LeBron James (born December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio) is an NBA basketball player. James entered the NBA directly from high school and, prior to his professional debut, he was one of the most anticipated and discussed players in basketball history. He is primarily a shooting guard, but is also capable of playing point guard and small forward.

James first captured the attention of basketball fans with his impressive performance in high school. Following a solid freshman year on a Division III state championship team, he put together an exceptional sophomore campaign in 2000-01 in which he averaged 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals, in addition to another state championship. He was named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball" and USA Today selected him for the All-USA First Team, making him the first sophomore to be honored with such a nomination. He added to his resume by being first-team all-state in high school football.

James' talents were becoming well-known among fans nationwide during his junior year, and he began to use the nickname "King" James. During this season, he averaged 29 points and 8 rebounds and was once again named Mr. Basketball and again had a spot All-USA First Team. James' team lost the state championship that year as it moved to the more challenging Division II. However, LeBron's reputation was already well intact. His talent was great enough that James attempted to declare for the NBA draft as a high school junior, petitioning for an adjustment to the rule stating that a player must finish high school to be eligible. This would have made him the youngest player in NBA history. The petition was unsuccessful, but it led to an unprecedented level of attention on his play as a high school senior.

"King" James was already on the covers of Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine while still in high school and was already working out multi-million dollar shoe contracts while a senior. The attention he was receiving was so great that his high school games were available nationally on pay-per-view and some games were even televised nationally. In addition to his on-court play, some events in his private life also became news. A controversy occurred when he received a "Hummer" truck, worth about $50,000, as a gift from his mother, who purchased it with a loan. Many felt this threatened his amateur status in the state: a rule for Ohio high schools states that by "capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving gifts of monetary value", an athlete must forfeit amateur status. He was cleared of wrongdoing in the case of the vehicle without punishment, but he was not as lucky after accepting a pair of throwback jerseys, worth approximately $845, free from a clothing store. This was taken as a direct violation of the rule and he was declared ineligible on January 31st. James' team was forced to forfeit one of their schools wins as a result.

Fans in Akron were outraged at the decision to suspend their native son's high school career, and lawyers for James appealed against the ruling. On February 5th, he was reinstated by a temporary restraining order which blocked the ruling. After his team earned a third state championship, James, for an unprecedented third time, won selections as Ohio's Mr. Basketball and was named to the All-USA First Team. He highlighted this perfromance by earning MVP honors at three high school all-star games: the McDonald's All-American Game, the EA Sports Roundball Classic, and the Jordan Capital Classic.

To very little surprise, LeBron officially declared for the NBA draft on April 25th. He prepared for his professional debut by signing a contract with Nike for $90 million over 7 years. Because James was seen as a consensus first pick, the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery was described by some as the "LeBron Lottery". James' local team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, successfully drew the first pick. Cleveland confirmed his selection as the #1 pick over a month before the draft, and contract negotiations were concluded in advance.

During his rookie season, James largely met the extremely high expectations placed on him. He was named rookie of the year and nearly led his team, previously the worst in the NBA, to the playoffs.

Further reading

• Jones, Ryan: King James: Believe the Hype, St. Martin's Griffin 2003. ISBN 0312322291
• Morgan, David Lee: LeBron James: The Rise of a Star, Gray & Company Publishers 2003. ISBN 1886228744

External links

• The Official LeBron James Website