LeBron James, born LeBron Raymone James, is an American professional basketball player and arguably one of the greatest players of all time. A basketball prodigy since his early years, King James, as he’s called by many, has been active in the sports while playing for different schools.
During his Junior year, LeBron James made headlines by appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, a popular publication in the United States. His appearance in the publication and his impressive performance in school set the stage for his professional career of James in professional basketball.
Today, LeBron is still active in the NBA. LeBron James is the small forward for the LA Lakers and remains an icon among basketball players and young fans.
NBA Career
LeBron’s passion for basketball started at an early age. Even before he joined the professional league, he was already a star and a prolific basketball player. During the 2003-04 season, LeBron joined the NBA through his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. James was the overall first pick during the 2003 NBA Draft, which was the start of his iconic career in the league.
During his first season, he earned the Rookie of the Year award, the first Cavalier to do so. This season was an excellent start for LeBron James since he became the third player in the league’s history to average at least 20 points, five assists, and five rebounds as a rookie. Although his team failed to make the playoffs, James showed promise, which was the start of more extraordinary things for the Cleveland Cavaliers team.
From 2004 to 2008, James started his ascent to superstardom status. During the 2004-05 season, he earned his first invitation to the NBA All-Star Game selection. Several teams took an interest in James’ performance, with coach George Karl of the Denver Nuggets saying that James is a great player, an exception to almost every rule. During the 2006 season, the Cavaliers qualified for the playoffs before falling to Detroit Pistons in the second round.
At the end of the 2008-09 season, James earns a ticket to the NBA All-Team Defensive. It’s also the season when the Cleveland Cavaliers set a franchise record of 66-16, and James earned the MVP award. During the 2009-10 season, James assumed a slightly different role on the floor. This change led to poor performance and became one of the reasons why he left the team.
In July 2010, LeBron James became a free agent and joined the Miami Heat. During a televised interview, he announced that he’d join the team with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. During his first few years at the Heat, he was at the receiving end of many harsh commentaries. However, this did not dampen the spirits of James and the Heat team, and they managed to win a back-to-back NBA championship.
For the 2014 season, he became an unrestricted agent and decided to return to the Cavaliers. Upon his return, James won the Cavaliers championship after returning from a 3-1 deficit.
For the 2018 season, LeBron James decided to jump to the Los Angeles Lakers team, which remains to be his team until today. As part of the LA Lakers team, LeBron James scored several accomplishments that helped share his career. During the 2019-20 season, LeBron James’ team and the rest of the Lakers won the championship, his fourth NBA championship. In addition, he also collected his fourth Finals, making him the second-oldest professional player to win with three different franchises. During his stint with the Lakers, he was a regular member of the NBA All-Star game.
National Team Career
LeBron James is also a member of the US national team that competes in international basketball tournaments. He made his debut for the US national team at the 2004 Athens Olympics in Greece. James was mostly benched during the games and averaged 14.6 minutes per game and 5.8 points per game. It was a dismal performance from the US team that ended the competition with a bronze medal. In a statement, LeBron James mentioned that he was not given a fair amount of opportunity to play for the US team.
James was invited to play in the 2006 FIBA Championship in Japan and took on a more prominent role. However, like in Athens Olympics, he was criticized for his behavior. Before he was named for the 2008 US Olympics, the US Team Managing Director gave James a final reminder to improve his attitude and follow the rules to be part of the team.
