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LeBron James gained easy popularity in his
junior year. He was nicknamed “King” James by
his fans. During the 2000-2001 season he
averaged 29 points and 8 rebounds and was named
Mr. Basketball and again had a spot in the
All-USA First Team. However the team could not
win State Championship for the season. The loss
did effect James image and his talent sharpened
to more expertise.
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. With all the talent and expertise of the game
he attempted to declare for the NBA draft as a
high school junior. For that James also filed a
petition asking for an amendment in the draft
rule which stated that a player must finish high
school to be eligible. If he could have made to
the NBA, King would have been the youngest
player in NBA history. The petition was
declined, but King gained all the limelight he
could. He gained more limelight when he was 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. |
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The fan
level grew to such an extent that nationally on
pay-per-view some games were televised. With all the
fame came the controversy, 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. This was against the rules
laid down by the Ohio high schools, the rule stated that
by "capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving gifts of
monetary value" an athlete must forfeit amateur status.
The next controversy came with the jerseys he accepted
from a clothing store worth $845. LeBron officially
declared for the NBA draft on April 25th, 20003. He
prepared for his professional debut by signing a
contract with Nike for $90 million over 7 years.
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