ACCOLADES
Lakers super star and 2020 Time magazine Athlete of the year is our Man Crush Monday!
James was born on December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio to Gloria Marie James, who was 16 at the time of his birth. His father, Anthony McClelland, has an extensive criminal record and was not involved in his life. When James was growing up, life was often a struggle for the family, as they moved from apartment to apartment in the seedier neighborhoods of Akron while Gloria struggled to find steady work. Realizing that her son would be better off in a more stable family environment, Gloria allowed him to move in with the family of Frank Walker, a local youth football coach who introduced James to basketball when he was nine years old.
James began playing organized basketball in the fifth grade. He later played Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. The team enjoyed success on a local and national level, led by James and his friends Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, and Willie McGee. The group dubbed themselves the “Fab Four” and promised each other that they would attend high school together. In a move that stirred local controversy, they chose to attend St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, a private Catholic school with predominantly white students.
Throughout his career, James has been ranked by Forbes as one of the world’s most influential athletes, and in 2017, he was listed by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. During his first stint with the Cavaliers, he was adored by local fans, and Sherwin-Williams displayed a giant Nike-produced banner of James on its world headquarters.
Standing 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) tall and weighing 250 pounds (113 kg), James has played the majority of his career at the small forward and power forward positions, but has also been deployed at the other positions when necessary. His playing style, which is athletic and versatile, has drawn comparisons to Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. As of September 2020, James’s career averages are 27.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game.
Since 2011, he has been ranked the best player in the NBA by ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
ACTIVISM
In August 2020, James wore a modified MAGA hat that called for the arrest of the police officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor.
On August 19, 2020 he announced his intentions to campaign for presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running-mate Kamala Harris in advance of the 2020 United States presidential election. James spoke in support of the “More Than A Vote” movement and encouraged members of the African-American community to vote.
He said that “People in our community have been just lied to for so many years. We have people that have had convictions in the past, that’ve been told they cannot vote because they got a conviction. That is voter suppression.”
On August 27, James and his Lakers teammates as well as the Milwaukee Bucks began boycotting the 2020 NBA playoffs to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake.
In response, senior White House advisor Jared Kushner stated that he was planning to reach out to James regarding the boycott. Following a players’ committee to discuss the boycott, James and others reached out to Barack Obama, who reportedly advised them to continue playing and finish that year’s NBA season.
LOVE AND FAMILY LIFE
James has three children with Savannah Brinson, his high school sweetheart: Bronny (b. 2004), Bryce (b. 2007), and Zhuri (b. 2014). James proposed to Brinson on December 31, 2011, and the two were married on September 14, 2013 in San Diego, California.
AWARDS
NBA champion (4 times): 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (4 times): 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020
NBA Most Valuable Player (4 times): 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
NBA All Star (16 times): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2006, 2008, 2018
All-NBA selection (13 time): First team: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
Second team (twice): 2005, 2007
Third team: 2019
NBA All-Defensive selection (5times) First team: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Second team: 2014
NBA Rookie of the Year: 2004
NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2004
NBA scoring leader: 2008
NBA assists leader: 2020
NBA minutes leader: 2007, 2017, 2018
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2017
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National Team
Olympic Gold Medal winner (twice): 2008, 2012
2004 Olympic Bronze Medal winner
2006 FIBA World Championship Bronze Medal winner
2007 FIBA Americas Championship Gold Medal winner
2012 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year
St. Vincent-St. Mary home basketball court named The LeBron James Arena
South Main Street in downtown Akron renamed King James Way
2020 Time Athlete of the Year
Six-story commemorative banner in downtown Akron
Honorary lockers at Ohio State’s football and basketball facilities, With other numerous awards and achievements.
NETWORTH
Currently, James’ net worth is estimated to be $450 to $480 million dollars. There are a large number of income streams contributing to that $480 net worth. In addition to his NBA salary and the Nike deal, James is also an investor.