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{{Infobox NBA Player
| image = LeBron James 2.jpg
| image_size = 180px
| caption =
| position = [[Small forward]]

<!--PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THIS ARTICLES HEIGHT OR WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS. THERE IS CURRENTLY AN OPEN DISCUSSION ON THIS ISSUE AT THE TALK PAGE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT THERE, THANK YOU. -->
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 8
| weight_lb = 250

| team = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]]
| league = [[NBA]]
| number = 23
| nationality = United States
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|12|30}}
| birth_place = [[Akron, Ohio]], [[USA]]
| draft = 1{{st}} overall
| draft_year = 2003
| draft_team = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]]
| career_start = 2003
| highschool = [[St. Vincent - St. Mary High School|St. Vincent - St. Mary]]<br />Akron, Ohio
| awards = 2003 [[Naismith Prep Player of the Year]]<br />2004 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]]<br />2004 [[ESPY]] Best Breakthrough Athlete<br />2005 [[All-NBA]] Second Team<br />2006/08 [[All-NBA]] First Team<br />2007 [[All-NBA]] Second Team<br />1-time NBA Scoring Champion<br />2-time [[NBA All-Star Game]] MVP
}}
'''LeBron Raymone James''' (born [[December 30]] [[1984]]) is an [[United States|American]] professional [[basketball]] player who currently plays for the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). Commonly [[nickname]]d "King James," the [[Akron, Ohio|Akron]], [[Ohio]] native was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA star while still in high school, and was named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball" three times. At the age of 18, he was selected with the [[NBA first overall draft pick|first overall]] pick in the [[2003 NBA Draft]] by the Cavaliers and signed an unprecedented [[United States dollar|US$]]90 million shoe contract with [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] before his NBA debut. He has since set numerous [[Career achievements of LeBron James#Youngest player records|youngest player records]]. In his [[2003-04 NBA season|first season]], he received the [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award]] and in the following four seasons received [[All-NBA]] and [[All-Star]] honors. He has led the Cavaliers to consecutive [[NBA Playoffs|playoff]] appearances in [[2006 NBA Playoffs|2006]], [[2007 NBA Playoffs|2007]], and [[2008 NBA Playoffs|2008]]; in 2007, the team advanced to the [[NBA Conference Finals|Conference Finals]] for the first time since 1992 and the [[NBA Finals]] for the first time in franchise history.

James is listed as a [[small forward]], but often handles the ball and runs the Cavalier's offense as a [[point guard]] would. James was a member of the [[United States men's national basketball team]] that won the [[bronze medal]] in the [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Olympics]] in [[Athens]] and he finished second in the league [[Most Valuable Player]] balloting in 2006.

==High school==
===Freshman year===
James attended [[St. Vincent - St. Mary High School]] in [[Akron, Ohio]]; he was named the starting [[small forward]] for the Fighting Irish.<ref name="">jockbio.com, [http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/James/James_bio.html JockBio: LeBron James], accessed [[September 7]], [[2007]].</ref> He averaged 20 points and 6.2 rebounds, and led the team to a 27–0 record en route to the Division III state title.<ref name="nbabio"/>

===Sophomore year===
In his sophomore year, James averaged 25.2 [[point (basketball)|points]], 7.2 [[rebound (basketball)|rebounds]], 5.8 [[assist (basketball)|assists]] and 3.8 [[steal (basketball)|steals]].<ref name="nbabio"/> He led the team to a 26–1 record and a Division III state title for the second straight season.<ref name="nbahigh"/> He was the first sophomore to be named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball" and also became the first sophomore player ever selected to the ''[[USA Today]]'' All-USA First Team.<ref name="nbahigh">nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/draft2003/profiles/JamesLeBron.html Prospect Profile: LeBron James], accessed [[May 26]], [[2007]].</ref>

As an avid [[American football|football]] player, James was also named First-Team All-State as a [[wide receiver]].<ref name="usahoops">usabasketball.com, [http://usabasketball.com/biosmen/lebron_james_bio.html LeBron James], [[February 20]] [[2007]], accessed [[May 20]] [[2007]]. </ref> However, injury concerns led James to concentrate solely on basketball.

