Off the court, James has accumulated additional wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts. [277] Along with Shane Battier and Dwyane Wade, Miami used James in an ultra-aggressive defensive scheme,[278] with James cheating off the ball to help out inside or get into rebounding position. "[308], James has three children with Savannah Brinson, his high school sweetheart: Bronny (b. There Cleveland could not overcome the team James referred to as a “juggernaut,” losing to the Warriors in five games despite James becoming the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over the course of the finals (with 33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game). [280][281] During his second stint in Cleveland, his defense progressively declined. [88] Some angry fans of the team recorded videos of themselves burning his jersey. [9] For his outstanding play, James was named Ohio Mr. Basketball and selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team, becoming the first sophomore to do either. [272] His uncanny tendency to find the open man has helped force NBA teams to incorporate some elements of zone into their schemes to better cover the weak side of the court and prevent James from passing to open shooters. He won his first two championships with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. [110] Behind James's significantly-expanded skillset,[119] Miami began the year with a franchise-best 18–6 record. [10] As a sophomore, James averaged 25.2 points and 7.2 rebounds with 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game. [14][15] During this time, he used marijuana, which he said was to help cope with the stress that resulted from the constant media attention he was receiving. [228][229], At the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, James took on a greater role for Team USA, averaging 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game as co-captain. He was named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball, or high-school player of the year, three times during 2001–03. Mary High School, a private Catholic school with predominantly white students. James's ability to cope with that pressure has proven to be a critical factor in his success. [273][274] However, as his career progressed, James's clutch performance was viewed more favorably. [138] His final season averages were 26.8 points, 8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game on 56.5 percent shooting. His accomplishments include four NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, four Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals. 2004),[313] Bryce (b. [403], Throughout his career, James has taken stances on controversial issues. His ten Finals appearances are tied for third all-time. "[391], As of September 2019, James is the most followed basketball player on Instagram. 2)", "NBA Finals 2020: LeBron James and Danny Green join exclusive club in winning three championships with three different teams", "After Sitting in 2004, Ready to Stand and Deliver", "Season of LeBron ends with Olympic gold medal", "2006 USA Men's World Championship Team (8–1)", "Carmelo Anthony Named One of Three USA World Championship Team Captains", "USA Basketball president lauds LeBron James' maturity", "James' record outing highlights Team USA's dominance in title game", "LeBron: Now I Understand What It Means to Be an Olympian", "That One Time They Lost: On the Team USA Men's Basketball Disaster in Athens", "United States vs. Spain, August 24, 2008 – Final Round", "LeBron, Kobe return to U.S. team for London Games", "Column: Going out in style – 'K Boys' golden again", "The Team USA Reputations Index: How the gold medal changes our opinions of these players", "LeBron James Tallies First Triple-Double In U.S. Olympic History To Power USA To Semifinals With 119–86 Win Against Australia", "U.S. Surges Past Spain Late, Claims Second Straight Olympic Gold Medal", "Olympics 2012: The golden era of LeBron James", "Jalen Rose, Warren Sapp scoff at notion of LeBron in NFL", "LeBron James is still the undefeated champ of #NBArank", "SI's Top 100 NBA Players of 2019: How Long Will LeBron James Remain on Top? When LeBron was born, his mother, Gloria, was just 16 years of age. LeBron James’ net worth is a subject of interest considering in 2016 he was the highest-paid NBA player. James said Morey was "misinformed". In the following postseason he led an injury-laden Cleveland team to just two playoff losses en route to a berth in the NBA finals. [40] In the second round of the playoffs, he hit a baseline jumper at the buzzer to give Cleveland a 2–2 series tie with the Bulls. [230] James's behavior was again questioned, this time by teammate Bruce Bowen, who confronted James during tryouts regarding his treatment of staff members. [146], On March 3 of the 2013–14 season, James scored a career-high and franchise-record 61 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. In 2014, when he went back to Cleveland, it was about delivering on a promise. As a result, to begin the 2018–19 season, the team struggled to find effective lineups and recorded only two wins through their first seven games. [433], "LeBron" redirects here. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [228][233] At the FIBA Americas Championship 2007, he averaged 18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, including a 31-point performance against Argentina in the championship game, the most ever by an American in an Olympic qualifier. [11] Despite a 30–20 record to start the year,[35] the Cavaliers again failed to make the playoffs, finishing the season 42–40. [212] James immediately embraced Los Angeles's much-improved roster by transforming his playing style, moving to full-time point guard and competing with a more consistent defensive effort. [106][107] Outside of Miami, the spectacle was not well-received, furthering the negative public perception of James. [429] James spoke in support of the "More Than A Vote" movement and encouraged members of the African-American community to vote. Mary High School to three state championships in four years. [411] Following a racist incident at his Los Angeles home in 2017, James expressed, "being black in America is tough. [199] In an interview with Sports Illustrated, James's agent, Rich Paul, explained, "In 