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LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria James, was only 16 at the time. His biological father, Anthony McClelland, was an ex-con uninterested in being a parent. Gloria raised LeBron on her own, and to this day he goes by her last name.
From an early age, LeBron showed tremendous instincts for basketball. Gloria gave him a miniature hoop and ball when he was an infant, and he amused himself for hours each day with the toys. LeBron also had the genes necessary to spawn a long-limbed basketball phenom. Though Gloria stands only 5'5", she has relatives who are much taller. LeBron's hero was Michael Jordan, and he patterned his hoops game after his idol's. He liked taking it to the hole, as well as launching jumpers, but he took a special delight in distributing the basketball to his teammates.
As a child, LeBron lived in quite an unstable home. Gloria was having personal problems, and she was finding it hard being a single mother. When he was in fourth grade, he moved in with his former football coach, Frankie Walker.
By the eighth grade LeBron was six feet tall, could play all five positions and had a sixth sense for the game. He was a born to be a basketball player.
The summer after LeBron's freshman year at St. Vincent-St. Mary, he was already 6'7". As LeBron prepared for the basketball season, word began to spread that SVSM had a bona fide phenom on its hands. Expecting a huge crowd for their 2000-01 season opener, the Fighting Irish scheduled the game at the University of Akron's James A. Rhodes Arena. Some 5,000 fans packed the house. LeBron paced SVSM to an easy victory, and the team rolled from there.
For the year LeBron averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. He also increased his proficiency from downtown, connecting on 39 percent of his treys. Named an All-American (along with the likes of Eddie Curry and Kwame Brown), LeBron became the first sophomore in Ohio history to be voted the state's Mr. Basketball.
With a solid B average in his junior year, he would probably have his choice of colleges. On his short list were Cal, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, North Carolina and Duke. But many questioned whether LeBron was really considering college. Though a good student, he was a basketball player first and foremost. And with the hype around him building, he was being exposed more and more to the trappings of life as a pro. His name appeared in newspaper headlines across the nation. Nike and adidas were in a fierce battle to sign him. Reports said the final offer could reach $20 million.
LeBron finished the year averaging 28 points, six assists and just under nine rebounds. An All-American on everybody's list, he was named National Player of the Year by Gatorade, USA Today and Parade Magazine. But LeBron wasn't completely satisfied with his season. His greatest cause for concern was the drop in his 3-point shooting (34%) and free throws (59.3%). He resolved to spend extra time in the gym working on both areas.
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Among those who believed LeBron's game didn't need much tinkering was Cavaliers coach John Lucas. He had seen him in an AAU tournament the previous summer, and got to know him personally because LeBron often hung out at Cleveland's Gund Arena. Ignoring NBA rules, Lucas invited the 17-year-old to an informal workout with the Cavs. LeBron impressed with dunks over Jumaine Jones and Chris Mihm, but again it was his ability to see the court and make pinpoint passes that attracted the most oohs and aahs. The practice session earned Lucas a $150,000 fine from the NBA and got him suspended for two games. But he felt he got off cheap. Watching LeBron up close and personal was more than worth the penalties handed down by the league. |
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| NBA Position: Point
Guard Ht: 6'8" Wt: 240 High School: St. Vincent-St. Mary |
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