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LeBron Raymone James Sr. (/ləˈbrɒn/;[1] lə-BRON; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has won four NBA championships from 10 NBA Finals appearances, having made eight consecutive appearances between 2011 and 2018.[2] He also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers, three Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team, and the Olympics MVP in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
In addition to ranking fourth in NBA career assists and sixth in NBA career steals, James holds several individual honors, including four NBA MVP awards, four Finals MVP awards, the Rookie of the Year award, three All-Star Game MVP awards, and the inaugural NBA Cup MVP. A record 21-time All-Star and 20-time All-NBA selection (including a record 13 First Team selections), he has also made six All-Defensive Teams and was twice runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.[3][4] The oldest active player in the NBA, he is tied with Vince Carter for the most seasons played and holds the record for the most minutes played in league history.
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, James gained national attention at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School and was heavily touted as a future NBA superstar for his all-around scoring, passing, athleticism and playmaking abilities.[5] A prep-to-pro, James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft. He won Rookie of the Year and quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier players, leading Cleveland to its first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. After winning back-to-back MVPs in 2009 and 2010, he left the Cavaliers and joined the Miami Heat as a free agent in 2010, a controversial move announced in the nationally televised special titled The Decision.[6]
With the Heat, James won his first two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013, earning MVP and Finals MVP honors both years. After four seasons in Miami, he returned to Cleveland in 2014, leading the Cavaliers to their first-ever championship in 2016 by overcoming a 3–1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors and ending the Cleveland sports curse. He signed with the Lakers in 2018, winning another title in 2020. In 2023, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and in 2024, he and his son Bronny became the first father-son teammates in league history.
Off the court, James has earned further wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts. He is the first player in NBA history to accumulate $1 billion in earnings as an active player.[7] James has been featured in books, documentaries (including winning three Sports Emmy Awards as an executive producer), and television commercials. He was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2005, 2013, 2017, and 2019 – the most selections for a professional athlete. James has won 20 ESPY Awards, hosted Saturday Night Live, and starred in the sports film Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021). He has been a part-owner of Liverpool F.C. since 2011 and leads the LeBron James Family Foundation, which has opened an elementary school, housing complex, retail plaza, and medical center in Akron.[8][9]
References
[edit]- ^ "LeBron James #ScoringKing Ceremony In LA 👑 | February 9, 2023". YouTube. National Basketball Association. February 10, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ "LeBron James Bio". NBA.com. January 1, 2021. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Referencewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Daubs, Kyle (August 17, 2021). "LeBron James' Almost Perfect Season In 2013 Was Ruined By Marc Gasol". Fadeaway World. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
- ^ "Ohio High School Junior LeBron James Is So Good That He's Already Being Mentioned as the Heir to Air Jordan". Sports Illustrated Vault | Si.com. February 18, 2002. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ Withers, Tom (April 6, 2022). "AP Was There: LeBron James dumps Cleveland for Miami". AP News. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ Wimbish, Jasmyn (July 22, 2021). "LeBron James becomes first player in NBA history to make $1 billion in earnings while still playing". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
- ^ Gregory, Sean (December 15, 2020). "Exclusive: LeBron James to Open New Community Hub in Akron". Time. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "LeBron James foundation to open new medical center". Fox 8.com (WJW-TV). June 7, 2022. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.