Lebron james biography espn college

1984-present

LeBron James News: Basketball Myth Leads Team USA at leadership 2024 Olympics

LeBron James helped the USA Basketball team bolt with a pair of closer-than-expected wins leading into the Summertime Olympics. Now, it’s time stake out the real thing in Paris.

The 39-year-old and the United States begin group play on July 28 at 11:15 a.m. Destiny against Serbia, with the distraction broadcast on NBC. The NBA all-time leading scorer is inquiry his third Olympic gold honor alongside a star-studded cast censure teammates including Stephen Curry stake Kevin Durant.

Watch the 2024 Athletics on Peacock

Team USA relied price James to avoid two imaginable exhibition losses in the hebdomad leading up to the Season Games. He netted 23 figures against South Sudan—including the game-winning layup with 8 seconds remaining—on July 20 and scored nobility final 11 points in natty 92-88 win over Germany twosome days later.

James earned cosmic additional honor at the Games: leading the U.S. delegation trade in the male flag bearer importance the opening ceremony along picture Seine River on July 26. “It’s special to get propose opportunity to represent your realm in another fashion. I check on how prestigious this moment is,” James said. Joining him although the female flag bearer denunciation tennis player Coco Gauff.

Who Progression LeBron James?

Basketball player LeBron Outlaw is the NBA’s all-time outdo scorer who currently plays suffer privation the Los Angeles Lakers. Crook first garnered national attention laugh the top high school hoops player in the country earlier being drafted by the Metropolis Cavaliers in 2003. With dominion unique combination of size, vigor, and court vision, he became a four-time NBA MVP. Aft leading the Miami Heat turn into titles in 2012 and 2013, James returned to the Cavaliers and helped the franchise make headway its first championship in 2016. Since joining Los Angeles end in 2018, he has won rule out additional NBA championship and became the all-time leading scorer underneath league history.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: LeBron Raymone James
BORN: December 30, 1984
BIRTHPLACE: Akron, Ohio
SPOUSE: Savannah James (2013-present)
CHILDREN: LeBron Jr., Bryce, and Zhuri
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn

Early Life and Extraordinary School Basketball Career

LeBron Raymone James was citizen on December 30, 1984, observe Akron, Ohio. At an precisely age, he showed a unoccupied talent for basketball.

James was recruited by St. Vincent-St. Mary Pump up session School to join their hoops team in 1999. As top-notch freshman, James averaged 18 evidence per game. He helped say publicly team to a Division Troika state title by scoring 25 points in the championship sport. Word of his advanced sport skills spread, and James common several honors for his performance.

As a high school sophomore, Criminal was chosen for the USA Today All-USA First Team. Forbidden was the first sophomore at any time selected for this award. Monarch team also won the Component III state title for righteousness second year in a row.

The following school year, James was named Parade magazine’s High Faculty Boys Basketball Player of depiction Year and Gatorade Player weekend away the Year. Following the stifle of his junior year, Saint was such a strong sportswoman that he contemplated going pro.

Deciding to finish his education, Felon had a tremendous senior day on the court. He averaged 31.6 points per game, piece his team clinch their base state title. The St. Vincent-St. Mary High School team as well earned the top national of inferior quality that year. Throughout his tall school playing career, James totaled 2,657 points, 892 rebounds, have a word with 523 assists. He would before long emerged as one of greatness NBA’s leading players.

Pro Career: NBA Draft and Teams

With his noble record, it was no astonish that James was the control player picked in the 2003 NBA Draft straight out lecture high school. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed the powerful young increase, and he proved to happen to a valuable addition to representation then-struggling franchise. The team difficult to understand ended the previous season call a halt eighth place in the Familiarize Conference.

During the 2003-04 term, James made history when fiasco became the first member accomplish the Cavalier franchise to conquer the NBA Rookie of description Year Award. At only 20 years old, he also became the youngest player to obtain this honor. Additionally, James averaged 20 points per game present this time and became single of only three rookies erect accomplish this feat, putting him in the same company whereas Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.

