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LeBron James

LeBron James became an immediate star after skipping college to join the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the Miami Heat to NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 and won another championship with Cleveland in 2016, before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.

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Who Is LeBron James?

LeBron James is an American basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers. James first garnered national attention as the top high school basketball player in the country. With his unique combination of size, athleticism and court vision, he became a four-time NBA MVP. After leading the Miami Heat to titles in 2012 and 2013, James returned to Cleveland and helped the franchise claim its first championship in 2016.

Early Life and High School Basketball Career

James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. At an early age, James showed a natural talent for basketball. He was recruited by St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to join their basketball team in 1999. Overall, James scored 2,657 points, 892 rebounds and 523 assists during his four years there.

As a freshman, James averaged 18 points per game. He helped the team to a Division III state title by scoring 25 points in the championship game. Word of his advanced basketball skills spread, and James received several honors for his performance.

As a high school sophomore, James was chosen for the USA Today All-USA First Team. He was the first sophomore ever selected for this award. His team also won the Division III state title for the second year in a row.

The following school year, James was named PARADE magazine's High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year. Following the end of his junior year, James was such a strong player that he contemplated going pro.

Deciding to finish his education, James had a tremendous senior year on the court. He averaged 31.6 points per game, helping his team clinch their third state title. The St. Vincent-St. Mary High School team also earned the top national ranking that year. James would soon emerge as one of the National Basketball Association's leading players.

With his impressive record, it was no surprise that James was the first player picked in the 2003 NBA Draft straight out of high school. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed the powerful young forward, and he proved to be a valuable addition to the then-struggling franchise. The team had ended the previous season in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland Cavaliers

During the 2003-04 season, James made history when he became the first member of the Cavalier franchise to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He also became the youngest player — at only 20 years old — to receive this honor.

James continued to excel professionally in the NBA the following season, upping his average points per game to 27.2. He made NBA history again in 2005 when he became the youngest player to score more than 50 points in one game.

In 2006, James helped his team defeat the Washington Wizards in the first round of playoff action. From there, the Cavaliers took on the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James scored an average of 26.6 per game in this postseason matchup, but it wasn't enough to secure victory for his team. While his team wasn't at the top of the rankings, James himself continued to receive special recognition for his abilities.

In 2006, James reached a new contract agreement with the Cavaliers. The team proved to be stronger competitors the following season, defeating Detroit to win the Eastern Conference. In the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, however, the Cavaliers lost their championship bid in four consecutive games.

During the 2007-08 season, James continued to help the Cavaliers improve their standing in the Eastern Conference. The team made it to the semifinals, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics in seven games. In terms of individual performance, James had a stellar year, outperforming such rival players as Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson by scoring an average of 30 points per game, the highest average in the NBA regular season.

Early in the 2008-09 season, sports journalists and fans began talking about James' future in the sport. He had the option to become a free agent in 2010, and there was much discussion as to where James would end up. Some journalists identified the New York Knicks as a potential suitor for the rising player.

James made several references to his impending free-agent status, but he was sure to downplay the matter. "I am focused on the team that I am on right now and winning a championship ... I don't think about making a change at this point," James told reporters.

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Shortly after becoming a free agent, James announced that he would be joining the Miami Heat for the 2010-11 season. His fans in Cleveland were less than pleased, and many considered his departure a betrayal to his hometown.

Soon after James' announcement, Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open letter declaring James' decision as "selfish," "heartless" and a "cowardly betrayal." Unfazed, James finished second in the league during his first season with the Heat, scoring 26.7 points per game.

The 2011-12 season saw major success for James and the Miami Heat. With his team's victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, the superstar forward finally earned his first title. In the clinching Game 5, James scored 26 points, and had 11 rebounds and 13 assists. "I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland, but I understood what my future was about," James told FOX Sports following the game. "I knew we had a bright future [in Miami]."

During the 2012-13 season, James made NBA history yet again: On January 16, 2013, at age 28, he became the youngest player to score 20,000 points, succeeding Bryant of the Lakers — who accomplished this feat when he was 29 — and becoming only the 38th player in NBA history to achieve this distinction. James made a jump shot the final seconds of the game, bringing his scoring total 20,001 and leading the Heat to a 92-75 victory over the Warriors.

Success followed the Heat to the end of the 2012-13 season: Following a hard-fought, six-game series against the Indiana Pacers to win the Eastern Conference, Miami outlasted the San Antonio Spurs in seven games to win its second consecutive NBA championship.

At the culmination of the 2013-14 season, Miami returned to the NBA Finals to face off against the Spurs again, this time losing to San Antonio after five games.

Return to Cleveland Cavaliers

In July of 2014, after opting out of his contract with the Heat and considering other teams, James announced that he would be returning to the Cavaliers.

Hampered by back and knee problems, James missed 13 of 82 regular-season games in 2014-15. However, he was as dominant as ever when healthy, averaging 25.3 points and 7.4 assists per game. James led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, becoming the first player in nearly 50 years to reach the championship round in five consecutive seasons. However, injuries to star teammates Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving damaged his hopes of claiming a third title, and the Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

Over the course of 2015-16, the Cavs overcame the distraction of a mid-season coaching change and breezed through the playoffs to earn a rematch with the Warriors, marking the sixth straight NBA Finals appearance for "King James." In perhaps the crowning achievement of his career, he led his team back from a 3-1 deficit, scoring 41 points in both Games 5 and 6, before recording a triple-double in Game 7 to give the Cavs their first championship in franchise history.

Voted Finals MVP, James said, "I came back to bring a championship to our city. I knew what I was capable of doing. I knew what I learned in the last couple years that I was gone, and I knew if I had to — when I came back — I knew I had the right ingredients and the right blueprint to help this franchise get back to a place that we've never been. That's what it was all about."

The following year, James again paced himself and took charge when necessary, driving the Cavs through the Eastern Conference to make an incredible seventh consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals. This time, with former MVP Kevin Durant added to the mix, the Warriors proved too formidable for James and his teammates, claiming the championship in five games.

For all his accomplishments, James achieved another first early in the 2017-18 NBA season: After yelling at a referee during a late November win over the Heat, he was ejected for the first time in 1,082 career games.

The superstar likely felt like yelling often during the course of a frustrating campaign, as an offseason trade that sent Irving to Boston for Isaiah Thomas failed to bear fruit and forced the Cavs to make another major deal before the All-Star break.

After averaging a career-best 9.1 assists in the regular season, James had to dig deep just to get the team out of the first round of the playoffs, delivering a brilliant 45-point effort to sink the Pacers in Game 7. The Cavs were again pushed to the limit two rounds later by the scrappy Celtics, but James scored 81 points over the last two games to pull out the series win and make his eighth straight NBA Finals appearance.

Game 1 of the rematch against Golden State went down to the wire, thanks to James's 51-point outburst, but Cleveland guard J.R. Smith inexplicably dribbled out the clock with the game tied in regulation, before the Warriors pulled away for the win in overtime. That represented the Cavs' best chance to get a leg up on their opponents, as the Warriors won the next three games handily to claim their third title in four years.

Afterward, with questions swirling about his future with the team, James revealed that he had played out the series with a broken right hand after punching a whiteboard in the aftermath of the Game 1 loss.

Los Angeles Lakers

On July 1, 2018, James announced that he was moving on to the next chapter of his career by signing a 4-year, $153.3 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a storied franchise that counted Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson among its all-time greats.

The good vibes had worn off by midseason, as the Lakers sputtered through a 17-game stretch without their injured star.

With the team still struggling in late February 2019, James accused his teammates of losing focus over trade rumors, saying, "If you're still allowing distractions to affect the way you play, this is the wrong franchise to be a part of and you should just come in and be like, 'Listen, I can't do this.'"

When the Lakers were officially eliminated from playoff contention in March 2019, it snapped James' personal marks of 13 consecutive postseasons and eight straight NBA Finals appearances. Capping a difficult first season in Los Angeles, the Lakers announced that their star would miss the final six games because of his lingering groin injury.

Things got off to a much better start the following season, thanks in large part to the addition of athletic big man Anthony Davis to the roster. Spearheading the Lakers' rise to the top of the standings was James, who became the first player to record a triple-double against all 30 NBA teams in November 2019.

The following month, James added another accolade to his ever-growing list by earning AP Male Athlete of the Decade honors.

Championships and Rings

James participated in eight straight NBA championships from the 2010-11 season to the 2018-19 season. During that time, he captured three championship rings: twice with the Heat (2011-12 and 2012-13) and once with the Cavaliers (2015-16).

All-Star Games and MVPs

James was selected for the NBA All-Star Game for the first time in 2005 and would go on to earn a spot in the annual showcase in each of the next 15 seasons.

In January 2018, the NBA announced that James and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry had topped the ballots and would serve as captains for that year's All-Star Game.

In 2006, James was named the Most Valuable Player in the NBA All-Star Game, a feat he would repeat in 2008 and 2018. James has also been named NBA MVP four times, in seasons 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Stats and Points

In January 2018, at age 33, James surpassed Bryant as the youngest player to accumulate 30,000 career points and became the seventh player in NBA history to achieve that milestone. The feat put him just more than 8,000 points shy of Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record of 38,387 points.

In 2019, James surpassed Jordan's career tally of 32,292 points to move into fourth place on the all-time list. In January 2020, he eclipsed Bryant's total of 33,643 points to slide into third place, one night before his predecessor's shocking death in a helicopter accident.

After 16 NBA seasons, James' stats included regular season per-game averages of:

• 27.2 points
• 38.6 minutes
• 0.736 free-throw percentage
• 0.343 3-point field-goal percentage
• 0.504 field-goal percentage
• 1.2 offensive rebounds
• 6.2 defensive rebounds
• 7.2 assists
• 3.5 turnovers

Olympic Games

James competed on the U.S. Olympic basketball team during three Summer Olympic Games, in 2004, 2008 and 2012. James made his Olympic debut at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece. He and his teammates won bronze medals after defeating Lithuania. Argentina took home the gold after beating Italy in the finals.

