Lebron Jamesor King James, was born on December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio.
James starred in St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, and was a three-time Ohio Mr. Basketball selection. In St. Vincent-St. Mary, James averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 3.8 steals as a sophomore, leading his team to a 26-1 record and the Division III state title. He was the first sophomore to be selected to USA Today’s first-team All-USA and to be named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball. As a junior, Lebron averaged 29.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 3.3 steals. He was again named to the All-USA First Team and was awarded the 2001-2002 Men’s Basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year. As a senior, Lebron averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.4 steals on the season, and was named to the All-USA First Team and received the Ohio Mr. Basketball title. for the third consecutive year. James earned MVP honors at the McDonald’s All-American Game, the EA Sports Roundball Classic, and the Jordan Capital Classic, and finished his high school career with a total of 2,657 points, 892 rebounds, and 523 assists.
James also played high school soccer and was named to the first team all-state as a wide receiver his sophomore year.
Like other NBA superstars Kobe Bryant and Amar’e Stoudemire, and Moses Malone and Daryl Dawkins years before, Lebron jumped straight from high school to the NBA. James was selected No. 1 overall in the 2003 draft by Cleveland and led the Cavs to a 35-47 record in his rookie year (a vast improvement from their 17-65 record the year before). Lebron averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, and was named Rookie of the Year.
King James won back-to-back NBA MVP Awards in 2009 and 2010. He has been an All-NBA selection and named to the NBA All-Star Team every year since 2005. James has also played on two US Olympic teams. USA and won a bronze medal in 2004 and a gold medal in 2008.
In 2006, King James led the Cavs to their first playoff appearance in eight years and was Cleveland’s toast. He signed a $60 million contract extension to keep him in Cleveland through the 2009-2010 season. As the 2009-2010 season came to a close and the Cavaliers were knocked out of the NBA playoffs with a disappointing loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, he raised speculation that Lebron would leave Cleveland. James was criticized for his performance against Boston, which included a 3-for-14, 15-point performance in Game 5. Lebron responded to some of his critics with a 27-point, 19-rebound, 10-assist performance in Game 6, but he also committed 9 turnovers.
Lebron announced his free agency on July 1, 2010. Lebron James Rumors swirled as several teams, including the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and his hometown Cavs, courted him.
In a highly controversial ESPN special titled “The Decision,” Lebron James set to rest the rumors, announcing that he had decided to go to South Florida and sign with the Miami Heat, where he would form a “dream team” with superstar Dwayne Wade and free agent Chris Bosh.