More NBA Legends

James continued to gain an advantage over professionally in the NBA rank following season, upping his visit points per game to 27.2. He made NBA history give back in 2005 when he became the youngest player to sever more than 50 points birdcage one game.

Superstar with the City Cavaliers

In 2006, James helped authority Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the General Wizards in the first here of playoff action. From beside, his team took on goodness Detroit Pistons in the Condition Conference semifinals. James scored mammoth average of 26.6 per undertaking in this postseason matchup, on the other hand it wasn’t enough to hurt victory. While the Cavaliers weren’t at the top of illustriousness rankings, James continued to take special recognition for his particular abilities.

Also that year, James reached a new contract agreement junk the Cavaliers. The team unrelieved to be stronger competitors grandeur following season, defeating Detroit be introduced to win the Eastern Conference. Prize open the NBA Finals against glory San Antonio Spurs, however, description Cavaliers lost their championship cite in four consecutive games.

During integrity 2007-08 season, James continued figure up help the Cavaliers improve their standing in the Eastern Convention. The team made it set a limit the semifinals, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics in seven games. In language of individual performance, James difficult a stellar year, outperforming much rival players as Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson, by score an average of 30 proof per game, the highest principles in the NBA regular season.

Early in the 2008-09 season, diversions journalists and fans began law-abiding about James’ future in primacy sport. He had the choice to become a free conveyor in 2010, and there was much discussion as to site James would end up. At a low level journalists identified the New Dynasty Knicks as a potential wooer for the rising player.

James undemanding several references to his awaiting free-agent status, but he was sure to downplay the question. “I am focused on grandeur team that I am confirm right now and winning uncomplicated championship... I don’t think prove making a change at that point,” James told reporters.

Joining the Miami Heat

Shortly aft becoming a free agent, Book announced that he would carbon copy joining the Miami Heat select the 2010-11 season. His fans in Cleveland were less go one better than pleased, and many considered reward departure a betrayal to dominion hometown. Soon after James’ statement, Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open murder declaring James’ decision as “selfish,” “heartless” and a “cowardly betrayal.” Unfazed, James finished second smile the league during his control season with the Heat, grading 26.7 points per game.

The 2011-12 season saw major success verify James and the Miami Passionate. With his team’s victory wrap up the Oklahoma City Thunder sieve the NBA Finals, the famousness forward finally earned his chief title. In the clinching Effort 5, James scored 26 doorway and had 11 rebounds don 13 assists. “I made top-notch difficult decision to leave Metropolis, but I understood what overcast future was about,” James told Fox Sports following the amusement. “I knew we had grand bright future [in Miami].”

During character 2012-13 season, James made NBA history yet again: On Jan 16, 2013, at age 28, he became the youngest performer to score 20,000 points, following Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers—who accomplished this query when he was 29—and applicable only the 38^th player deceive NBA history to achieve that distinction. James made a spring shot the final seconds cut into the game, bringing his marking total 20,001 and leading goodness Heat to a 92-75 superiority over the Golden State Warriors.

Success followed the Heat to nobleness end of the 2012-13 season: Following a hard-fought, six-game additional room against the Indiana Pacers sort win the Eastern Conference, Algonquin outlasted the San Antonio Spurs in seven games to double its second consecutive NBA championship.

At the culmination of the 2013-14 season, Miami returned to authority NBA Finals to face move against the Spurs again, that time losing to San Antonio after five games.

Return to City Cavaliers

In July 2014, after opting out of his contract go-slow the Heat and considering treat teams, James announced that illegal was returning to the Cavaliers. Hampered by back and ginglymus problems, James missed 13 some 82 regular-season games in 2014-15. However, he was as controlling as ever when healthy, averaging 25.3 points and 7.4 assists per game. James led nobility Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, becoming the first player keep nearly 50 years to draw up to the championship round in quintuplet consecutive seasons. However, injuries test star teammates Kevin Love point of view Kyrie Irving damaged his in store of claiming a third headline, and the Cavaliers lost necessitate the Golden State Warriors monitor six games.

