LeBron James
|
Biography
Scouting Report
LeBron James (born December 30, 1984) is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Commonly nicknamed "King James" and "The Chosen One," James was highly promoted in national media as a future NBA star.[1] At the age of eighteen, he was selected with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers and became the second high school player chosen as the first overall pick. Before debuting in his first official NBA game, James signed an unprecedented $90 million shoe contract by Nike, Inc. He has since become one of the most prominent players in the league and has set numerous youngest player records. In his first season, he received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and in the following three seasons received All-NBA and All-Star honors. Early lifeJames was born an only child in a low-income area of Akron, Ohio to the unwed Gloria James on December 30, 1984. His mother was around the age of 16 at the time and just six months shy of graduating from high school. Moving frequently from one home to another,[2] situations began to somewhat improve for James, when his mother began seeing a man named Eddie Jackson. James did not have much contact with his biological father and Jackson became a father figure to him. He regularly attended James' high school basketball games.[3] High schoolFreshman yearJames attended St. Vincent - St. Mary High School in Akron. He was the starting point guard on a team led by his future best friend and manager Maverick Carter. Although Carter is commonly referred to as James' cousin, they are not actually related. With James at the point and the primacy of Carter, the team cruised to a perfect 27-0 record and won the Division III state championship. Sophomore yearJames took over the team after Carter's graduation and averaged 27.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and four steals for SVSM en route to another state title. He was subsequently named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball" and selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team — the first sophomore to be so honored. An avid football player in addition to basketball, James was also able to add to his resume the distinction of being First-Team All-State as a wide receiver for his high school team. However, injury concerns led James to concentrate solely on basketball. Junior yearIn James' third year of high school his stats improved even more. He averaged 29.7 points and 8.4 rebounds, and was once again named Mr. Basketball of Ohio. In addition, he again found himself a spot on the All-USA First Team, and was named the 2001-02 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. It was at this time that his nickname "King" James would become a household staple in Ohio.  In his junior year, he appeared in SLAM Magazine which was the beginning of his nationwide exposure. However, the St. Vincent-St. Mary basketball team failed to defend its state title when it moved up to the more challenging Division II and lost to Cincinnati's Roger Bacon High School. James attempted to declare for the NBA Draft, petitioning for an adjustment to the NBA's rules of draft eligibility, which then required the completion of high school by a prospective player. The petition was unsuccessful, but it led to an unprecedented level of attention on him as he entered his senior year. By then, "King" James had already appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine. His popularity soared to new heights, forcing his team to move from their playing at the school gym to the nearby James A. Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron. Celebrities such as Shaquille O'Neal attended some of the games, hoping to get a glimpse of the prodigious young basketball player. A few of James's high school games were even televised nationally on ESPN2 and regionally on pay-per-view. Senior yearGloria James touched off a firestorm of controversy when she was allowed to use her son's future earning power as collateral to secure a bank loan to buy an $80,000 Hummer H2 for her son's 18th birthday, prompting an investigation by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). Under the OHSAA guidelines, no amateur may accept any gift valued over $100 as a reward for athletic performance. When James later accepted two throwback basketball jerseys worth $845 from NEXT, an urban clothing store in Shaker Square, in exchange for his posing for pictures to be displayed on the store's walls, OHSAA stripped him of his eligibility. James appealed and a judge blocked the ruling, reducing the penalty to a two-game suspension and allowing him to play the remainder of the season. However, James's team was forced to forfeit one of their wins as a result. Despite the distractions, the Irish won a third state title, and James, for an unprecedented third time, was named Mr. Basketball Ohio and to the All-USA First Team. He earned MVP honors at the McDonald's All-American Game, the EA Sports Roundball Classic, and the Jordan Capital Classic. Although it was a foregone conclusion, by participating in more than two high school all-star events, James officially lost his NCAA eligibility. NBA CareerRookie seasonJames was selected as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Prior to his first official NBA game, James signed an unprecedented $90 million shoe contract by Nike, Inc.,[4] and an exclusive multiyear contract with Upper Deck trading cards that included a $1 million signing bonus.[4] Facing the Sacramento Kings in his first NBA game, James recorded 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals on 60% field goal shooting.[5] After recording a season high 41 points against the New Jersey Nets, James became the youngest player in league history to score 40 points in a game.[6]He averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game for the season,[7] and was named Rookie of the Year; becoming the first Cavalier and youngest player to ever receive the award.[8] He joined Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only three players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in their rookie season.[8] The Cavaliers improved by 18 wins and concluded the regular season with a 35–47 record, but failed to make the playoffs.[9] 2004-05 seasonIn the 2004-05 season, James was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game appearance and recorded 13 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds, as the Eastern All-Stars defeated the Western All-Stars 125–115.[10] As the season progressed, James became the youngest player to register a triple-double and the youngest player to score 50 points in a game.[8] He averaged 27.2 points, 7.2 assists, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game,[7] and was named All-NBA Second Team, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to be awarded All-NBA honors.[8] However, the Cavaliers once again failed to reach the playoffs and finished with a 42–40 regular season record.[11] 2005-06 season In the 2005-06 season, James was elected to his second straight All-Star Game appearance and led the Eastern All-Stars to a 122–120 victory, with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. He became the youngest All-Star MVP at 21 years, 51 days.