LeBron James, full name LeBron Raymone James, nicknamed King James, is an American professional basketball player who has won NBA championships with the Miami Heat (2012 and 2013), the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016), and the Los Angeles Lakers (2020). James, a basketball prodigy in the Akron region since elementary school, was crowned Ohio’s Mr. Basketball three times during his four years on the team, helping St. Vincent-St. Mary to three Ohio state championships. He garnered national headlines in his junior year when he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and called “The Chosen One.”
James was crowned the consensus national high school player of the year in his senior year, and the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him first overall in the NBA draught in 2003. He also signed a remarkable $90 million endorsement deal with Nike before even playing a professional game. Despite the added pressures of these atypical circumstances, James led the Cavaliers in scoring, steals, and minutes played in 2003–04, earning Rookie of the Year honors. James, a 6-foot 8-inch (2.03-metre) “point forward” who could both bring the ball down the court and play close to the basket, offered a unique challenge for opposing teams; his unmatched agility and well-muscled body would have fit right in with the National Football League.
His game improved over the next few years. He was nominated to the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a starting forward during his second season, and he led the Cavaliers to their first playoff spot in nine years in his third season. When James’ contract with the Cavaliers expired at the end of the 2009–10 season, he became the most sought-after free agent in NBA history, and he embarked on a long courtship process with a number of teams who had been preparing for his free agency for nearly two years.
In an extraordinary hour-long televised event, James revealed his contract with the Heat, which was heavily derided for its excessive grandiosity. He led the Heat to the NBA finals in his first season with the franchise, but they were defeated in the championship game by the Dallas Mavericks. After defeating the San Antonio Spurs in a seven-game series the next season, the Heat won the NBA championship, and James was named Finals MVP for the second time.
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