===Junior year===
In James' [[eleventh grade|junior year]] his stats improved again. He averaged 29.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.3 steals and was again named Mr. Basketball of Ohio.<ref name="nbahigh"/> He also earned a spot on the All-USA First Team, and was named the 2001–02 [[Gatorade]] National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. It was at this time that his nickname "King James" would become a household staple in Ohio.
[[Image:Si-cover lebron james 2002.jpg|thumb|right|180px| Dubbed "The Chosen One" by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', James was the first high school basketball player on the cover since [[Kevin Garnett]].]]
LeBron James appeared in [[SLAM Magazine]], which began his nationwide exposure. However, the St. Vincent-St. Mary basketball team did not defend its state title when increased enrollment forced the team to move up to the more challenging Division II (Ohio high school basketball has four divisions based on annual enrollment figures) and lost to [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]] [[Roger Bacon High School]]. James attempted to declare for the [[NBA Draft]] after the season ended, petitioning for an adjustment to the NBA's draft eligibility rules which at the time required prospective players to have at least completed high school. The petition was unsuccessful, but it ensured him an unprecedented level of nation-wide attention as he entered his senior year. By then, James had already appeared on the covers of ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' and ''[[ESPN The Magazine]]''. His popularity forced his team to move their practices from the school gym to the nearby [[James A. Rhodes Arena]] at the [[University of Akron]]. NBA stars such as [[Shaquille O'Neal]] attended the games, and a few of James' high school games were even televised nationally on [[ESPN2]] and regionally on [[pay-per-view]].

===Senior year===
Gloria James created a firestorm of controversy when a bank took her son's future earning power into consideration, resulting in an approval of a loan used to buy an $80,000 [[Hummer H2]] for her son's 18th birthday. The event prompted an investigation by the [[Ohio High School Athletic Association]] (OHSAA). Under the OHSAA guidelines, no amateur may accept any gift valued over $100 as a reward for athletic performance.<ref>ESPN.com, [http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0127/1499490.html Prep star James can continue drive for state title], accessed [[June 1]] [[2007]].</ref> When James later accepted two throwback jerseys of [[Wes Unseld]] and [[Gale Sayers]] worth $845 from NEXT, an urban clothing store in [[Shaker Square]], in exchange for his posing for pictures to be displayed on the store's walls, OHSAA stripped him of his eligibility.<ref>ESPN.com, [http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0131/1502001.html James ruled ineligible, plans to appeal decision], accessed [[June 1]] [[2007]].</ref> James appealed and a judge blocked the ruling, reducing the penalty to a two-game suspension and allowing him to play the remainder of the season. However, James's team was forced to forfeit one of their wins as a result.<ref>ESPN.com, [http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0205/1504308.html James must miss one more regular-season game], accessed [[June 1]] [[2007]].</ref> That forfeit loss was the team's only official loss that season.

Despite the distractions, the Irish won a third state title, with James averaging 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals on the season.<ref name="nbahigh"/> James was named to the All-USA First Team and, for an unprecedented third time, was selected as Mr. Basketball of Ohio.<ref name="nbahigh"/> He earned MVP honors at the [[McDonald's All-American Game]], the [[EA Sports]] Roundball Classic, and the Jordan Capital Classic. Although it was a foregone conclusion, by participating in more than two high school all-star events, James officially lost his [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] eligibility.

James finished his high school career with 2,657 points, 892 rebounds and 523 assists.<ref name="nbahigh"/>

==NBA career==
===2003-04 season===
Facing the [[Sacramento Kings]] in his first NBA game, LeBron recorded 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals and [[field goal percentage|shot]] 60% from the field.<ref name="first">basketball-reference.com, [http://basketball-reference.com/fc/gl.cgi?player=jamesle01&year=2004 James 2003-04 Game Log], accessed [[April 27]] [[2007]].</ref> After recording a season-high 41 points against the [[New Jersey Nets]], James became the youngest player in league history to score 40 points in a game.<ref>espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1786166 James receives 78 of 118 first-place votes], accessed [[May 7]] [[2007]].</ref> He averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game for the season,<ref name="nbastat">nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/career_stats.html LeBron James: Player Info Page], accessed [[April 27]], [[2007]].</ref> and was named [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]]; becoming the first Cavalier and youngest NBA player to ever receive the award.<ref name="nbabio"/> He joined [[Oscar Robertson]] and [[Michael Jordan]] as the only three players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in their rookie season.<ref name="nbabio">nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/bio.html LeBron James: NBA Bio], accessed [[April 27]] [[2007]].</ref> The Cavaliers improved by 18 wins and concluded the regular season with a 35&ndash;47 record, but failed to make [[2004 NBA Playoffs|the playoffs]].<ref>basketball-reference.com, [http://basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2004.html 2003-04 Cleveland Cavaliers], accessed [[April 27]] [[2007]].</ref>