[12] He was named NBA Player of the Week for an unprecedented three consecutive weeks and concluded the season with five honors.[13] He scored 35 or more points in nine consecutive games and joined Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as the only players since 1970 to accomplish the feat.[13] For the season, James averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game,[7] and became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 30 points. He also joined Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average more than 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a single season.[14] On March 29, 2006, he helped the Cavaliers clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 1998,[15] and managed to transform the franchise from a 17–65 lottery bound team to a 50–32 playoff contender in three years.[16] Following the regular season, James was named as one of the top candidates for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Although he finished second to Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns in MVP voting, he was awarded co-MVP honors with Nash by The Sporting News; an award given by the publication that is based on the voting of thirty NBA general managers.[17] In the postseason, James made his playoff debut against the Washington Wizards. He recorded a triple-double with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 86–97.[18] He joined Johnny McCarthy and Magic Johnson as the the only players in NBA history to register a triple-double in their playoff debut.[18] In Game 3, he registered 41 points and became the first player in NBA history to score 40 points in their first playoff road game.[19] For the series, James averaged 35.7 points, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards in six games.[20] He ranks third all-time behind Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for a players scoring average in their first postseason series.[21] In the second round of the playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to a 3–2 series lead over the defending Eastern Conference champion and divisional rival Detroit Pistons. The Pistons, however, eliminated the Cavs by winning the final two games. James averaged 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in his first postseason appearance.[7] At the end of the season, James negotiated a contract extension for three years, with a player option for a fourth year. The contract is worth $60 million and begins at the start of the 2007-08 NBA season.[22] Although the contract is for fewer years and less money than the maximum he could sign, it allows him the option of seeking a new contract worth more money as an unrestricted free agent.[22] 2006-07 seasonDuring the 2006-07 season, James was elected to his third consecutive All-Star game appearance, where he played a game high 32 minutes and finished with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.[23] In the regular season, the Cavaliers managed to tie the previous season's record with 50 wins and clinched an Eastern Conference second seed playoff berth.[24] For the season, James averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average 27 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for three consecutive years.[25] In the first round of the playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to their first sweep in franchise history over the Washington Wizards in four games.[26] It was also the first time the franchise has won consecutive road playoff games.[26] For the series, James averaged 27.8 points, 7.5 assists, and 8.5 rebounds.[7] United States National TeamAfter his rookie season, James played on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team in Athens, Greece, where the United States won the bronze medal in Men's Basketball. It was the first time a U.S. Olympic team, with NBA players, failed to win the gold medal. Limited to 14.6 minutes per game, James averaged just 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.[27] In an effort to recapture gold medal honors, James also competed in the 2006 World Championships in Japan and averaged 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.[28] However, the team finished with an 8–1 season record, and was once again awarded the bronze medal.[28] James was named as one of three captains for the U.S. Men's Basketball National Team from 2006–2008, alongside Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.[29] After failing to win the 2006 World Championships, the team will have to compete at the Tournament of Americas Olympic Qualifiers in 2007 in order to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Player profileThe three-time All-Star and 2006 All-Star MVP LeBron James mostly plays the guard / forward position, as well as occasionally point forward. He has established himself as a legitimate triple-double threat, averaging 26.5 points, 6.6 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game. In the 2005-06 season, James ranked among the league leaders in triple-doubles, and has 12 in his career (10 - Regular Season, 2 - Postseason). James is considered one of the few players in the league who can at times play three or more positions, combining the length and quickness of a small forward, the size of a power forward and the court vision and ball-handling of a guard. James' overall skill sets and on-court play have led to comparisons to NBA greats such as Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.[30] Due to James' versatile gameplay, others consider him more in the vein of NBA legend Oscar Robertson, who was known for his great all-around play. James relies on his quickness, size and strength to get to the basket, and is adept at drawing contact and the resulting foul. In the 2006 season he led the league in completed traditional three point plays. Among issues of his game, James is not known for his defense. He has yet to be featured on any of the NBA all-defensive teams [31] James has also experienced inconsistencies with his free throw shooting. Personal lifeJames was born on December 30, 1984 and shares his birthdate with Tiger Woods.[8] He has one child with his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, named LeBron James Jr. who was born on October 6, 2004.[32] He announced that he is expecting his second child to be born in June 2007.[32] Before he was drafted into the NBA, James originally played football in high school.[8] During his sophomore year, he was named First Team-All State as a wide receiver, and in his junior year he helped lead St. Vincent - St. Mary High School to the state semifinals in football.[8] As a freshman playing basketball, James wore jersey number 32 before adopting his current number 23 as a tribute to his role model, Michael Jordan.[8] Despite being compared to Hall of Fame players, Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, and Magic Johnson,[30][33] James considers Penny Hardaway in his prime as the player whose talents are most similar to his, stating, "Penny sees the whole floor and can score. He's still one of my favorite players of all-time."[34] Video GalleryAwards and honors
References
External links
Statistics<stats> Player=LeBron James Sport=NBA </stats>
TD = Triple-doubles MVP = MVP voting References
Related ArticlesRecent LeBron James ArmchairGM Stories
|
|
