-
| align="left" | 200304
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 79 || 79 || 39.5 || .417 || .290 || .754 || 5.5 || 5.9 || 1.6 || .7 || 20.9
|-
| align="left" | 200405
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 80 || 80 || 42.4 || .472 || .351 || .750 || 7.4 || 7.2 || 2.2 || .6 || 27.2
|-
| align="left" | 200506
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 79 || 79 || 42.5 || .480 || .335 || .738 || 7.0 || 6.6 || 1.6 || .8 || 31.4
|-
| align="left" | 200607
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 78 || 78 || 40.9 || .476 || .319 || .698 || 6.7 || 6.0 || 1.6 || .7 || 27.3
|-
| align="left" | 200708
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 75 || 74 || 40.4 || .484 || .315 || .712 || 7.9 || 7.2 || 1.8 || 1.1 || 30.0
|-
| align="left" | 200809
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 60 || 60 || 37.4 || .492 || .342 || .772 || 7.4 || 7.0 || 1.7 || 1.2 || 28.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 391 || 390 || 41.1 || .467 || .324 || .728 || 6.9 || 6.6 || 1.8 || .8 || 27.3
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 4 || 4 || 31.0 || .539 || .379 || .444 || 7.0 || 5.8 || 1.8 || .5 || 24.3
Playoffs
|-
| align="left" | 200506
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 13 || 13 || 46.5 || .476 || .333 || .737 || 8.1 || 5.8 || 1.4 || .7 || 30.8
|-
| align="left" | 200607
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 20 || 20 || 44.7 || .416 || .280 || .755 || 8.1 || 8.0 || 1.7 || .5 || 25.1
|-
| align="left" | 200708
| align="left" | Cleveland
| 13 || 13 || 42.5 || .411 || .257 || .731 || 7.8 || 7.6 || 1.8 || 1.3 || 28.2
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 46 || 46 || 44.5 || .433 || .288 || .742 || 8.0 || 7.3 || 1.6 || .8 || 27.5
Awards and honors
- NBA Rookie of the Year: 2004
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2004
- NBA Scoring Champion: 2008
- 2-time NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2006, 2008
- 5-time NBA All-Star: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- 4-time All-NBA:
- First Team: 2006, 2008
- Second Team: 2005, 2007
- Bronze medal with Team USA, 2004 Summer Olympic Games
- Gold medal with Team USA, 2008 Summer Olympic Games
- Bronze medal with Team USA, 2006 FIBA World Championship
- Gold medal with Team USA, 2007 FIBA Americas Championship
External links
- *
- *, n°1 on Times list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch"
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