===2004-05 season===
[[Image:lebron james freethrow.jpg|thumb|right|220px|James preparing to take a [[free throw]] against the [[Dallas Mavericks]].]]
In the [[2004-05 NBA season|2004–05 season]], James was selected to his first [[NBA All-Star Game]] and recorded 13 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds, as the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern]] All-Stars defeated the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western]] All-Stars [[2005 NBA All-Star Game|125–115]].<ref>nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/games/20050220/ESTWST/boxscore.html 2005 All-Star Game], accessed [[April 27]] [[2007]].</ref> During the season, James became the youngest player in league history to register a [[triple-double]], score 50 points in a game, and make the [[All-NBA Team]].<ref name="nbabio"/> He averaged 27.2 points, 7.2 assists, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game.<ref name="nbastat"/> However, the Cavaliers failed to reach [[2005 NBA playoffs|the playoffs]] again and finished with a 42–40 regular season record.<ref>basketball-reference.com, [http://basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2005.html 2004-05 Cleveland Cavaliers], accessed [[April 29]] [[2007]].</ref>

===2005-06 season===
In the [[2005-06 NBA season|2005–06 season]], James was elected to his second straight [[2006 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Game appearance]] and led the Eastern All-Stars to a 122–120 victory, with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. He became the youngest All-Star MVP at 21 years, 51 days.<ref>nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/games/20060219/ESTWST/recap.html James Wins MVP as East Rallies Past West], accessed [[April 27]], [[2007]].</ref> He was named ''NBA Player of the Week'' for an unprecedented three consecutive weeks and concluded the season with five honors.<ref name="mvpc">nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/lbj_mvp_candidate_060419.html 2006 NBA MVP Candidate - LeBron James], accessed [[May 4]] [[2007]]</ref> He scored 35 or more points in nine consecutive games and joined [[Michael Jordan]] and [[Kobe Bryant]] as the only players since 1970 to accomplish the feat.<ref name="mvpc"/> For the season, James averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game,<ref name="nbastat"/> and became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 30 points. He also became the fourth player in NBA history to average more than 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a single season.<ref name="usabio">usabasketball, [http://www.usabasketball.com/biosmen/lebron_james_bio.html USA Basketball: LeBron James Bio], accessed [[April 27]], [[2007]].</ref> The Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since 1998,<ref name="clinch">nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/games/20060329/DALCLE/recap.html James, Cavs Top Mavs To Clinch Playoff Berth], accessed [[May 1]] [[2007]].</ref> and improved from a record of 17–65 in 2002–03 to 50–32 in 2005–06.<ref>basketball-reference.com, [http://basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2006.html 2005-06 Cleveland Cavaliers], accessed [[May 1]] [[2007]].</ref>

Following the regular season, James was named as one of the top candidates for the [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award]]. Although he finished second to [[Steve Nash]] of the [[Phoenix Suns]] in MVP voting, he was awarded co-MVP honors with Nash by ''[[The Sporting News]]''; an award given by the publication that is based on the voting of thirty NBA [[General manager#Sports teams|general managers]].<ref>espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2443137 James, Nash share Sporting News MVP award], accessed [[May 5]] [[2007]].</ref>

James made [[2006 NBA Playoffs|his playoff debut]] against the [[Washington Wizards]]. He recorded a [[triple-double]] with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 97–86.<ref name="debut">espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260422005 LeBron's playoff debut triple-double carries Cavs], accessed [[May 1]], [[2007]].</ref> He joined [[Johnny McCarthy]] and [[Magic Johnson]] as the only players in NBA history to register a triple-double in their playoff debut.<ref name="debut"/> For the series, James averaged 35.7 points, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards in six games.<ref>espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=260505027 Cavaliers Win Series 4-2], accessed [[May 1]] [[2007]].</ref> In the process, however, LeBron set a new record for turnovers in a 6-game series, with 34. In the second round of the playoffs, James and the Cavaliers lost in seven games to the defending [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] champion and divisional rival [[Detroit Pistons]]. James averaged 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in the playoffs.<ref name="nbastat"/>

At the end of the season, James negotiated a three year contract extension, with a player option for a fourth year. The contract is worth [[United States dollar|US$]]60 million and begins at the start of the [[2007-08 NBA season|2007–08 season]].<ref name="contract">espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2523410 LeBron officially signs contract extension with Cavs], accessed [[May 7]] [[2007]].</ref> Although it is for fewer years and less money than the maximum he could sign, it allows him the option of seeking a new contract worth more money as an unrestricted [[free agent]] following the 2010 season.<ref name="contract"/>