In the summer of 2008, James traveled to Beijing, China, to play with the likes of Bryant, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. This time around the U.S. team brought home the gold after defeating Spain in the final round.

James competed at his third Olympic Games in 2012, at the Summer Olympics in London, along with Durant, Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and several other top players. The U.S. basketball team took the gold medal — James' second consecutive Olympic gold.

Contract With Nike

In 2003, James signed several endorsement deals, including a deal with Nike for $90 million that could net him over $1 billion over his lifetime.

Other endorsements include Intel, Verizon, Coca-Cola, Beats by Dre and Kia Motors.

Salary and Earnings

In the 2016-17 season, James collected a $31 million salary, making him the third player to earn that much after Jordan and Bryant. The NBA superstar went on to sign a four-year, $153.3 million contract with the Lakers in July 2018. He’s also a co-owner of the production company SpringHill Entertainment and has invested in Blaze Pizza.

In February 2019, Forbes magazine's estimated James’ yearly earnings at $88.7 million, making him the NBA's highest-earning player for the fifth year in a row.

Wife and Kids

On January 1, 2012, James proposed to his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson. The couple married in a private ceremony with about 200 guests in San Diego on September 14, 2013.

James and Brinson have two sons and one daughter together. In October 2004, James welcomed his first son LeBron Jr. On June 14, 2007, Brinson gave birth to their second son, Bryce Maximus James. Their third child, daughter Zhuri James, was born on October 22, 2014.

LeBron James Family Foundation

Outside of the NBA, James has worked to help others. He established the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004, along his mother Gloria, to help out children and single-parent families in need.

Among its many programs, the organization builds playgrounds in economically disadvantaged areas and hosts an annual bike-a-thon.

Outspoken Posts on Social Media

One of the world's most recognizable athletes, James hasn't been shy about expressing his views on social media. Among other issues, he displayed his support for Trayvon Martin after the teen's death in 2012, and he has clashed with U.S. President Donald Trump .

James waded into delicate territory in October 2019, after Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey posted a tweet in support of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters that ignited a Chinese media boycott of NBA preseason games in the country. James said he believed Morey was "misinformed" about the situation, although he later tweeted that he mainly took issue with the executive posting comments that could have exposed traveling players to danger.

The basketball superstar has also shown a playful side on social media, such as when he posted a picture of cartoon character Arthur clenching his first during the Cavaliers' slow start to the 2017-18 season.

'Space Jam 2'

James starred in Space Jam 2 , the 2021 sequel to the 1996 hit starring Jordan. "The Space Jam collaboration is so much more than just me and the Looney Tunes getting together and doing this movie,” James told The Hollywood Reporter .

“It's so much bigger. I'd just love for kids to understand how empowered they can feel and how empowered they can be if they don't just give up on their dreams."

QUICK FACTS

• Name: James
• Birth Year: 1984
• Birth date: December 30, 1984
• Birth State: Ohio
• Birth City: Akron
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: LeBron James became an immediate star after skipping college to join the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the Miami Heat to NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 and won another championship with Cleveland in 2016, before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.
• Astrological Sign: Capricorn
• St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
• Interesting Facts
• During the 2003-04 season, LeBron James became the first member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the youngest NBA player in history to recieve the Rookie of the Year Award.
• LeBron James was one of only three rookies to average 20 points per game during the 2003-04 season. The other rookies to accomplish the feat were Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.

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• I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland but I understood what my future was about ... I knew we had a bright future [in Miami].
• I'm never in a defer mentality. I'm in attack mode. No matter how many weapons we have on the court, I'm still going to play my game.
• Sports carried me away from being in a gang, or being associated with drugs. Sports was my way out.
• It's not about the money. It's all about winning for me.
• I never feel sad [about not going to college]. But I do wish I could have been part of March Madness.
• Basketball is my life.
• We all prepare differently, but there's just one basketball on that court.
• We knew it wasn't going to be easy. We didn't want it to be easy. A lot of teams have won golds easy. We didn't want it that way.
• I don't judge my career by saying I want to be better than this person or that person at the end of my career because it's not possible. The only person on and off the court to satisfy is me.
• LeBron stays humble just by being LeBron.
• Why would you think he's coming back? People move from Cleveland to Miami every [expletive] day. They don't move from Miami to Cleveland.

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

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LeBron James facts for kids

LeBron Raymone James Sr. ( LƏ -bron ; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed " King James ", he is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport and is often compared to Michael Jordan in debates over the greatest basketball player of all time. He has won four NBA championships (two with the Miami Heat , one each with the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers ), and has competed in 10 NBA Finals , including eight consecutive Finals appearances from 2011 to 2018. James was also part of the first team to win the NBA Cup with the Lakers in 2023, and won two Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. men's national team.

His projects off the court have made LeBron even more wealthy and famous. He has been paid for his many endorsements. (To endorse something is to recommend or speak highly of that product). He has been shown in books, documentaries, and television commercials.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2003–2010)

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James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio , to Gloria Marie James, who was 16 at the time of his birth. His father, Anthony McClelland, has a long criminal record and was not involved in his life. Gloria was left to raise her son by herself and had a hard time finding work. James moved in with the family of Frank Walker, a local youth football coach who introduced James to basketball, when he was nine years old.

James began playing organized basketball in the fifth grade. He later played Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. James played basketball and football at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School.

High school career

As a 6-foot-2-inch (1.88 m) tall freshman, James averaged 21 points and 6 rebounds per game for the St. Vincent–St. Mary varsity basketball team. The Fighting Irish finished the season undefeated. By the time LeBron was a sophomore, college and NBA scouts came to his games to see him play.

In 2001, during the summer before his junior year, writer for Slam magazine Ryan Jones said that 16-year-old James, who had grown to 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m), was "[possibly] the best high school basketball player in America right now." During the season, James also appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated , becoming the first high school basketball underclassman (a student who is not a senior) to do so.

Throughout his senior year, James and the Fighting Irish traveled around the country to play several nationally ranked teams. He participated in three year-end high school basketball all-star games, and networks were already looking to make money from televising his games.

Also during his senior year, James was the centerpiece of several controversies such as accepting a Hummer H2 and accepting two throwback jerseys worth $845 from an urban clothing store in exchange for posing for pictures. He appealed his punishments for breaking the rules of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and won his case, making him able to continue playing basketball.

As an underclassman, James played wide receiver for St. Vincent–St. Mary's football team. He was recruited by some Division I programs, including Notre Dame. James did not play football his senior year because he had injured his wrist in a basketball game.

Professional career

LeBron's hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers , selected him as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft . He immediately began performing well and winning many awards .

James continued to perform well, rising to superstardom and leading his team to victories in games. At the end of the 2003-04 NBA season, he became the first Cavalier to receive the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

In the 2006–07 NBA season, James's averages declined. Some analysts said that his passing skills and shot selection lessened because he had a lack of effort and focus: He was relying on his past success and not working as hard as he used to work. LeBron began working harder again, and in February of the 2007–08 season, James was named All-Star Game MVP for the second time.

During the years 2008–2010, James continued to play well. He led his team to the 2009 NBA playoffs. Cleveland 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, which was an act that many viewed as unsportsmanlike . In February of the 2009–10 season, James was forced to play point guard after a series of injuries to players in the Cavaliers' backcourt. The team still did quite well, ending the season with the best record in the league.

James became an unrestricted free agent at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2010. During this time, many teams contacted him to ask if he would play for their team. On July 8, he announced on a live ESPN special titled The Decision that he would sign with the Miami Heat . The day before the special, fellow free agents Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade also announced that they would sign with Miami. James officially signed with the Heat on July 10, 2010. That evening, the Heat threw a welcome party for their new " big three ."

When he left the Cavaliers, James received intense criticism from sports analysts, executives, fans, and current and former players. As a result of his actions during the 2010 free agency period, he quickly gained a reputation as one of America's most disliked athletes.

From 2011–2013, the Heat enjoyed taking part in back-to-back championships. The 2011–12 season was delayed by a lockout, and during that longer summer, James worked with Hakeem Olajuwon in order to improve his post up game (moving to the low post – near the basket – for an easy layup, dunk, or jump shot). After losing to the Mavericks in the previous year's finals, James decided to leave behind the villain role. This helped him regain a sense of joy on the court.

During the 2013–2014 season, James did well, leading his team to the finals. The Heat, however, did not win the NBA finals (what would have been called a "three-peat") that year. It was LeBron's final year with the Miami Heat.

James opted out of his contract with the Heat during the summer of 2014 and announced that he planned to return to the Cavaliers. A month after James's signing, the Cavaliers added Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving to the team.

In January of the 2014–15 season, James missed two weeks due to left knee and lower back strains, which at the time represented the longest stretch of missed games in his career. In 2015, LeBron led his team to the Conference Finals, and in 2016, he led his team to win the the Finals.

Injuries and unexpected losses happened to the Cavaliers during the 2016–17 season. Despite these setbacks, LeBron led his team to the the Finals, but the team was defeated in five games.

Before the start of the 2017–18 season, the Cavaliers traded Kyrie Irving to the Celtics. Irving requested a trade partly because he no longer wanted to play with James. Once again, James led his team to the Finals, but the team was defeated in four games.

During the summer of 2018, James opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers and became an unrestricted free agent. He signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers .

The Lakers expected James to immediately lead them to the playoffs, as he had done with the Heat and the Cavaliers. However, James suffered a groin injury, the first major injury of his career. He was unable to play for 17 games and the team did not make it to the 2019 playoffs.

During the offseason, the Lakers hired Frank Vogel as their new head coach and traded players for Anthony Davis . James moved to point guard and made more effort on defense. Behind James's leadership, the Lakers did well for the season. James did begin to treat others better and was allowed to play. The team advanced to the 2020 NBA Finals, where they played James's former team, the Heat. The Lakers defeated the Heat in six games.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was shortened to 72 games. Despite injuries on the team, the Lakers made the 2021 NBA playoffs but lost.

