Black History Month: Lebron James
February 23, 2010
“Basketball player. Born December 30th, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. LeBron James has emerged as one of the leading players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). At an early age, he showed a natural talent for basketball. James was recruited by St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to join their basketball team in 1999.
As a freshman, James averaged 18 points per game. He helped the team to a Division III state title by scoring 25 points in the championship game. Word of his advanced basketball skills spread, and James received several honors for his performance. As a high school sophomore, he was chosen for the USA Today All-USA First Team. James was the first sophomore ever selected for this award. His team also won the Division III state title for the second year in a row.
With his impressive record, it was no surprise that James was the first player picked in the 2003 NBA draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed the powerful young forward, and he proved to be a valuable addition to the then-struggling franchise. The team had ended the previous season in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Around this time, James also signed several endorsement deals, including one with Nike for $90 million.
During the 2003-2004 season, James made history, becoming the first member of the Cavalier franchise to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. He was also the youngest player ever at only 20 years oldto receive this honor. Averaging 20 points per game, James was one of three rookies to accomplish this feat, putting him in the same company as Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.
Outside of basketball, James has worked to help others. He established the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004 with his mother Gloria to help out children and single-parent families in need. Among its many programs, the organization builds playgrounds in economically disadvantaged areas and hosts an annual bikeathon.”-Bio.com
Lebron is a great player, who at age 25, still has a long future ahead of him. There is still games to play and records to break. With his excellent ability to handle the basketball, Lebron James has already impacted this world for the next generations to come.