2010, when he went to Miami, it was about championships. [19] In his first game back after the suspension, James scored a career-high 52 points. [12] The Fighting Irish finished the season 26–1 and repeated as state champions. For LeBron James, 36, watching a 43-year-old Tom Brady win his seventh Super Bowl was "inspiring," but he won't be looking to emulate Brady when it comes to the final stage of his playing career. [194] Following the defeat, James injured his hand after punching a wall in the locker room, which hindered his effectiveness for the remainder of the series. [311][312] Davis et al. of Business Insider stated, "The data would suggest that younger, more-engaged NBA fans lean toward James, as he's still playing. The next most such seasons is 8 by Oscar Robertson. The following season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a four-month suspension. After his fourth season with the Heat in 2014, James opted out of his contract to re-sign with the Cavaliers. One Year Later, Sweet Turnaround For James", "Heat's LeBron James closes out Celtics in Game 5: Video", "Kevin Durant, Thunder pull away from Heat, win Game 1", "Hot Corner: With NBA title at stake, LeBron James was a big flop", "Heat top Raptors, tie best start in franchise history", "Roy Hibbert scores 19 and adds 18 boards as Pacers pound Heat", "LeBron eyeing 'point power forward' role? [101][102] As part of the first player-created NBA superteam[103] he became only the third reigning MVP to change teams and the first since Moses Malone in 1982. That LeBron, at age 36, is still able to dunk when taking off from 13 feet away, is ridiculous. LeBron James: Logs heavy minutes again in win. "[66], In the playoffs, Cleveland swept the Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks to earn a matchup with the Orlando Magic in the Conference Finals. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [151] In Game 2, he led the Heat to a series-tying victory with 35 points on a 64 percent shooting rate. [citation needed] His combination of speed, quickness, and size often created matchup problems for opposing teams because he was capable of blowing by larger defenders and overpowering smaller ones. [186], Prior to the start of the 2017–18 season, the Cavaliers overhauled their roster by trading Kyrie Irving to the Celtics, who requested a trade in part because he no longer wanted to play with James. For example, Ben Golliver of The Washington Post opined that James's move to the Heat in 2010 "defined a decade of player movement", and that he "fundamentally flipped the power balance between stars and their organizations. [430] He said that "People in our community have been just lied to for so many years. ", "James ruled ineligible, plans to appeal decision", "Prep star James can continue drive for state title", "Remember that time Urban Meyer tried to recruit LeBron James? [369] In 2011, James co-founded the designer retail store UNKNWN in Miami, Florida. [173] To begin the series, Cleveland fell behind 3–1, including two blowout losses. [39] Behind final season averages of 31.4 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game,[40] he also finished second in overall NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting to Steve Nash. [95][96] The phrase "taking my talents to South Beach" became a punch line for critics. Many thought that the prolonged wait for James's choice was unprofessional as not even the teams courting him were aware of his decision until moments before the show. [44] Cleveland would go on to defeat the Wizards before being ousted by the Detroit Pistons in the second round. [46] The Cavaliers finished the season with 50 wins for the second consecutive year and entered the playoffs as the East's second seed. Named the 2003–04 NBA Rookie of the Year, he soon established himself as one of the league's premier players, winning the NBA MVP Award in 2009 and 2010. [160][348][349][350] In 2016, he signed with the Cavaliers on a three-year deal,[351] becoming the highest-paid player in the league for the first time in his career. [382] In 2016, CNBC aired an unscripted series hosted by James called Cleveland Hustles, where four up-and-coming Northern Ohio entrepreneurs will be financed on the condition of revitalizing a neighborhood in Cleveland. [168] Despite the loss, he received serious consideration for the Finals MVP Award,[169] averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game for the championship round. [136] Miami eventually finished the year with a franchise and league best 66–16 record,[137] and James was named MVP for the fourth time, falling just one vote shy of becoming the first player in NBA history to win the award unanimously. Corrections? [174] James responded by registering back-to-back 41 point games in Games 5 and 6, leading the Cavaliers to two consecutive wins to stave off elimination. James also helped Miami win 27 consecutive games that season (the second longest such streak in NBA history), and he was rewarded with his fourth league MVP award. since 2011, James has a Premier League championship to his credit, with the club having won the 2020 title. [1] In a 2016 interview with Sports Illustrated, James acknowledged that his motivation was surpassing Jordan as the greatest. [256] During his first stint in Cleveland, he was primarily used as an on-ball point forward, and although his shooting tendencies were perimeter-oriented,[119] he established himself as one of the best slashers and finishers in basketball. ", "LeBron James' Kids: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", "LeBron James and Savannah Brinson are engaged", "Miami heat: LeBron James buys $9M mansion in Coconut Grove, Fla", "LeBron James Snags Brentwood Mansion for $21 Million", "LeBron recalls Melo ocean rescue ahead of series", "LeBron James Recalls Rescuing Carmelo Anthony During Bahamas Vacation", "The Dirty Diet Behind LeBron James' Supernatural Rig", "LeBron James is the 'face' of the NBA, but is Stephen Curry next? Assists were recorded as an official Olympic statistic starting in 1976. [387] This largely contributed to James creating a documentary series looking at the changing role of athletes in the current political and cultural climate, aptly named, Shut Up and Dribble on Showtime.
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