Lebron James Biography and Photos

Lebron James Biography and Photos

It will be an understatement to say that Lebron James had a difficult childhood. He was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. Lebron’s mother Gloria was sixteen years old at the time and his father Anthony McClelland was an ex-con who deserted the young woman and the child. Gloria single handedly raised Lebron James. Things got more complicated because of Gloria’s boyfriends. One of them called Eddie Jackson who went on to play a pivotal part in the career of Lebron was also an ex-con. But his presence ensured that young Lebron James would not feel the absence of a father.

Lebron James was a natural athlete and took part in football and basketball. It was during his years in school that the most important man came into his life. Frankie Walker was the basketball coach in school. He not only coached Lebron James but also invited him to stay with his family. He wanted to give Lebron James a chance to live a normal life without the specter of violence and drugs hanging over his head. He taught the young Lebron how to shoot with his left hand. By the eighth grade he was six feet tall, could play all five positions and had a sixth sense for the game.

It was time for Lebron James to show off his skills on court. He went to the USA Basketball Development Festival. He was the first underclassman ever invited to the camp. Lebron James’s performance justified the invitation; he broke the festival scoring record. News of his talent began to spread far and wide. While he was a sophomore in high school he led the team to two consecutive championships. After his junior year, Lebron James was offered a nine million dollar contract to play basketball in Italy. Michael Jordan invited him for a workout at his private court with Antoine Walker, Michael Finley, Juwan Howard and Penny Hardaway. Lebron ended forming an enduring bond with Antoine Walker. He had already begun to make covers of basketball magazines. It was only NBA rules that stopped him from joining the 2002 draft.

Lebron James had become one of the best all round basketball players the world had ever seen. He is one of the best passers in the history of the game. Lebron James seems to have the ability to carry a blueprint of the court in his head, his speed and strength are above average. The only weak link in his game is the outside jumper but a couple of years in the NBA and that too will be taken care off.

When the nation is in such a frenzy over an individual, it is not possible that the corporates would be far behind. Nike and Adidas were in a battle royal to sign up Lebron James. Adidas even deployed Kobe Bryant to ensnare Lebron. He was eventually signed up by Nike for close to U.S. $90 million. All this before Lebron joined the NBA. Lebron James was the obvious first pick during the draft, he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers who dealt Andre Mills in the process. In order to test the hype surrounding him, Cavaliers coach broke NBA rules and invited Lebron James to practice with the team before the NBA draft. Lebron James wowed all his future teammates with his dunks over the heads of seasoned pros such as Jumaine Jones and Chris Mihm. His passes were better than anyone on the regular Cleveland Cavaliers team.

The 6’8 Lebron James plays as a guard on the team. He was selected in the U.S.A. basketball team that eventually won the bronze medal. Lebron James was the youngest male basketball player to play for U.S.A. He won all the Rookie of the month awards in the Eastern Conference. Lebron James is the youngest player in NBA history to capture Rookie of the Year honors. He was embroiled in little bit of controversy when his mother bought him a fully loaded Hummer with a bank loan. He also got into trouble for accepting free basketball jersey’s at a sports shop. Lebron James wears the same number as his idol Michael Jordan – 23. he recently became a father when his girlfriend delivered a baby boy. Lebron has his mom's name, Gloria, tattooed on his biceps. His mom wears a school basketball jersey to games with the words, "Lebron's Mom" on the back.

Lebron James Biography and Photos