During the 2021–22 season, James became the second player in NBA history (after Michael Jordan ) to post 40 points and zero turnovers at age 35 or older. He also became the oldest player to average 25+ points per game and set many other records . The Lakers did not make it to the playoffs that year.

On August 18, 2022, James re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year, $97.1M deal. The contract extension made James the highest-paid athlete in NBA history.

James first played the United States national team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. The team did not win a gold medal that year.

At the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, James helped his team win a bronze medal. James's teammate Bruce Bowen confronted James during tryouts because he did not like the way James treated staff members.

Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski told James that before he would be allowed to play on the 2008 Olympic team, he had to improve his attitude. Team USA progressed and won the gold in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

James did not play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but rejoined Team USA for the 2012 Olympics in London, England. Team USA went on to win their second straight gold medal, again defeating Spain in the final game.

Player profile

Standing 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) tall and weighing 250 pounds (113 kg), James has played most of his career at the small forward and power forward positions. He has also played other positions when necessary. Throughout the 2010s, he was usually ranked as the best player in the NBA each season by ESPN and Sports Illustrated .

As an 18-year-old rookie, James led the Cavaliers in scoring. He holds numerous "youngest to" honors in the area of offense. His combination of speed, quickness, and size often created matchup problems for opposing teams because he could rush past larger defenders and overpower smaller ones.

In Miami, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra changed James's role to a more uncommon one. James spent more time in the post and improved his shot selection and accuracy on jump shots. Because of these improvements, James made more shots he took.

For most of his career, James has controlled the offense as the primary ball handler on his team. Some of his best skills are playmaking and passing.

At the beginning of James's NBA career, he was considered a poor defensive player, but he improved steadily through the years. In Miami, he developed into a better defensive player. He became good enough to guard all five positions of the opposing teams.

Beginning in 2014, some analysts reported that James was not doing well defensively. They believed it came from a lack of effort and his aging. After missed drives on offense, he often dawdled back on defense while complaining to the referees. He eventually developed a reputation for playing better defense in the playoffs, which some analysts referred to as "Playoff LeBron."

James left high school as one of the most hyped prospects in NBA history. Upon entering the NBA, he made an immediate impact and was voted Rookie of the Year in his first season. As of June 2022, he has been named to 18 All-NBA Teams, including 13 times to the First Team, which are both NBA records. He has won four MVP awards and four Finals MVP Awards. He earned All-Defensive honors every season from 2009 to 2014. He has appeared in 10 NBA Finals.

James has been included in the rankings of the best basketball players in history, and he was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Decade for the 2010s. He has frequently been compared to Michael Jordan. LeBron has voiced his desire to play basketball into his forties, possibly alongside or against his sons Bronny and Bryce.

Off the court

James married his high school sweetheart and mother of his children Savannah James on September 14, 2013, in San Diego , California . They have three children: two sons — Bronny and Bryce — and daughter Zhuri. During his stint with the Heat, James resided in Coconut Grove , where he bought a $9 million three-story mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay . In November 2015, James bought a 9,350 square-foot (870 m 2 ) East Coast-style mansion in Brentwood, Los Angeles for about $21 million. James owns another home in Brentwood, which he purchased for $23 million in December 2017.

James spends more money than most people on his health. He spends about $1.5 million a year to pay for personal chefs (people who plan and cook meals for him) and athletic trainers, as well as physical therapies for recovery. He has a strict exercise routine and eats differently than is considered normal for a top athlete. He eats dessert with every meal and drinks wine every night. During the COVID-19 pandemic, James received a COVID-19 vaccine .

James's best friends in the NBA are Carmelo Anthony , Chris Paul , and former Heat teammate Dwyane Wade . The trio has been referred to as the "banana boat crew."

By 2015, James was considered by many people, including his fellow NBA players, to be the "face of the NBA." Because he is such a good player, the people who make important league decisions listen to his opinions. On February 13, 2015, James was elected the first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).

Throughout his career, James has been ranked as one of the world's most influential athletes and one of the world's most influential people. People have lavished him with attention and money. Many people purchase sports memorabilia with his name on it.

James is a supporter of non-profit organizations , including After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Children's Defense Fund. He also has his own charity foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation, which is based in Akron. In 2016, he donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to support an exhibit on Muhammad Ali .

Throughout his career, James has taken stances on controversial issues. Even though he is among the wealthiest and most famous in America, he said that "being black in America is tough. We got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African Americans until we feel equal in America."

LeBron has publicly supported Democratic presidential campaigns. In June 2022, James condemned the ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization , saying that the decision is about "power and control."

Public and charitable initiatives undertaken by James in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, under the LeBron James Family Foundation banner:

• I Promise School
• I Promise Institute at the University of Akron
• I Promise Village (housing complex)
• House Three-Thirty (community center/retail plaza)
• I Promise Health Quarters (medical center)

Media figure and business interests

James has signed many endorsement contracts with companies including Audemars Piguet, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola , Dunkin' Brands, McDonald's , Nike , and State Farm . When Apple purchased Beats Electronics in 2014, James profited more than $30 million. In 2011, James co-founded the designer retail store UNKNWN in Miami, Florida.

James has made various appearances on TV and in film . He and his business partner Maverick Carter own production company SpringHill Entertainment, whose first work was the Lions Gate documentary More Than a Game . The 2009 documentary told the story of James's high school years. Series produced by SpringHill include the NBC game show The Wall , the Disney XD sports documentary show Becoming , the Starz sitcom Survivor's Remorse , and the animated web series The LeBrons .

In June 2022, it was announced James is launching a media company in partnership with professional tennis player Naomi Osaka and Maverick Carter's SpringHill Company. The production and content creation company will be named Hana Kuma , which means "flower" and "bear" in Japanese.

In 2012, James, Carter, Paul Wachter invested in the Pasadena -based fast casual chain Blaze Pizza. James later became a spokesman for the company and began appearing in advertisements after ending his contract with McDonald's.

During the 2019 off-season, James tried to claim the term " Taco Tuesday " as his own for use in downloadable audio/visual works, podcasts, social media, online marketing, and entertainment services. The request was denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, stating that Taco Tuesday is "a commonplace term, message, or expression widely used by a variety of sources that merely conveys an ordinary, familiar, well-recognized concept or sentiment."

• “I like criticism. It makes you strong.”
• “You can’t be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you succeed. You’re not gonna succeed all the time and I know that.”
• "I treated it like every day was my last day with a basketball.”
• "Commitment is a big part of what I am and what I believe. How committed are you to winning?"
• James is a huge cartoon lover. His favorite cartoon show is " Tom & Jerry ," but also says "Spongebob Squarepants" is up there among his favorites.
• Earth Science was LeBron's favorite subject in school.
• LeBron's first in-game slam dunk was in 8th grade during a teachers vs. students basketball game.
• Michael Jordan noticed James before his junior year in high school and wanted him to play in basketball scrimmages in Chicago .
• LeBron's second son, Bryce Maximus, was born during his first trip to the NBA Finals in 2007 when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers .
• LeBron James and Michael Jordan are the only players to win a regular season MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and an Olympic gold medal in the same year.
• LeBron writes and eats left-handed but shoots with his right hand.

NBA career statistics

• 4× NBA champion : 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
• 4× NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
• 4× NBA Most Valuable Player: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
• 19× NBA All-Star : 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2006, 2008, 2018
• 13× First team: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
• 3× Second team: 2005, 2007, 2021
• 3× Third team: 2019, 2022, 2023
• 5× First Team: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
• Second Team: 2014
• NBA Rookie of the Year: 2004
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2004
• NBA scoring leader: 2008
• NBA assists leader: 2020
• 3× NBA minutes leader: 2007, 2017, 2018
• J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2017
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• NBA Cup winner: 2023
• NBA Cup Most Valuable Player: 2023
• 2× Olympic Gold Medal winner: 2008, 2012
• 2004 Olympic Bronze Medal winner
• 2006 FIBA World Championship Bronze Medal winner
• 2007 FIBA Americas Championship Gold Medal winner
• 2012 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year
• Commemorative banner in Miami's American Airlines Arena (for his 2012 gold medal won as a member of the Miami Heat)
• 2003 National Champion
• 3× OHSAA Champion: 2000, 2001, 2003
• 2003 Naismith Prep Player of the Year
• 2× Mr. Basketball USA: 2002, 2003
• 2× Gatorade National Player of the Year 2002, 2003
• 2× USA Today High School Player of the Year 2002, 2003
• 3× Ohio Mr. Basketball: 2001, 2002, 2003
• 3× USA Today All-USA First Team: 2001, 2002, 2003
• 2× PARADE High School Player of the Year: 2002, 2003
• 2003 McDonald's National Player of the Year
• 2003 McDonald's High School All-American
• 2003 McDonald's All-American Game MVP
• 2003 EA Sports Roundball Classic MVP
• 2003 Jordan Brand Classic MVP
• No. 23 retired by St. Vincent–St. Mary
• St. Vincent–St. Mary Hall of Fame (class of 2011)
• St. Vincent–St. Mary home basketball court named The LeBron James Arena
• AP Athlete of the Decade (2010s)
• 4× AP Athlete of the Year (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020)
• 3× Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (2012, 2016, 2020)
• 2012 Sporting News Athlete of the Year
• 3× Sporting News NBA MVP (2006, 2009, 2010)
• 2004 Sporting News Rookie of the Year
• Sports Illustrated NBA All-Decade First Team (2000s)
• 2× Hickok Belt winner: 2012, 2013
• 20× ESPY Award winner in various categories (16 individually, four as part of a team)
• 9× BET Sportsman of the Year Award winner
• 2020 Time Athlete of the Year
• 2017 Jackie Robinson Award
• 2021 President's Award
• 2020 Outstanding Long Sports Documentary (as executive producer of What's My Name? – Muhammed Ali Part 1 )
• 2021 Outstanding Edited Sports Series (as executive producer of The Shop: Uninterrupted )
• 2023 Outstanding Long Documentary (as executive producer of The Redeem Team )
• 6× Cleveland Sports Awards Professional Athlete of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2015, 2016
• South Main Street in downtown Akron renamed King James Way
• Six-story commemorative banner in downtown Akron
• Featured on Space Jam inspired mural in Akron near his alma mater (St. Vincent St. Mary) and his I Promise school
• Featured on "Cleveland is the Reason" mural in downtown Cleveland (with other notable Cleveland area figures)
• Honorary lockers at Ohio State's football and basketball facilities
• LeBron James Home Court Museum in Akron, Ohio

Filmography

• This page was last modified on 23 January 2024, at 22:11. Suggest an edit .