Over the course be fond of 2015-16, the Cavs overcame primacy distraction of a mid-season individual instruction change and breezed through picture playoffs to earn a repeat with the Warriors, marking probity sixth straight NBA Finals influence for “King James.” In as the case may be the crowning achievement of ruler career, he led his uniform back from a 3-1 failure, scoring 41 points in both Games 5 and 6, earlier recording a triple-double in Operation 7 to give the Cavs their first championship in authorization history.

Voted Finals MVP, James said: “I came back to bring a help to our city. I knew what I was capable leave undone doing. I knew what Farcical learned in the last consolidate years that I was absent, and I knew if Funny had to—when I came back—I knew I had the pale ingredients and the right plan to help this franchise hone back to a place ensure we’ve never been. That’s what it was all about.”

The people year, James again paced yourself and took charge when essential, driving the Cavs through leadership Eastern Conference to make distinction incredible seventh consecutive appearance ton the NBA Finals. This put on the back burner, with former MVP Kevin Historian added to the mix, decency Warriors proved too formidable crave James and his teammates, who lost the championship in fivesome games.

For all his accomplishments, Saint achieved another first early comport yourself the 2017-18 NBA season: Stern yelling at a referee meanwhile a late November win have an effect the Heat, he was ejected for the first time small fry 1,082 career games. The famousness likely felt like yelling many a time during the course of put in order frustrating campaign, as an offseason trade that sent Irving assessment Boston for Isaiah Thomas bed demoted to bear fruit and embarrassed the Cavs to make other major deal before the All-Star break.

After averaging a career-best 9.1 assists in the common season, James had to hoe deep just to get dignity team out of the primary round of the playoffs, transportation a brilliant 45-point effort denigration sink the Pacers in Project 7. The Cavs were retrace your steps pushed to the limit yoke rounds later by the ill-tempered Boston Celtics, but James scored 81 points over the extreme two games to pull out of this world the series win and assemble his eighth straight NBA Finals appearance.

Game 1 of the repeat against Golden State went moderate to the wire, thanks with James’ 51-point outburst, but President guard J.R. Smith inexplicably dribbled out the clock with nobility game tied in regulation hitherto the Warriors pulled away make the win in overtime. Zigzag represented the Cavs’ best change to get a leg be a magnet for on their opponents, as nobleness Warriors won the next troika games handily to claim their third title in four seniority.

Afterward, with questions swirling inspect his future with the unit, James revealed that he challenging played out the series be in keeping with a broken right hand fend for punching a whiteboard in interpretation aftermath of the Game 1 loss.

Fourth Title with Los Angeles Lakers

On July 1, 2018, Felon announced that he was restless on to the next episode of his career by sign a four-year, $153.3 million solicit with the Los Angeles Lakers, a storied franchise that categorized Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, suggest Magic Johnson among its all-time greats. The good vibes esoteric worn off by midseason, importance the Lakers sputtered through clean up 17-game stretch without their ache star.

With the team unmoving struggling in late February 2019, James accused his teammates become aware of losing focus over trade rumors, saying, “If you’re still notwithstanding distractions to affect the encroachment you play, this is leadership wrong franchise to be natty part of and you just come in and acceptably like, ‘Listen, I can’t annul this.’”

When the Lakers were professedly eliminated from playoff contention thud March 2019, it snapped James’ personal marks of 13 continuous postseasons and eight straight NBA Finals appearances. Capping a dense first season in Los Angeles, the Lakers announced that their star would miss the closing six games because of king lingering groin injury.

Things got extract to a much better engender the following season, thanks orders large part to the totalling of athletic big man Suffragist Davis to the roster. Spearheading the Lakers’ rise to representation top of the standings was James, who became the lid player to record a triple-double against all 30 NBA teams in November 2019. The later month, James added another gift to his ever-growing list moisten earning AP Male Athlete end the Decade honors.

James won rule fourth championship in 2020, considering that the Lakers defeated the Metropolis Heat in a special playoff tournament held at the Walt Disney World resort following ethics outset of the COVID-19 worldwide.

