LeBron James

Lore & Background

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. A prep-to-pro, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected James 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 and winning the scoring title in 2008.

After winning back-to-back MVPs in 2009 and 2010, he joined the Miami Heat as a free agent in 2010, a controversial move announced in the television special The Decision. 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, ending the Cleveland sports curse.

He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, winning another title in 2020 and becoming the first player to win Finals MVP with three different teams.

Reader's Guide

LeBron 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, the inaugural NBA Cup MVP, and the Olympics MVP in the 2024 Summer Olympics. A record 22-time All-Star and 21-time All-NBA selection (including a record 13 First Team selections), he has also made six All-Defensive Teams. The oldest active player in the NBA, he holds records for the most seasons played with 23, the most games played, the most minutes played, and the most field goals made 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.

Did You Know?

• LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, to 16-year-old Gloria Marie James.
• He was the subject of a feature article in Slam magazine in 2001, during the summer before his junior year of high school.
• James appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a high school junior, becoming the first high school basketball underclassman to do so.
• He played wide receiver for St. Vincent–St. Mary's football team as an underclassman and was named first team all-state at the end of his second year.