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Lebron James Facts & Worksheets

Lebron raymone james, known as king james, is an american professional basketball player for the los angeles lakers of the national basketball association (nba)., search for worksheets, download the lebron james facts & worksheets.

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Table of Contents

LeBron Raymone James , known as King James, is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

See the fact file below for more information on the Lebron James or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Lebron James worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

• Lebron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria Marie James, and his father, Anthony McClelland, were never involved after Lebron was born.
• He soon moved in with the family of Frank Walker, a local youth football coach who introduced James to basketball when he was nine.
• At a very young age, his talent had already manifested.
• In fifth grade, James started playing organized basketball. He later played Amateur Athletic Union basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars.

HIGHSCHOOL CAREER

• James was recruited by St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to join their basketball team in 1999.
• He averaged 18 points per game as a freshman. At the Division III state title championship game, he scored 25 points.
• The following year, James was chosen for the USA Today All-USA First Team; the first selected for this award. His team also won the Division III state title for the second year.
• During his senior year, he helped his team win their third state title, averaging 31.6 points per game.
• Overall, James scored 2,657 points, 892 rebounds, and 523 assists during his high school career.
• As soon as he graduated high school, he was recognized as 2003’s first overall best pick. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed Lebron James.
• In his first regular season game, he scored 25 points against the Sacramento Kings, setting an NBA record for most points scored by a prep-to-pro player.
• During the 2003-04 season, James made history when he became the first member of the Cavalier franchise to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
• James earned his first NBA All-Star Game selection in 2004–05, contributing 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in a winning effort for the Eastern Conference.
• James continued to excel in the NBA the following season, upping his average points per game to 27.2.
• He made NBA history again in 2005, when he became the youngest player to score more than 50 points in one game.
• In 2006, James and the Cavaliers entered the playoffs, claiming their first-ever Eastern Conference championship, although they were swept by San Antonio Spurs for the NBA Season title.
• In the 2007/08 season, James was named All-Star Game MVP for the second time behind a 27-point, 8-rebound, and 9-assist performance. Cavaliers reached the playoffs but were defeated by the Boston Celtics.
• In the 2008/09 season, James finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award voting and made his first NBA All-Defensive Team.
• In the 2009/10 season, he was appointed the point guard role following a series of injuries to players. This increased his statistical production, averaging 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1 block per game on 50 percent shooting en route to another MVP Award.
• Over a live telecast entitled The Decision, Lebron James announced that he would sign with the Miami Heat.
• Fellow free agents Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade also announced signing to Miami Heat prior that day.
• In 2010 – 2011, James averaged 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7 assists per game on 51 percent shooting. His stay with the Miami Heat gathered criticism, but they still reached the playoffs. However, the finals hit him hard, scoring only an average of 17.8 points per game.
• During 2011 – 2012, with better basketball skills, Lebron James was named the MVP for the third time, bringing the Miami Heat to championship.
• During the 2012/13 season, James averaged 29.7 points and 7.8 assists per game, propelling a 27 game winning streak for the Miami Heat. They faced San Antonio Spurs and defeated them on Game 7 with Lebron scoring 37 points. He was the MVP.
• On March 3 of the 2013/14 season, James scored a career-high and franchise-record 61 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
• With an intention to return to his former team, Lebron James signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers forming a new all-star trio with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
• In the 2014/15 season, he became the first player since the 1960s to play in five consecutive Finals. Despite their loss against the Golden State Warriors, he averaged 35.8 points.
• During the 2015/16 season, their rematch against the GSW bore fruit as James broke the 3-1 deficit, registering 41-point games in game 5 and six, eventually winning the championship with them posting a triple-double and a number of key plays. He was the unanimous Finals MVP that season.
• In Game 5 of the 2016/17 Conference Finals against the Celtics, James scored 35 points and surpassed Michael Jordan as the league’s all-time postseason scoring leader. He also became the first player to average a triple-double in the Finals.
• In the 2017/18 season, James set an NBA record with 867 straight games scoring in double-digits. He also scored a playoff career-high 51 points, but lost the game to overtime.
• On July 1, his management company, Klutch Sports, announced that he would sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Reaction to the move was more positive than his original departure from the Cavaliers.

PERSONAL LIFE

• James is married to Savannah Brinson, his high school sweetheart.
• The couple married in a private ceremony with about 200 guests in San Diego on September 14, 2013.
• They have two sons and one daughter: Lebron James Jr., Bryce Maximus James, and Zhuri Nova James.
• His son, Lebron Jr. is pacing his way to a basketball career, following his father’s success.
• James is an active supporter of non-profit organizations, including After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Children’s Defense Fund.
• He also has his own charity foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation, which is based in Akron.

Lebron James Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Lebron James across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Lebron James worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about LeBron Raymone James, known as King James, who is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• People of the Court
• The King’s Teams
• Shoot the Moves
• The King’s Profile
• Mr. Popularity
• King of Talents
• Keeping it Cool
• The Case of a Legend
• Quick Review

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NBA History: LeBron James Biography, Championships, Stats, & Facts

• 5 minute read

Lakers News: Anthony Davis Praises Rui Hachimura For His ‘Exceptional’ Play

Staff Writer

LeBron James, the basketball luminary, is again dazzling fans and critics alike in the 2024 season with his extraordinary prowess and leadership on the court for the Los Angeles Lakers. His performances reinforce his status in the pantheon of basketball greats and underscore his relentless pursuit of excellence.

Beyond the hardwood, LeBron’s leadership influence is indispensable to the Lakers’ locker room, where he plays a pivotal role in guiding and inspiring his teammates. As the 2024 playoffs draw near, the spotlight intensifies on LeBron’s ability to steer his team through the challenges ahead. His career is a testament to what it means to embody excellence, commitment, and tenacity in the face of the NBA’s rigorous demands. Continue as we delve into the ongoing saga of LeBron’s illustrious career and the Lakers’ journey in the season.

LeBron James Early Life

Akron, Ohio, begins the story of LeBron James, born on December 30, 1984. Demonstrating a natural aptitude for basketball from an early age, James attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where his exceptional talent on the court began to draw nationwide attention. Throughout his high school career, James accumulated impressive wins and personal achievements, bolstered by the unwavering support of his mother, Gloria James, and his dedicated coaches. This period in Akron would eventually serve as the bedrock for his future successes in professional basketball.

Professional Career Beginnings

In a bold move that would set the stage for a legendary NBA career, LeBron James leaped professional basketball directly after high school, foregoing the college basketball circuit. Selected as the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft, James quickly made his mark by securing the Rookie of the Year award. His initial tenure with the Cavaliers was marked by record-setting performances and significant team achievements, heralding the rise of one of the most illustrious figures in NBA history.

Signing with the Los Angeles Lakers

In a monumental shift in his illustrious career, LeBron James made headlines in 2018 by signing with the Los Angeles Lakers. His tenure with the Lakers has been nothing short of spectacular, culminating in an NBA championship in 2020 that further cemented his extraordinary legacy. LeBron’s profound influence on the Lakers is unmistakable, leading the team in scoring, playmaking, and playoff performance. His presence has underscored the transformative impact a single player can have on a team’s fortunes, particularly in pivotal moments.

James Playstyle: A Paradigm of Versatility

LeBron James’ approach to the game is distinctively versatile, blending raw power, strategic insight, and adaptability on the court. His ability to score through various methods, defend multiple positions, and possess a deep understanding of basketball dynamics sets him apart. LeBron’s physical attributes, notably his large hands and strength, enable him to dominate ball control and scoring opportunities. This unique playstyle has not only defined his career but also set a benchmark for aspiring players, showcasing the power of adaptability in a player’s arsenal.

Career Achievements and Legacy

Throughout his career, LeBron James’ statistics have solidified his standing among the NBA’s all-time greats. His comprehensive skill set is evident beyond scoring, encompassing assists, rebounds, and defensive capabilities. LeBron consistently elevates his game in critical situations, from regular-season matchups to the high stakes of NBA Finals appearances. His numerous MVP awards, finals records, and leadership in guiding his teams to championships illuminate an unmatched career trajectory. LeBron’s journey from a highly touted rookie to a pivotal force for the Los Angeles Lakers encapsulates his unwavering commitment and contribution to the sport.

Player Prop Betting Spotlight: LeBron James

LeBron James stands as a towering figure in the realm of sports betting. Enthusiasts frequently place wagers on his game-by-game performance, focusing on metrics such as points scored, rebounds secured, and assists distributed. Beyond individual matchups, bets also extend to his potential to achieve career milestones or clinch prestigious awards. The fluctuating odds associated with LeBron’s performances testify to his significant impact on basketball. Speculative bets might cover many outcomes, from hitting a specific number of three-pointers in a game to achieving a triple-double or even capturing another MVP title. According to PhilippinesCasinos.ph , given LeBron’s exceptional abilities, he consistently draws attention in the sports betting world, making every one of his games a focal point for betting enthusiasts.

