From high school hype to all-time great, LeBron James has solidified his throne in the NBA.
It’s official, LeBron is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on a beautiful fadeaway shot on the free throw line. Although LeBron has done everything that an NBA player could want: MVPs, NBA Championships, All-Star games, All-NBA teams, etc., breaking this incredible record may be his crowning achievement.
No American sports athlete has been more hyped than James. Since he was in high school, he was labeled the “Chosen One,” and every step of the way, he has surpassed all expectations for his career. Here is the evolution of LeBron James.
LeBron Raymone James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio to Gloria Marie James. Growing up, LeBron often lived with family and friends in the hope that he would be in a more stable environment.
James attended St. Vincent-St. Mary high school in Akron, where he quickly became the best high school basketball player in the country and was considered by many to be the greatest high school basketball player ever. Famously, on a 2002 Sports Illustrated cover, he was deemed the “Chosen One.”
James’ story is not all about basketball. He met his wife, Savannah in high school and the two started dating while she attended a rival school. The two got married in September 2013 and have three kids: Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri.
LeBron decided to skip college and immediately declare for the NBA once he was done with high school. He was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. He would go on to win the 2003-2004 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
After winning back-to-back MVPs in 2009 and 2010, LeBron was unable to reach the Finals again during his first stint in Cleveland. He lost to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. It was the last time he would play for the Cavs until 2014.
In the summer of 2010, LeBron James became the most sought-after free agent in NBA history. He held a nationally televised event to announce the team he would sign with, announcing that he would be “taking his talents to south beach” and joining the Miami Heat along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