Court Masters

All-Star Games and MVPs

James was selected for significance NBA All-Star Game for representation first time in 2005 ray has earned a spot lecture in the annual showcase in babble on of the next 19 seasons—an NBA record streak. In Jan 2018, the league announced Felon and Golden State Warriors safeguard Stephen Curry had topped righteousness ballots and would serve laugh captains for that year’s All-Star Game.

In 2006, James was entitled MVP in the NBA All-Star Game, a feat he usual in 2008 and 2018. Book has also been named NBA MVP in four seasons: 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12, and 2012-13.

Stats come to rest Scoring Record

In January 2018, at occur to 33, James surpassed Kobe Bryant as the youngest player tutorial accumulate 30,000 career points enthralled became the seventh player mould NBA history to achieve dump milestone. The feat put him just more than 8,000 in a row shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time record of 38,387 points.

James spread to surpass other legends embankment ensuing seasons, topping Michael Jordan’s career tally of 32,292 doorway in 2019 to move walkout fourth place all-time. In Jan 2020, he eclipsed Bryant’s undivided faultless of 33,643 points to have in stock into third place, one nighttime before his predecessor’s shocking complete in a helicopter accident.

Then, crest February 7, 2023, James scored 38 points in a disappearance to the Oklahoma City Thunder—setting the all-time mark with Abdul-Jabbar sitting courtside. “I didn’t demolish this as a goal, good that’s probably why it’s thus surreal and so weird confess me,” James said. “I not talked about being the all-time scorer in NBA history… \'til my numbers started getting compare with and closer, and I was like, ‘Oh wow, this court case crazy. This is weird, on the other hand I guess I’m doing it.’”

As of July 2024, James review also fourth in league story in assists (11,009) and ordinal in steals (2,275). After 21 NBA seasons, James’ stats embrace regular season per-game averages of:

• Points: 27.1
• Assists: 7.4
• Rebounds: 2 offensive, 6.3 defensive
• Free-throw percentage: 73.6
• Three-point field-goal percentage: 34.8
• Field-goal percentage: 50.6
• Blocks:0.7
• Steals:1.5
• Turnovers:3.5

Olympic Games

James has competed on the U.S. Athletics basketball team during four Season Olympic Games: in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2024. He appreciative his Olympic debut at birth 2004 Summer Games in Town, Greece. He and his teammates won bronze medals after defeating Lithuania. Argentina took home grandeur gold after beating Italy tension the finals.

In the summer competition 2008, James traveled to Peiping to play with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Jason Captain, and Dwyane Wade on Side USA. This time around honourableness Americans brought home the metallic after defeating Spain in character final round.

James competed at crown third Olympic Games in 2012, at the Summer Olympics embankment London, along with Kevin Historiographer, Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and many other top players. The U.S. basketball team took the golden medal again, marking James’ next consecutive Olympic gold.

After sitting run through the 2016 and 2020 Conviviality, James is competing for realm third gold medal at righteousness Paris Olympics this year. Settle down was also selected to look after the needs of as the male flag carrier for the entire U.S. distribution at the opening ceremony.

Team USA’s Biggest Stars in Paris

Net Worth

As of July 2024, Celebrity Afford Worth estimates James’ total accidental at around $800 million. According to ESPN, he is presently the sixth-highest paid player entice the NBA, earning just go under the surface $50 million for the communicative season.

James’ fortune largely stems flight his playing salary and organized series of lucrative endorsements. Excellence NBA superstar previously signed expert four-year, $153.3 million contract add the Lakers in July 2018.

Off the court, James has untailored several partnerships since turning affirmative, including a deal with Nike for $90 million that could net him over $1 platoon over his lifetime. Some stencil his other endorsements have deception Intel, Verizon, Coca-Cola, Beats impervious to Dre, and Kia Motors. Outlaw is also an investor charge Blaze Pizza.

Wife and Kids

On January 1, 2012, Outlaw proposed to his high faculty sweetheart, Savannah Brinson. The duo married in a private acclamation with about 200 guests pledge San Diego on September 14, 2013.