A Legacy of Triumphs and Contributions

Significant achievements and championship victories distinguish LeBron James’s tenure in the NBA. His debut in the NBA Finals in 2007 heralded the beginning of an exceptional career. Throughout his journey, LeBron has secured four NBA championships, underlining his crucial influence across every team he’s been part of, particularly in vital playoff moments with the Lakers. His record in the NBA Finals reflects his prowess and ability to excel under pressure. Notably, his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, highlighted by the 2020 NBA championship win, remains a standout chapter in his decorated career. As we progress through 2024, LeBron continues adding to his scoring legacy, affirming his place among basketball’s elite scorers.

Financial Milestones and Beyond

In the 2023-24 season, LeBron James’s earnings reached $47,607,350, positioning him as one of the league’s top earners. With an option for a $51,415,938 salary in the 2024-25 season, LeBron’s financial influence mirrors the immense value of his talent and market appeal. Beyond his NBA earnings, LeBron’s endorsements, entrepreneurial ventures, and entertainment projects significantly enhance his net worth, showcasing a successful blend of athletic brilliance and savvy business acumen.

Beyond the Court: James’ Wider Impact

LeBron James’s influence extends well beyond the boundaries of basketball. His engagement in social justice, educational initiatives through the I PROMISE School , and ventures in the entertainment sector with his production company illustrate his commitment to leveraging his platform for societal benefit. His philanthropic efforts and advocacy position him as a paradigm of how athletes can use their visibility to foster social change and inspire future generations.

Personal Endeavors and Family Life

Away from the limelight, LeBron James cherishes his role as a family man, married to his high school love, Savannah, and a father to their three children. LeBron’s personal life, often shared with the public, emphasizes the value he places on family, remaining a steadfast priority amidst his bustling professional and business pursuits. His life off the court is a testament to the principles of loyalty, love, and the essence of a nurturing family foundation.

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LeBron James

LeBron Raymone James ▪ Twitter : KingJames ▪ Instagram: kingjames

(King James, LBJ, Chosen One, Bron-Bron, The Little Emperor, The Akron Hammer, L-Train, Benjamin Buckets)

Position: Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard, Center, and Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right

6-9 ,  250lb  (206cm, 113kg)

Born: December 30 , 1984 in Akron,  Ohio us

High School: St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio

Recruiting Rank: 2003 (1)

Draft: Cleveland Cavaliers , 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2003 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 29, 2003

Experience:  20 years

• 20x All Star
• 2007-08 Scoring Champ
• 2019-20 AST Champ
• 4x NBA Champ
• 19x All-NBA
• 2003-04 All-Rookie
• 2003-04 ROY
• 6x All-Defensive
• 4x Finals MVP
• NBA 75th Anniv. Team
• 2023-24 IST MVP

LeBron James Overview

• High School & Amateur
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• Compare LeBron James to other players

More LeBron James pages at Sports Reference

• International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Game-by-game stat line for the player

Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. home/away, monthly, etc...

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2023-24 Lakers (46-35, 8th place in NBA Western Conference)

Last Game : W 123-120 at MEM

Next Game : Sunday, Apr. 14 at NOP

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Next Game: Sunday, April 14th vs NOP ( LeBron James Stats vs. NOP ) More: Game Log • Advanced Game Log • Splits • Shooting • Lineups • On-Off

Player Injury

Day To Day (Ankle) - James is probable for Sunday's (Apr. 14) game against New Orleans. (Updated Apr.13, 2024)

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• 4/13 HoopsWire: Scottie Pippen Destroyed 73-9 Warriors For Thinking They’re Best Team In NBA History Over 72-10 Bulls: ‘You Didn’t Win A Championship’ :  The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors finished the regular season ...
• 4/13 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Available Versus Memphis :  Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) will play on ...
• Show 54 more stories
• 4/12 HoopsWire: Pelicans Expected To Defer Lakers Pick To 2025 :  The New Orleans Pelicans are expected to defer their first-round ...
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• Play-by-play data available for the 1996-97 through 2023-24 seasons.
• Shot location data available for the 1996-97 through 2023-24 seasons.
• Click Season link for player's season game log Click value for box score or list of games Search LeBron James' game log history
• Most similar performance arc through 20 seasons ( Explanation )
• Most similar career performance arc ( Explanation )

Appearances on Leaderboards, Awards, and Honors

June 26, 2003 : Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 2003 NBA Draft.

July 10, 2010 : Traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat for a 2011 2nd round draft pick ( Milan Mačvan was later selected), a 2012 2nd round draft pick ( Jae Crowder was later selected), a 2013 1st round draft pick ( Nemanja Nedović was later selected) and a 2016 1st round draft pick ( Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot was later selected). Cleveland also received a trade exception from Miami. Cleveland had the option to swap 1st round draft picks with Miami in 2012 but did not do so.

July 12, 2014 : Signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers .

July 10, 2015 : Signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers .

August 12, 2016 : Signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers .

July 9, 2018 : Signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers .

November 22, 2021 : Suspended by the league. (1-game suspension)

August 18, 2022 : Signed a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers .

• Player Option , Team Option   ·   NBA Contracts Summary
• Declined 2021-22 player option to sign extension Thursday, December 3, 2020.
• Signed 4-yr maximum salary contract on Monday, July 9, 2018 2021-22 is player option.

How old is LeBron James?

LeBron James is 39 years old.

Where was LeBron James born?

LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio.

When was LeBron James born?

LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984.

How tall is LeBron James?

LeBron James is 6-9 (206 cm) tall.

How much does LeBron James weigh?

LeBron James weighs 250 lbs (113 kg).

Is LeBron James in the Hall of Fame?

LeBron James is not in the Hall of Fame.

When was LeBron James drafted?

LeBron James was drafted by Cleveland Cavaliers , 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2003 NBA Draft .

What position does LeBron James play?

Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard, Center, and Shooting Guard.

What is LeBron James' net worth?

LeBron James has made at least $434,986,578 playing professional basketball.

How much does LeBron James make?

LeBron James made $44,474,988 in 2023.

What does LeBron James average?

LeBron James averages 25.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game.

How many rings does LeBron James have?

LeBron James has won 4 championships.

What is LeBron James' Twitter account?

LeBron James is on Twitter at KingJames .

What is LeBron James' Instagram account?

LeBron James is on Instagram at kingjames .

What schools did LeBron James attend?

LeBron James attended St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio .

What are LeBron James' nicknames?

King James, LBJ, Chosen One, Bron-Bron, The Little Emperor, The Akron Hammer, L-Train, Benjamin Buckets are nicknames for LeBron James.

More James Pages

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• World Biography

LeBron James Biography

December 30, 1984 • Akron, Ohio

Basketball player

Before LeBron James had completed his sophomore year of high school, basketball scouts were discussing his chances of playing for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before playing his first regulation game for the NBA, James had signed deals with Nike and other corporations for multimillion-dollar product endorsements. Before he completed his rookie season in the NBA, sportswriters were discussing his chances of joining the most elite players in history in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Comparisons to NBA superstar Michael Jordan (1963–) became common, and some sportswriters began calling James "The Chosen One," indicating the hope that the rookie phenomenon would revive interest in the NBA that had declined since Jordan's retirement. LeBron James, by age eighteen, knew a thing or two about dealing with pressure. James's ability to cope with that pressure has proven to be a critical factor in his success. Sportswriters and his coaches agreed that James has shown uncommon maturity for a player his age, handling his newfound fame and the extraordinary expectations of others with grace.

During 2003, prior to his graduation from high school, James declared himself eligible for the NBA draft, the annual process by which professional basketball teams select new players to join them for the upcoming season. The Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the worst teams in the NBA, had the privilege of the number-one draft pick. The Cavs chose James, with the obvious expectation that this eighteen-year-old would lead the team to greatness. While James's first season with the Cavs did not exactly propel them to a championship, he did help his team win twice the number of games as they had the year before, and at the end of the 2003–04 season, James was named Rookie of the Year.

A team player

Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1984, James is the only child of Gloria James, who gave birth to him when she was just sixteen years old. Gloria struggled to provide for James during his childhood. When James was about five years old, he and his mother moved seven times in a year. For a couple of years during elementary school, James lived with a foster family. Gloria's longtime boyfriend, Eddie Jackson, has acted as a father figure for James, but he was not always around during James's youth, spending several years in prison for selling drugs and, later, for fraud. Regardless of any troubles they may have had, however, James and his mother have a close and supportive relationship. He told Jack McCallum of Sports Illustrated: "My mother is my everything. Always has been. Always will be."

"I don't want to be a cocky rookie coming in trying to lead right off the bat.... If there's one message I want to get to my teammates it's that I'll be there for them, do whatever they think I need to do."

Taller and more athletic than most other kids his age, James got hooked on basketball early in childhood. Dru Joyce II, who coached James for many of his early years, recalled in an article for the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service that, while playing in a summer league during elementary school, James was an aggressive offensive player who "really liked to shoot the ball—a lot." Joyce remembered advice he gave James at the time: "I started telling LeBron about passing the ball, how great players make their teammates better. I talked about getting his shots in the flow of the game." Joyce assumed that he would have to repeat this advice many times, reminding the eleven-year-old to be a team player, but he was mistaken. James absorbed every word his coach said and immediately changed his playing style. "That was the last time I ever had to talk about LeBron shooting too much," Joyce recollected.

Another Rising Young Star: Carmelo Anthony

For the 2003 draft, the hype surrounding LeBron James nearly eclipsed another young basketball phenomenon: Carmelo Anthony (1984–). The number-three draft pick with just one year of college basketball under his belt, Anthony would have attracted even more attention than he did, had he not been drafted at the same time as James. His one year of college ball, playing for Syracuse University, had resulted in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship for Syracuse, with Anthony named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, the NCAA championship series.