===2006-07 season===
[[Image:LeBronWitness.JPG|thumb|right|220px| James on a billboard in [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]'s "Witness" promotion across from the [[Quicken Loans Arena]] in [[Cleveland]].{{puic|Image:LeBronWitness.JPG|log=2008 May 12}}]]
James was elected to his third consecutive [[2007 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star game appearance]] during the [[2006-07 NBA season|2006–07 season]]. He played a game high 32 minutes and finished with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.<ref>nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/games/20070218/ESTWST/boxscore.html 2007 All-Star Game: Box Score], accessed [[April 19]], [[2007]].</ref>
In the regular season, the Cavaliers tied the previous season's record with 50 wins and clinched the second seed of the Eastern Conference on the last day of the season.<ref>basketball-reference.com, [http://basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2007.html 2006-07 Cleveland Cavaliers], accessed [[April 29]] [[2007]].</ref> For the season, James averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.<ref name="nbabio"/> He joined [[Oscar Robertson]] as the only players in NBA history to average 27 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for three consecutive years.<ref>espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270418005 Now playoff-bound, Cavs' 50th win caps season], accessed [[June 2]] [[2007]].</ref>

In the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to their first [[Sweep#Sports|sweep]] in franchise history over the [[Washington Wizards]] in four games.<ref name="sw">espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270430027 James, Ilgauskas steer Cavs into 2nd round with sweep of Wiz], accessed [[May 5]] [[2007]].</ref> It was also the first time the franchise had won consecutive road playoff games.<ref name="sw"/> For the series, James averaged 27.8 points, 7.5 assists, and 8.5 rebounds.<ref name="nbastat"/> In the second round of the playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to a 4&ndash;2 series victory over the [[New Jersey Nets]].<ref name="semi"/> He averaged 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.6 assists in the series,<ref name="nbastat"/> as the Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 15 years.<ref name="semi">espn.com, [http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270518017 James scores 23 as Cavs hold off Nets for rematch with Pistons], accessed [[May 19]] [[2007]].</ref>

In the Eastern Conference Finals, James led the Cavaliers from an 0–2 deficit against the [[Detroit Pistons]] to win the series in six games. His performance in Game 5 was especially memorable. James recorded a franchise-record 48 points on 54.5% field goal shooting, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. In addition, James scored 29 of Cleveland's last 30 points, including the team's final 25 points in a double-[[overtime (sport)|overtime]] victory.<ref>nba.com, [http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270531008 LeBron bewilders Pistons as Cavaliers inch closer to NBA finals], accessed [[May 31]], [[2007]].</ref> NBA analyst [[Marv Albert]] referred to James's performance as “one of the greatest moments in postseason history,” while color commentator [[Steve Kerr]] called it “Jordan-esque.”<ref>{{Youtube|d1Px-jPm_TU|LeBron James takes over Game 5!}}</ref>

In the [[2007 NBA Finals]], James averaged 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists, as the Cavaliers were [[Sweep#Sports|swept]] by the [[San Antonio Spurs]] in four games.<ref name="nbabio"/> For the postseason, James averaged 25.1 points, 8.0 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game.<ref name="nbastat"/> He set a franchise record for double-doubles in a playoff season with eight and became the first Cavalier and the first non-guard in NBA history to have at least seven assists in eight consecutive playoff games.<ref name="nbabio"/>

===2007-08 season===

In the [[2007-08 NBA season|2007–08 season]], James continued his dominant play, earning his fourth consecutive All-Star Game appearance<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/allstar2008/news/story?id=3213093 Garnett, Kobe, Iverson headline All-Star starters roster], espn.com, accessed [[November 14]] [[2007]].</ref> and once again positioning himself as one of the frontrunners for the [[NBA Most Valuable Player]] award. James was named the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] Player of the Month for January 2008.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/news/playersofmonth_080201.html?rss=true Yao Ming, LeBron James Named Players of the Month], ''[[NBA|NBA.com]]'', February 1, 2008.</ref> He won the 2008 [[All-Star Game]] [[MVP]] with 27 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals as the [[Eastern Conference]] All-Stars defeated their Western counterparts, 134–128.<ref>[http://www.nba.com//allstar2008/allstar_game/lebronmvp_20080217.htmlJames Improvises an MVP Performance in the Big Easy - NBA.com]. Accessed [[February 18]], [[2008]].</ref>

