LeBron James Biography

LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria Marie James and Anthony McClelland, an ex-convict. Gloria raised him on her own as his father was uninterested in being a parent.

Realizing he would be better off with a more stable family, Gloria allowed him to live with the family of Frank Walker who introduced him to basketball when he was nine years old.

He played Amateur Athletic Union basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars and chose to attend St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, a white private school, instead of their local public school.

In his senior year too, he was named Ohio's Mr. Basketball. He also made USA Today’s All-USA First Team and was named Gatorade National Player of the Year for the third and second consecutive years respectively.

LeBron James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft. He was eventually named Rookie of the Year, finishing with averages of 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game.

At nineteen, LeBron became the youngest member of the USA basketball squad sent to the Olympics in 2004, but he spent most of his time on the bench.

He made NBA history again in 2005 when he became the youngest player to score more than 50 points in one game. He was selected for the NBA All-Star game for the first time.

With averages of 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, he became the youngest player in NBA history to be named to an All-NBA Team, which he achieved in the 2004–05 season.

In 2006, he helped his team beat the Wizards in the first round of Playoffs. Against the Pistons in the semifinals, even his average of 26.6 could not secure his team a victory.

After the 2006 Playoffs, LeBron James and the Cavaliers negotiated a three-year, $60 million contract extension with a player option of seeking a new contract as an unrestricted free agent.

The Cavaliers proved to be stronger competitors in 2007, reaching the NBA finals and beating Detroit to win the Eastern Conference. But they lost in the finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

During the 2007-08 season, the Cavaliers improved their standing in the Eastern Conference. The team made it to the semifinals, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics in seven games.

The year 2008, was a stellar one for him as he outperformed rival players like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson by scoring an average of 30 points per game, the highest average in the NBA regular season.

In 2008, he traveled to Beijing with the likes of Bryant, Jason Kidd, and Dwyane Wade as part of the U.S. Olympic Basketball Team and brought home the gold after defeating Spain in the finals.

Shortly after becoming a free agent in 2010, he announced that he would be joining the Miami Heat for the upcoming season. He finished second in the league, scoring 26.7 points per game.

LeBron James competed at his third Olympic Games in 2012, in London, along with teammates Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant, and the team brought home the second consecutive Olympic gold.

At the end of the 2012-13 season, against the San Antonio Spurs, Miami transformed a seemingly impossible championship win into reality, winning their second consecutive national title with a 3-4 victory.

In 2014, LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat and signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 2014–15 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to the NBA finals, and in the process, James became the first player since the 1960s to play in five consecutive NBA finals.

His 2015–16 season was marred by controversies, which also included the midseason firing of Cavaliers' coach David Blatt. In spite of all this, LeBron James performed admirably and became the third player to record a triple-double in an NBA Finals Game.

LeBron's stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers ended in 2018 and thereafter, he signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In February 2019, James became the fifth NBA player to reach 32,000 points. On March 6, 2019, in a game against the Denver Nuggets, he surpassed Michael Jordan to become the fourth-highest scorer on the NBA list.

In the 2019-2020 season, the Lakers opened with a 17–2 record. LeBron went on to lead the victory charge against the Milwaukee Bucks and later against the Los Angeles Clippers. After entering the playoffs as the number one seed in the West, the Lakers reached the 2020 NBA Finals with only three losses. In Game 5 of the conference finals against the Denver Nuggets, LeBron scored 38 points. The Lakers eliminated the Miami Heat in Game 6. For his performance in the series, LeBron won the NBA Championship award and the NBA Finals MVP award.

In the 2020-2021 season, the Lakers lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in a 116–109 game. However, they defeated the San Antonio Spurs in a 121–107 win. In this game, LeBron became the first player to score 10 or more points in 1,000 consecutive games. Soon enough, he also became the third player in NBA history with 35,000 career points.

In March, LeBron sprained his ankle against the Atlanta Hawks and exited the game but not before scoring 10 points. He returned in April, after missing 20 games. He finished his season average at 25.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists.

In round one of the playoffs, the Lakers faced the Phoenix Suns. While LeBron played well and even scored a game-high 25 points in Game 4, the Lakers still lost to the Phoenix in six games. He finished the series with 23.3 points on average.

In the 2021–22 season, he was ejected from the game against the Detroit Pistons after an altercation with Isaiah Stewart. He later became the second player in NBA history to score 40 points and zero turnovers at age 35 or older. He also went on to set the record for being the oldest player in NBA history to make at least 25 points in ten games. 

In the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, LeBron was listed among the 75 players for the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. The Lakers also achieved the fifth consecutive All-Star win by beating Team Durant in a 163–161 win.

In March 2022, LeBron scored 50 points in 2 games. He also became the first NBA player to record at least 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists. In August of that year, he signed a two-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers in a $97.1 million contract. In October, he recorded 28 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, the Lakers lost in a 111–102 game.

In December, the Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in a 133–129 game. However, they suffered a loss against the Celtics in a 122–118 game. On his 38th birthday, he scored a season-high 47 points in a 130–121 win against the Atlanta Hawks.

In January 2023, the Lakers won against the Charlotte Hornets. The following month, they lost against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 133–130 game. He suffered an injury on his right foot against the Dallas Mavericks. After missing 13 games, he made a return against the Chicago Bulls. In April, he recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Houston Rockets. Next, he scored 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in a 135–133 win against the Utah Jazz.

He finished the season with an average of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Later, against the Memphis Grizzlies, he scored 22 points. The game ended in a 117–111 win for the Lakers. In Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, he scored 30 points which ultimately resulted in a 122–101 win for the Lakers against the Golden State Warriors. However, in the finals, the Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets.

LeBron James’ team Miami Heat won the NBA championship for two consecutive years in 2012 and he was declared NBA Most Valuable Player, which he had been winning for two years already.

He was part of the Olympic gold-winning American team at the Beijing (2008) and London (2012) games and a bronze at the Seoul Olympics (2004). He also has gold and a bronze FIBA Americas Championship medal.

The 2011-12 season ended with Miami Heat beating Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA Championship; James’ first NBA title. In the final game, he scored 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. He has won three other NBA titles since.

He made NBA history in 2013 when he became the youngest and 38th NBA player to score 20,000 points at age 28—succeeding Kobe Bryant of the Lakers—who accomplished this feat when he was 29.

LeBron James married Savannah Brinson, his high school sweetheart. Together, they have three children; two sons: LeBron James, Jr. (born 2004) and Bryce Maximus James (born 2007), and a daughter Zhuri James (born 2014).

A philanthropist, LeBron James is an active supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of America, Children's Defense Fund, and ONEXONE. He has also established his own charity foundation called the LeBron James Family Foundation.

LeBron James is an accomplished businessman off the court, owning a production company, a stake in a soccer team, and several fast-food franchises.

He is a big fan of cereal and reportedly enjoys eating a bowl before every game.

LeBron has a photographic memory when it comes to remembering plays and game situations, which contributes to his incredible basketball IQ.

He is known for his philanthropic efforts, including starting a foundation that provides scholarships and support to underprivileged children.

LeBron is a devoted family man and often shares heartwarming moments with his wife and children on social media.