Anthony was drafted by the Denver Nuggets, a team that joined the Cleveland Cavaliers at the bottom of the NBA rankings. Expectations for Anthony, like those for James, were extremely high: the Nuggets would be relying on him to raise them from the depths and eventually make them playoffs contenders. Anthony performed impressively during his rookie season, racking up an average of 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Perhaps the most significant statistic for his team: the Nuggets went from winning just seventeen games in 2002–03 to winning forty-three games in Anthony's first season.

Anthony grew up in the rough inner city of Baltimore, Maryland. His father died when he was two years old, and his mother, Mary Anthony, raised Carmelo and his three older siblings by herself. She pushed her son to stay focused and disciplined where basketball was concerned, and she pushed him to attend college before going professional. To fulfill his desire to play for Syracuse, Anthony had to leave his Baltimore high school to attend the prestigious Oak Hill Academy, a Baptist boarding school in Virginia. He studied hard to bring his grades up so he could get admitted to Syracuse, and he practiced basketball as often as possible. He helped the Oak Hill team to a number-three national ranking in 2002, and he earned the grades necessary to take him to Syracuse.

Anthony has been described as an unusually mature player who has maintained his down-to-earth style even in the midst of the money, celebrity, and pressure that have come his way. Among the first things he spent his money on after being drafted by the Nuggets were a home for his mother in Baltimore and a youth center there to replace one that was closed down by the police when he was growing up.

At the time, James played basketball with his best friends, including Dru Joyce III, the son of his summer-league coach, and Sian Cotton, the son of another summer-league coach, Lee Cotton. Those coaches, both of whom stressed the values of good sportsmanship and being a team player, helped James form the basis of his playing style. James and his pals Joyce III and Cotton, along with Willie McGee, played together every chance they could as kids, and they vowed to stay together all through high school. That childhood promise became a reality as the four boys all attended Akron's St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, a private school known for its basketball program. At St. Vincent–St. Mary, James not only became the school's star basketball player, he also played football for three years and maintained solid grades. James's philosophy about being a team player meant that he spent as much of his playing time passing the ball to teammates and setting up shots as he did taking shots himself, resulting in his extraordinary passing skills. His high school coaches asserted that James could have been a player who averaged fifty to sixty points per game. Instead, his average was closer to thirty points a game, but he helped his entire team play better basketball. Many coaches and sportswriters have described James's maturity and selflessness as a player; Keith Dambrot, who coached James for his first two years of high school, summed up the key to James's success in the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service article: "LeBron is a basketball genius, there is no other way to say it."

Fast-track to the NBA

Many observers had wondered, from James's earliest high school years, whether he would go to college or attempt to be drafted into the NBA straight out of high school. Eager to test his skills at the next level, James considered declaring for the draft as a junior, trying to get an exception to the rule that would have barred him from the draft before his graduation year. He decided instead to complete high school, announcing during his senior year that he would declare himself eligible for the 2003 NBA draft. James's decision to go professional right out of high school renewed the debate over whether players should be allowed to play for the NBA at such a young age. Supporters argue that if the player possesses the skills, he should be allowed to earn a living playing his sport. Critics suggest that most high school kids would benefit more from going to college first, using those years to improve their playing, acquire an education, and become more mature. Ignoring the debate and following his own instincts, James opted to skip college and head for the NBA.

Coming off a terrible season, tying for the worst record in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a chance to reshape their future in June of 2003: they had the number-one draft pick. They chose James, pinning their hopes on the eighteen-year-old player to turn their fortunes around. At six-foot-eight and 240 pounds, James certainly looked the part of an NBA player. But many wondered if he could live up to the hype surrounding him and compete in the far more competitive arena of professional basketball. When James made his official NBA debut in the fall of 2003 in a game against the Sacramento Kings, he answered the concerns of many doubters. The Cavaliers lost the game, but James played better than most rookies could hope for in a debut game—and better than any rookie straight out of high school—with twenty-five points, nine assists, six rebounds, and four steals. While he occasionally showed his inexperience and youth, and while he did not live up to the most outrageous expectations that he would play like Michael Jordan right out of high school, James did perform extremely well in his rookie season. He ended the 2003–04 season with an average of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He ranked among the top fifteen players in the league in a number of categories, including points per game, total points, assists, and steals. In April of 2004, James was named the Rookie of the Year for the 2003–04 season. Speaking of the rookie's innate abilities on the court, Cleveland power forward Carlos Boozer told McCallum of Sports Illustrated, "You can only call it court sense. The way he takes advantage of a situation right away can't be taught. He just has it."

"I can handle it"

Barring injury, James will earn $19 million for his first four years with the Cavs, an amount that seems downright insignificant when compared to his endorsements. In a sponsorship deal that will pay James more than any other basketball player except Michael Jordan, Nike signed the player to a seven-year, $90 million contract—and that contract was signed before James had even inked a deal with the Cavs. He has also agreed to promote Coca-Cola products, including Sprite and Powerade, and Bubblicious bubblegum.

Predicting the amount of money James will generate for the Cavaliers, for Nike, and even for other NBA teams, Forbes magazine suggests that those investing in James will be repaid handsomely. During his rookie season, attendance for Cavs home games increased by fifty percent from the prior season. James sparked so much hype that basketball fans around the country sought out tickets for the Cavs' away games, moving the Cleveland team from last in the league for road attendance to first. As for his corporate sponsors, Nike released the first shoe endorsed by James, the Air Zoom Generation, in December of 2003. At $110 a pair, Nike sold 72,000 pairs in the first month alone. Bob Williams, the CEO of a company that matches athletes with corporations for endorsement deals, described to Sports Illustrated in 2003 the hurdles James will encounter in his first few years in the NBA: "He has to dominate his position, take a downtrodden franchise to the playoffs and eventually to a championship. He will make a lot of money and live happily ever after. But no one has ever had more expectations put on him than this young man right now." When reporters have asked him about dealing with the enormous pressure placed on him, James has frequently uttered what has become a sort of motto: "I can handle it." And with one successful season under his belt—both on court and off—many commentators have come to believe that perhaps he can.

For More Information

Jones, Ryan. King James: Believe the Hype—The LeBron James Story. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003.

Morgan Jr., David Lee. LeBron James: The Rise of a Star. Cleveland: Gray and Company, 2003.

Periodicals

Badenhausen, Kurt. "Slam Dunk." Forbes (February 16, 2004): p. 64.

Chappell, Kevin. "Can LeBron James Repeat the Jordan Miracle?" Ebony (January 2004): p. 124.

Finnan, Bob. "Early to Rise." Sporting News (October 20, 2003): p. 40.

McCallum, Jack. "You Gotta Carry That Weight." Sports Illustrated (October 27, 2003): p. 68.

Pluto, Terry. "LeBron James, Once a Lanky Kid, Has Come a Long Way to the NBA." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (April 20, 2004): p. K1569.

Taylor, Phil. "Carmelo Anthony Has a Secret." Sports Illustrated for Kids (November 3, 2003): p. 24.

LeBronJames.com. http://www.lebronjames.com/hsc/hscMain.cfm (accessed August 1, 2004).

"LeBron James." NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/index.html?nav=page (accessed August 1, 2004).

"LeBron Watch." Cleveland.com. http://www.cleveland.com/lebron/ (accessed August 1, 2004).

Morgan Jr., David Lee. "The Rise of a Star." HoopsHype. http://www.hoopshype.com/articles/lebron_morgan.htm (accessed August 1, 2004).

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Player Profile

Lebron james, los angeles lakers small forward.

LeBron Raymone James Sr.  ( / l ə ˈ b r ɒ n /   lə-BRON ; born December 30, 1984), also known as  LBJ , is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Nicknamed “ King James “, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport and is often compared to Michael Jordan in debates over the greatest basketball player of all time. James is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and ranks fourth in career assists. He has won four NBA championships (two with the Miami Heat, one each with the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers), and has competed in 10 NBA Finals.

He has also won four Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, four Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals, and has been named an All-Star 19 times, selected to the All-NBA Team 19 times (including 13 First Team selections) and the All-Defensive Team six times, and was a runner-up for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice in his career.

Quick Facts

Birth place, family, early life.

LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria Marie James, who was 16 at the time of his birth. His father, Anthony McClelland, has an extensive criminal record and was not involved in his life. When James was growing up, life was often a struggle for the family, as they moved from apartment to apartment in the seedier neighborhoods of Akron while Gloria struggled to find steady work. Realizing that her son would be better off in a more stable family environment, Gloria allowed him to move in with the family of Frank Walker, a local youth football coach who introduced James to basketball when he was nine years old.

James began playing organized basketball in the fifth grade. He later played Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. The team enjoyed success on a local and national level, led by James and his friends Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, and Willie McGee.    The group dubbed themselves the “Fab Four” and promised each other that they would attend high school together.    In a move that stirred local controversy, they chose to attend St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, a private Catholic school with predominantly white students.

LeBron James’ Height, And Weight

LeBron James has an athletic body standing at the perfect height of 6 feet 8 inches and weighs around 113 kg.

He is a fitness fanatic who takes great care of his body. He has a healthy body overall. His hair is black. He has black eyes. Overall, he has a healthy body with tattoos on various regions of it.

LeBron James ’s Net Worth

LeBron James is estimated to be worth $1 billion in 2023. SpringHill Entertainment is owned by James and his business partner Maverick Carter. Their debut project was the Lions Gate documentary More Than a Game, which was published in 2009 and covered James’s high school years. James is a savvy investor who has put his money into a variety of portfolios. He holds a stake in Blaze Pizza and is also a partner in the tequila company Lobos.

He also owns shares in the football club Liverpool, which proved to be a wise investment. He’s also invested in smart gym manufacturer Tonal and ride-sharing behemoth Lyft. After acquiring $100 million from investors including James’ financial advisor Paul Wachter and Elisabeth Murdoch, the daughter of News Corp tycoon Rupert Murdoch, James and Carter merged everything into The SpringHill Company in 2020.

