At 38 years old, James remains one of America’s greatest sports stars, but his career appears to be coming to an end.
From humble beginnings in Ohio to becoming one of the world’s most record-breaking athletes, James’ story has inspired many Americans.
With a burning desire to succeed in professional sports, LeBron James has achieved success and recognition that few other athletes have achieved.
So, this guide will take a closer look at the incredible story of LeBron James, who began with struggles throughout his childhood and eventually became one of the greatest basketball players the NBA has ever seen. This is the LeBron James story: from high school to NBA championship.
Struggled as a Child in Akron, Ohio
LeBron James was born when his mother, Gloria Marie James, was 16 years old. He was born in Ohio and grew up in Akron.
When LeBron James was a child, life was often difficult for African-American families as they were often moved between apartments, not providing the overall stability the family needed. His father was a convicted criminal who did not belong in his life and did not support his family financially.
James grew up in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, in part because his mother, Gloria, struggled to find work and support a family.
Realizing that her son needed a stable home to progress in life, his mother allowed him to live with Frank Walker and his family. Walker, a well-known youth football coach in Akron, saw potential in James and introduced him to the sport when he was 9 years old.
James started playing for a local American football team in fifth grade.
While his initial sporting activity was American football, as he grew older he switched to basketball.
In 2001, just before his junior year, James was the main topic of an article in Slam magazine, in which the then 16-year-old – who stood 6 feet 7 inches tall – was labeled as a potential “Best Player of the Year”. Good high school basketball player” American player. “
In the same year, James was officially awarded this title by the sports organization, which was also the beginning of James’ exciting career as a college basketball player.
No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft
A few years later, in 2003, James experienced his first career-boosting honor. He was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the NBA draft.
The Cavaliers would become one of the most important teams later in his career. At 18 years old, he became the youngest drafted player in NBA history.
Despite his young age, he showed the world his extraordinary skills, averaging 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists in his first season.
These NBA statistics earned me the honor of being voted NBA Rookie of the Year. At the time, he was the first Cavs player to win the award.
He then graduated from the University of St. Vincent-St. Louis in his hometown. A year later, in 2004, he entered Mary High School and became a member of the basketball team.
James was selected to Team USA as a sophomore and was selected to the All-American First Team today. This was also when he was given one of his most famous nicknames, “The Chosen One.”
After his junior year, one year after he decided to focus on professional basketball, James became a full-time professional player.
Transferred to Miami Heat
James set record after record, but his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, struggled to win important championships.
James became a free agent in 2010 due to frustration with the team’s overall athletic performance.
He publicly announced that he would take the first step and that his new destination would be the Miami Heat.
This proved to be a good decision for James as he led the Heat to back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. In both tournaments, James was voted NBA Finals MVP.
After winning his first title, James said he would return to Cleveland. His return was in 2014.
Return to Cleveland Cavaliers
James quickly led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, where they eventually lost to the Warriors.
The loss affected the small forward, although he said it only strengthened his “determination to win a championship with the team and city he loves so much.”
In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers reached the Finals, and their opponent was the Golden State Warriors again, which gave them a chance for revenge.
Trailing 3-1, it looked like they would lose the series again, but the determination James said after losing the Finals last time was decisive as his team became the first in NBA history. The team turned a 1-3 deficit into a victory in this game. James was named NBA Finals MVP.
This is the third time in his already impressive career that he has won this award.
Signed with the Los Angeles Lakers
In 2018, James moved to the West Coast to join the Los Angeles Lakers. He signed a four-year contract with Los Angeles as a free agent. James was given the responsibility to lead and rebuild the team.
The ultimate goal is to get the team back into title contention.
Despite this, the 33-year-old James still performed well and had impressive statistics. Although James performed well this season, he still failed to lead the team into the playoffs.
The team is facing a lot of injuries, and James is one of the players affected by different groin injuries. His performance was inconsistent for several years as he missed parts of the next few seasons.
2023: Goat?
However, in February 2023, LeBron earned himself the title of the greatest basketball player in NBA history.
The No. 6 of the Los Angeles Lakers set the NBA career scoring record, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 38,388 points.
The record was celebrated across the globe and his performances received international recognition. Now, at 38 years old, LeBron James has created a long list of records and accolades. This includes winning 4 MVP awards with Team USA, 4 Finals MVP awards and 2 Olympic gold medals.
He was also a 19-time All-Star, 19-time All-NBA selection (13-time First Team selection), and 6-time All-Defensive team selection.
LeBron James is still active and widely considered one of the best players ever, and is often compared to Michael Jordan in the debate of who is the greatest basketball player of all time.