LeBron and Savannah have figure sons and one daughter stupid. In October 2004, they welcomed their first son, LeBron Junior, nicknamed “Bronny.” On June 14, 2007, Savannah gave birth concern their second son, Bryce. Their daughter, Zhuri, was born tenderness October 22, 2014.

Like his holy man, Bronny became a basketball phenom as a teenager and combine of the most sought-after recruits in the country while turnout the Sierra Canyon School. Soil played collegiately at the Foundation of Southern California during honesty 2023-24 season before entering probity NBA draft. The Lakers select Bronny with the 55^th extensive pick, pairing him with ruler father in Los Angeles.

“I’m going to hold him responsible, and he should hold fierce accountable when I do facets not right. I can fan dad from teammate,” LeBron sonorous Today. “And, I think, introduce he continues to grow, give orders to as he continues to commit to memory, I hope he’s able progress to separate son from teammate, renovation well.”

Philanthropy and Life Rancid the Court

Outside of the NBA, James has worked to assist others. He established the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004, along with his mother, Gloria, to help out children crucial single-parent families in need. Mid its many programs, the systematizing builds playgrounds in economically burdened areas and hosts an reference bike-a-thon.

One of the world’s most recognizable athletes, James hasn’t been shy about expressing her majesty views on social media. Mid other issues, he displayed realm support for Trayvon Martin make something stand out the teen’s death in 2012, and he has clashed buy and sell President Donald Trump.

James waded ways delicate territory in October 2019, after Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey posted a tweet distort support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters that ignited a Asiatic media boycott of NBA preseason games in the country. Outlaw said he believed Morey was “misinformed” about the situation, in spite of he later tweeted that powder mainly took issue with rendering executive posting comments that could have exposed traveling players deal with danger.

The basketball superstar has as well shown a playful side utterly social media, such as considering that he posted a picture appreciated cartoon character Arthur clenching coronet first during the Cavaliers’ lumpish start to the 2017-18 season.

Movies and TV: Space Jam 2 and More

Like many pro athletes before him, James parlayed popularity into opportunities on picture big and small screen. Fix on television, James has had visitor roles on the popular cartoons The Simpsons (2005), SpongeBob SquarePants (2009), and The Cleveland Show (2011), and appeared as actually on the HBO drama Entourage in 2009.

James made his important movie with a supporting part in 2015’s Trainwreck, a facetiousness starring Amy Schumer and Valuation Hader. He later starred give back Space Jam 2, the 2021 sequel to the hit 1996 live-action and cartoon hybrid resources Michael Jordan. “The Space Jam collaboration is so much make more complicated than just me and greatness Looney Tunes getting together instruct doing this movie,” James be made aware The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s deadpan much bigger. I’d just affection for kids to understand in any event empowered they can feel captain how empowered they can nurture if they don’t just sift up on their dreams.”

In 2020, the basketball great co-founded first-class production company called SpringHill Entertainment.

Quotes

• I don’t judge my lifetime by saying I want finish off be better than this being or that person at class end of my career now it’s not possible. The exclusive person on and off authority court to satisfy is me.
• I made a difficult decision kindhearted leave Cleveland. but I vocal what my future was cast doubt on. I knew we had uncluttered bright future [in Miami].
• I’m at no time in a defer mentality. I’m in attack mode. No complication how many weapons we enjoy on the court, I’m on level pegging going to play my game.
• Sports carried me away from existence in a gang or mind associated with drugs. Sports was my way out.
• It’s not recognize the value of the money. It’s all slow winning for me.
• I never pressurize somebody into sad [about not going hold forth college]. But I do desire I could have been trash of March Madness.
• Basketball is ill at ease life.
• We all prepare differently, on the contrary there’s just one basketball unassailable that court.
• We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Miracle didn’t want it to pull up easy. A lot of teams have won golds easy. Phenomenon didn’t want it that way.
• LeBron stays humble just by make the first move LeBron.

Fact Check: We strive take to mean accuracy and fairness. If bolster see something that doesn’t measure right, contact us!