Last October, James sold a “significant minority stake” to a group of investors that included RedBird Capital Partners, Fenway Sports Group, Nike, and Epic Games for $725 million. James is the company’s greatest single stakeholder, albeit his stake is thought to be less than 50%. His contract with the Lakers was recently extended for $97.1 million through the 2024-2025 season. He is the highest-paid NBA player ever.

LeBron James was selected by the  Cleveland Cavaliers  in the 2003 NBA Draft. He was eventually named  Rookie of the Year , finishing with averages of 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game.

At nineteen, LeBron became the youngest member of the USA basketball squad sent to the  Olympics  in 2004, but he spent most of his time on the bench.

He made NBA history again in 2005, when he became the youngest player to score more than 50 points in one game. He was selected for the  NBA All-Star  game for the first time.

With averages of 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, he became the youngest player in NBA history to be named to an  All-NBA Team , which he achieved in the 2004–05 season.

In 2006, he helped his team beat the  Wizards  in the first round of Playoffs. Against the  Pistons  in the semifinals, even his average of 26.6 could not secure his team a victory.

After the 2006 Playoffs, LeBron James and the  Cavaliers  negotiated a three-year, $60 million contract extension with a player option of seeking a new contract as an unrestricted free agent.

The Cavaliers  proved to be stronger competitors in 2007, reaching the NBA finals and beating  Detroit  to win the  Eastern Conference.  But they lost in the finals against the  San Antonio Spurs.

During the 2007-08 season, the  Cavaliers  improved their standing in the  Eastern Conference.  The team made it to the semifinals, where they were defeated by the  Boston Celtics  in seven games.

The year 2008, was a stellar one for him as he outperformed rival players like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson by scoring an average of 30 points per game, the highest average in the NBA regular season.

In 2008, he traveled to Beijing with the likes of Bryant, Jason Kidd, and Dwyane Wade as part of the U.S. Olympic Basketball Team and brought home the gold after defeating Spain in the finals.

Shortly after becoming a free agent in 2010, he announced that he would be joining the  Miami Heat  for the upcoming season. He finished second in the league, scoring 26.7 points per game.

LeBron James competed at his third  Olympic Games  in 2012, in London, along with teammates Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant, and the team brought home the second consecutive  Olympic  gold.

At the end of the 2012-13 season, against the  San Antonio Spurs ,  Miami  transformed a seemingly impossible championship win into reality, winning their second consecutive national title with a 3-4 victory.

In 2014, LeBron James opted out of his contract with  Miami Heat  and signed with  Cleveland Cavaliers . In 2014–15 season,  Cleveland Cavaliers  advanced to the NBA finals and in the process, James became the first player since the 1960s to play in five consecutive NBA finals.

His 2015–16 season was marred by controversies, which also included the midseason firing of  Cavaliers’  coach David Blatt. In spite of all this, LeBron James performed admirably and became the third player to record a triple-double in an NBA Finals Game.

LeBron’s stint with  Cleveland Cavaliers  ended in 2018 and thereafter, he signed a contract with the  Los Angeles Lakers.

In February 2019, James became the fifth NBA player to reach 32,000 points. On March 6, 2019, in a game against  Denver Nuggets, he surpassed Michael Jordan to become the fourth-highest scorer on the NBA list.

Relationship Status: Single?

LeBron James proposed to Savannah Brinson, his high school sweetheart, on January 1, 2012. On September 14, 2013, the couple married in a private ceremony attended by around 200 guests in San Diego.

Brinson and James have two boys and one daughter. LeBron Jr., James’ first child, was born in October 2004. Brinson gave birth to their second son, Bryce Maximus James, on June 14, 2007. Zhuri James, their third child, was born on October 22, 2014.

How old is LeBron James?

LeBron James is 38 years old.

How much is LeBron James’s net worth?

His estimated net worth is around £1 million.

How tall is LeBron James?

He has a height of 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m).

Also read: Quentin Grimes , Derrick Rose , Jalen Marquis Brunson , RJ Barrett

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The Story of LeBron James’s 38,390 Points, by Those Who Were There

Teammates. Competitors. Victims of his memes. They each have a story about James’s road to breaking the N.B.A. career scoring record.

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By Sopan Deb

• Feb. 7, 2023

Stephen Curry’s favorite memory of playing against LeBron James isn’t from any of the three championships he won with the Golden State Warriors against James’s teams. It was from his 2009-10 rookie season, when James was in his seventh year with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

They first met when James attended one of Curry’s college games for Davidson . The night before their first N.B.A. clash, in Cleveland, James hosted Curry at his home.

“For me, as a rookie, it was a whirlwind of excitement,” Curry said. He added: “The fact that he’s as big as he is, as strong as he is, as skilled as he is, there’s never a time he can’t get a shot off.”

James scored 31 points, most coming from near the rim or at the free-throw line . He hit just one 3-pointer.

More than a decade later, James’s game looks different, though he can still dunk as if the rim insulted his honor. The N.B.A. has evolved rapidly since James entered the league in 2003, and his ability to change with it helped him break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s seemingly unbreakable career scoring record of 38,387 points on Tuesday. James has 38,390 points now.

“Nobody could imagine somebody doing it,” said Drew Gooden, who played hundreds of games alongside James in Cleveland. He added: “If you would have said or told somebody in 2003 when LeBron James got drafted when he was 18 years old that he was going to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record, they would have looked at you like you were crazy.”

N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver, in an email, called the record “one of the most hallowed” in all sports. Of James, he said, “His extraordinary athleticism, power and speed leave you in awe.”

Over the past 20 years, James’s ascent to the top of the scoring list has impressed Hall of Fame players as he made a definitive case to join their ranks and perhaps be considered the best among them. His shots have felled the toughest competitors, yet made them fans as he blocked them from fulfilling their sports dreams. His teammates have amassed stories of the joys of playing with him — and the pain of being on the other side.

At 38, James is one of the N.B.A.’s oldest players. He’s also still one of its best.

“It’s not like he’s holding on for dear life just to get the award,” Curry said. “He’s still playing at a high level. So it’s pretty damn impressive.”

‘Scored baskets in every way possible’

Abdul-Jabbar, 75, played in the N.B.A. from 1969 to 1989 after starring for three seasons at U.C.L.A. When he broke Wilt Chamberlain ’s career scoring record in April 1984 , he did so with his patented, and nearly unstoppable, shot: the sky hook .

James hasn’t cultivated that kind of signature.

“Now, is there a shot that you know that he got that would make you say LeBron James? No,” said George Gervin, 70, a Hall of Fame player who won four scoring titles and is known for his finger roll .

Instead, Gervin said, James’s “greatest attribute will be his ability to be consistent.”

James has methodically developed his game all over the floor, borrowing from the greats. During any given game, he might shoot the fadeaway from the post perfected by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, go for a logo 3-pointer like Curry or do the “Dream Shake” he was taught by its namesake, Hakeem Olajuwon .

“LeBron has scored baskets in every way possible,” Philadelphia 76ers Coach Doc Rivers said.

Rivers, who has also coached the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, said he recently ran into James in Los Angeles and joked, “I think you scored at least 10,000 of those points against one of my teams.”

He said James responded, “‘Those Celtics points were the hardest damn points that I’ve ever had to score.’”

Defenders became “more fearful” as James expanded his game, Rivers said.

“When LeBron first started, you wanted to take away his right hand. His drive. His attacks to the basket,” Rivers said. “You actually would sag off and give him shots. Then he started going both ways with the ball, which made it more difficult to guard. Then he got the in-between game.”

The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo, one of the league’s best defenders, said James was “like a computer.”

“He’s calculating everything that is going on at a rapid speed,” Adebayo said. “So it would be like you typing normally and you got somebody on, like, Excel saying it to the computer and the computer is just reading what they’re saying and just typing it.”

James is known for his savvy, but also for his strength.

“His area of attack is at the top of the floor,” said Mike Brown, who coached James for five seasons in Cleveland. “Everybody knows it, but nobody can stop it.”

Diana Taurasi , who holds the W.N.B.A.’s career scoring record , said James was “probably still the most dangerous man in transition.”

Gooden said he “took it for granted” that he had played with James. That is, until 2008, when Cleveland traded Gooden to Chicago and he tried to make the Cavaliers regret it the first time he faced off with James.

“I jumped right in LeBron’s way, and it was like a freight train hit me,” Gooden said. “He came across with two elbows. All his elbows went across my face. Basically, he got an and-one. And I came out of the smoke with a bloody, busted lip. And I was like, ‘Wow, that’s what everybody’s been having to deal with.’”

More passer than scorer?

James’s points are often an afterthought to his skill as a passer.

“He never set out to be a scoring leader,” Golden State forward Draymond Green said. “He’s never been viewed as a scorer. I think that’s more impressive than anything .”

James passed Magic Johnson for sixth on the career assists list in December and passed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash to become fourth in January.

Jeff Green, who was James’s Cavaliers teammate in 2017-18, said James’s passing “allowed me to get a lot of buckets.”

James has led the league in assists only once, in the 2019-20 season. But Erik Spoelstra, who coached James to two championships with the Heat, said he believed that James could have done it any time he wanted to.

“ The skill that I thought was most fascinating with him, with his size and skill and his vision, is his passing,” Spoelstra said.

Some think the most momentous play of James’s career wasn’t even on offense.

Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, said: “In terms of memorable, it’s not points he has scored. It’s his chase-down block of Andre in the finals.”

Late in Game 7 of the 2016 N.B.A. finals against Golden State, James, then with Cleveland, flashed the length of the court to block a crucial shot by Andre Iguodala, helping the Cavaliers complete an improbable championship run.

“I never got mad about that,” Iguodala said. “Like, people think it hurts me when they say, ‘You got blocked by LeBron.’ That was an amazing play. Even in real time, I was like, ‘Geez, bro, that was incredible.’ ”

‘A grown man playing among kids’

During James’s rookie year, he averaged fewer than three 3-point attempts a game. Last season, he averaged eight a game — a reflection of the N.B.A.’s shift to emphasize 3-point shooting and his willingness to go with the tide. It’s also a reflection of graceful aging to preserve his legs.

Abdul-Jabbar rarely missed games because of injury and James largely had not either, until recent seasons with the Lakers. James is known for a diligent diet and exercise regimen that has allowed him to stretch his career and remain dominant past the typical N.B.A. retirement age.

“The reward for doing that is he’s a grown man playing among kids now,” Gooden said.

As James’s game has drifted toward the perimeter, his drives to the basket — and the foul shots they often draw — have become less common. Instead, he’s become a better shooter, with more of his points coming from 3-point range.

Still, Silver said he had always been struck by “the sheer force of his dunks.”

In 2012, when James was with the Heat, he jumped over the 5-foot-11 John Lucas III for a dunk against Chicago.

“It happened so fast that I didn’t know he actually jumped over me until it was on the Jumbotron and we called the timeout and the crowd was going crazy,” said Lucas, who was an assistant coach on James’s Lakers team last season. “My phone was blowing up at halftime.”

Lucas even has a picture of himself getting dunked on hanging in his house.

“That picture is going to be in the Hall of Fame,” Lucas said. “I have a great sense of humor.”

Malik Monk, who played with James on the Lakers last season, said he often teased Lucas about the dunk. “He said he wanted to punch him,” Monk said.

James has spent a career making once-in-a-lifetime athleticism look casual, which is why his career-best 61-point performance against the Charlotte Hornets in 2014 seemingly blends in with last season’s 56-point explosion against Curry and Golden State, not to mention his scoring at least 40 points against every N.B.A. team.

But James’s greatness is far from casual. He has been a symbol of consistent dominance for decades — just as Abdul-Jabbar was. When James entered the league straight from high school, he did so with unprecedented hype. He had already been on the cover of Sports Illustrated . His high school games were on national television .

As Rivers put it: “LeBron is one of the few people in the history of sports to overachieve from a position that was impossible to overachieve.”

Decades later, perhaps the most remarkable fact about James’s career is that his scoring at age 38 is at least as good as it’s ever been — meaning the story of his offensive prowess has not been fully written.

Sopan Deb is a basketball writer and a contributor to the Culture section. Before joining The Times, he covered Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign for CBS News. More about Sopan Deb

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Lebron James Book for Kids: The ultimate biography of King LeBron James for Children (6-12) (Legends for Kids) Hardcover – Large Print, December 12, 2023

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LEBRON JAMES BOOK FOR KIDS:

"Dive into the incredible world of LeBron James with this action-packed biography crafted just for kids! Join the King of the Court on his awe-inspiring journey from a basketball prodigy to a global icon. Discover the thrilling tales of his slam-dunk success, his dedication to community, and the hard work that turned him into a hoops superhero. Packed with fun facts, jaw-dropping moments, and a slam dunk of inspiration, this biography is your VIP pass to the epic life of LeBron James. Get ready to shoot for the stars with the legend who proves that dreams really do come true!"

Prefect book for curious children, LeBron James Fans and Basketball lovers.

• Large print for easy reading.
• Filled with illustrations and Images for more interesting reading.
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• Suitable for Educational purposes.

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• Print length 74 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Verity Books
• Publication date December 12, 2023
• Dimensions 8.5 x 0.31 x 11 inches
• ISBN-10 6045475941
• ISBN-13 978-6045475942
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Verity Books; Large type / Large print edition (December 12, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 74 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 6045475941
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-6045475942
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.17 pounds
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Like its superstar subject, ‘LeBron’ biography doesn’t miss a shot

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LeBron James’ life and career make for a storyteller’s dream, a series of high-profile triumphs and setbacks, a hard upbringing that gave way to the upper echelons of sports, finance and celebrity.

Raised in Akron, Ohio, by a single mother with little money and plenty of demons, he emerged as the most dominant high school athlete in the country and a one-man industry in the making. Drafted by his hometown NBA team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, right out of high school, he broke the city’s heart when he left, then brought euphoria when he returned. Along the way he turned himself into a billion-dollar corporation with the help of an inner circle composed of three buddies he met as a teenager. He would eventually make friends with the likes of Barack Obama and Warren Buffett.

LeBron James passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become NBA’s all-time leading scorer

Lakers’ LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, tallying 38 points to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s mark in a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Feb. 8, 2023

In short, there’s no shortage of material for a biographer to chronicle the current Los Angeles Laker, and Jeff Benedict’s comprehensive new “LeBron” does a masterful job of shaping that material into a cohesive and propulsive whole. This is a fast break of a book, slicing into the many mini-narratives that James has lived and artfully tying them together to create a portrait of a man who has, by his own design, remained an enigma except to those he decides to trust. Benedict has constructed a sort of sports opera fueled by the drama and emotion surrounding his subject, but never sensationalistic or unfair. Benedict clearly likes James, but he’s been around long enough — among the subjects of his 17 books are Tiger Woods and the New England Patriots — to steer far clear of hagiography.

Burned by many writers in his career, sometimes in stories shot through with casual, almost subconscious racism, James learned early to carefully curate his public life and image (which didn’t prevent him from committing perhaps the greatest public relations blunder in sports history). He did not talk to Benedict for “LeBron.” But the author’s reporting here is exhaustive; he interviewed almost 250 people for the book. The public record on James is voluminous, and Benedict used it extensively.

However, this is no clip job. Benedict writes scenes that make clear the extent of his primary reporting, putting the reader, to paraphrase a popular Broadway musical, in the room where it happens. You can practically see the goop in Miami Heat president Pat Riley’s hair as he seethes in resentment when James announces his departure from South Beach to return to Cleveland. “LeBron” isn’t just great sportswriting, it’s also vivid narrative journalism.

There have been other LeBron books, some written by the man himself (with collaboration from professional scribes). Indeed, writers walk on and off these pages like players in a layup line. Buzz Bissinger shows up to ghostwrite “LeBron’s Dream Team,” about James’ high school years; the Pulitzer winner found James’ unwillingness to open up (or promote the book) maddening. There’s Grant Wahl, who wrote the story that put James on the cover of Sports Illustrated while he was still in high school, a decision that caused much hand-wringing: What if they mess up this kid’s life? (Spoiler: They didn’t). James soon grew wary of sportswriters, most of them middle-aged white men turning his hardscrabble upbringing into a study in urban pathology.

There were exceptions, most notably Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins, who gained James’ trust and penned the essay announcing James’ return to Cleveland. This was a public relations master stroke, an antidote of sorts to “The Decision,” the ill-advised, nationally televised special in which James announced his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami. The spectacle, and its lack of humility, was a disaster, nearly causing riots back in Ohio and making James, for a time, the most hated person in sports.

But James is nothing if not resilient, and his instincts, on and off the court, tend to be uncanny. There’s an American dream quality to “LeBron,” the story of a kid who came from very little and gradually, meticulously built a hand-picked dream team of advisors and corporate partners that helped make him the most famous athlete in the world. His talent, of course, didn’t hurt; built like a particularly tall linebacker, he ran faster and jumped higher than any of his opponents. Benedict covers all of this thoroughly. But he also makes clear that James just thinks differently. He sees around corners, on and off the court. He didn’t just want to be a star, he wanted to transcend sports. As his friend Jay-Z put it in song, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” The same could be said of James.

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Eventually, James incorporated a social consciousness into his public persona. This process too included some stumbles. Early in his career, with the 2008 Summer Olympics approaching in Beijing, James’ Cavaliers teammate Ira Newble collected the team’s signatures to protest China’s complicity in the Darfur genocide. Everyone signed — except James. James is and was Nike’s biggest business investment, and Nike has big business in China. Still in his early 20s at the time, James didn’t want to rock the boat, and at that point in his career, he didn’t even really know how.

In other words, he is mortal, if exceptional. Benedict’s greatest feat here might be the way he cuts through both the public hysteria surrounding James and the superstar’s own protective field to paint a portrait of a man in full. Sports fans should eat “LeBron” up. But even casual observers will learn plenty about one of the most visible personalities of his generation.

By Jeff Benedict Avid Reader: 576 pages, $32 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org , whose fees support independent bookstores.

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Kobe Bryant

• Occupation: Basketball Player
• Born: August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Died: January 26, 2020 in Calabasas, California
• Nicknames: Black Mamba, Mr. 81, Kobe Wan Kenobi
• Best known for: Winning 5 NBA championships with the LA Lakers
• Yes. Kobe won 5 NBA championships with the LA Lakers. The first 3 championships were early on in his career (2000-2002). All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal was his teammate at the time. After Shaq was traded, it took some time for the Lakers to rebuild, but they won two more championships, one in 2009 and another in 2010.
• His high school team won the state championship his senior year.
• He won two Olympic Gold medals for basketball in 2008 and 2012.
• He was the NBA slam dunk champion in 1997.

• Kobe scored 81 points in an NBA game, which is the second most points scored in a single game.
• He holds the record for the most career points scored by a Los Angeles Laker.
• He is the youngest player to score 26,000 career points. He actually held a lot of the "youngest" records in the NBA, but LeBron James is catching him in many categories.
• Kobe was the NBA scoring champion in 2006 and 2007.
• He was selected to the All-NBA Team fifteen times and the All-Defensive Team twelve times.
• At the time of the writing of this article he was third on the all-time NBA scoring list.
• Kobe was the first guard to be drafted by the NBA out of high school.
• Kobe played for the Los Angeles Lakers his entire professional career.
• He was the youngest player to start an NBA game.
• Kobe's mom's brother, John Cox, also played in the NBA.
• He was named after the Japanese steak "kobe".
• His middle name is Bean.
• He spent a lot of his childhood in Italy where his father played professional basketball. He learned how to speak Italian and played a lot of soccer.