On [[February 19]], [[2008]], James recorded his fifth [[triple double]] of the [[2007-08 NBA season|2007–08 season]] by putting up 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists against the [[Houston Rockets]]. Five triple doubles in a season ties his personal and team records for triple doubles in a season. It was the 15th triple double of his career, another Cavaliers' record. He is the third youngest player to post 15 triple doubles, behind [[Oscar Robertson]] and [[Magic Johnson]].<ref>[http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/recap_rockets_080219.html Red-Hot Rockets Roll Over Cool Cavaliers - NBA.com].</ref> He scored his 6th [[triple double]] of the season and 16th of his career against the [[Indiana Pacers]] the very next game. It was the second time this season that he had triple double in back-to-back games. The last player to accomplish that feat was [[Magic Johnson]] in 1988.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/recap_pacers_080220.html Defensive Cavaliers Pull Past Pacers - NBA.com].</ref>

James was named NBA’s [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] Player of the Week for games played Monday, February 18 through Sunday, February 24.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/playeroftheweek_080225.html LeBron James Named NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week - NBA.com].</ref> It was the third time he has won the award this season and the 13th time he has won the award in his career. On [[February 27]], [[2008]], against the [[Boston Celtics]], James became the youngest person to score 10,000 points in his career at 23 years and 59 days, achieving the feat in style with a slam-dunk over 11-time All-Star [[Kevin Garnett]], eclipsing the old mark by more than a year. James did so in 368 games, the ninth fastest in league history.<ref>{{Youtube|lGBTkB-sHjg|LeBron James becomes youngest player to score 10,000 points!}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2008022702&prov=ap|title=James hits milestone but Cavaliers fall to Celtics 92-87|accessdate=2008-03-01|date=[[2008-02-27]]|publisher=[[The Associated Press]]/[[Yahoo! Inc.]]|author=Golen, Jimmy}}</ref>

On March 3, 2008 James was named the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] Player of the Month for February 2008.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/news/pom_080303.html Kobe Bryant, LeBron James Named Players of the Month], ''[[NBA|NBA.com]]'', March 3, 2008.</ref> It was the second straight month that he won the award. On March 5, 2008, James scored 50 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists on the [[New York Knicks]],<ref>{{youtube|C1oBcPtH5aU|LeBron Puts On 50-Point Show at MSG}}</ref> becoming only the third player since the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]-[[American Basketball Association|ABA]] merger to record a 50 point 10 assist game.<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280305018 ''ESPN.com:'' LeBron's 50 points, 10 assists lead Cavs past Knicks]</ref> On March 10, 2008, James notched his 7th [[triple double]] of the season against the [[Portland Trailblazers]]. Seven triple doubles in a season breaks his personal and team records for triple doubles in a season and 17 career triple doubles breaks his team record as well.<ref>[http://www.ohio.com/sports/16486616.html Cavs' victory short on style]</ref> On [[March 12]], [[2008]], James scored 42 points against the [[New Jersey Nets]] and surpassed [[Austin Carr]] for second all time in Cavaliers points scored. On March 21, 2008, James scored 29 points against the [[Toronto Raptors]], taking him past [[Brad Daugherty]]'s all-time Cavaliers scoring record of 10,389 points. Daugherty achieved this record over the course of 548 games, while James took only 380 games to score 10,414 points.<ref>[http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap;_ylt=AquEx6U9M1fAWyWLZ1QYz428vLYF?gid=2008032105&prov=ap James moves to top of Cavaliers scoring chart]. Accessed [[March 21]], [[2008]].</ref>

All told, James had propelled Cleveland to a 45–37 record, good for second place in the [[Central Division]] and the 4th seed in the [[Eastern Conference]] Playoffs. Prior to Cleveland's first round series versus the [[Washington Wizards]], Wizards guard [[Deshawn Stevenson]] said James was "overrated," prompting James to say that he would not return the insult, as that would be "almost like [[Jay-Z]] [responding to a negative comment] made by [[Soulja Boy]]."<ref>[http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/12057426597770.xml&coll=2 ''Cleveland.com'' - Cleveland Cavaliers Insider: LeBron James laughs off DeShawn Stevenson's comments (March 17, 2008)]</ref> In response, Soulja Boy himself made an appearance at Game 3 of the series (played in Washington) in support of the Wizards, and his music was played over the PA system.<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280424027 ''ESPN.com'' - Wizards outplay turnover-prone Cavs, get crucial Game 3 win (April 24, 2008)]</ref> James would later say that he meant no disrespect to Soulja Boy with his comment, and that his young son is a big fan of the rapper. Jay-Z responded by producing a freestyle version of the [[Too Short]] single "[[Blow the Whistle (song)|Blow the Whistle]]", named "Playoff", in which he "disses" Stevenson and Soulja Boy on James' behalf.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/26/AR2008042602240.html?hpid=topnews |title=Stevenson. James. Now Jay-Z? This Spat Is Getting Serious. |accessdate=2008-04-29 |author=Mike Wise |authorlink= |date=2008-04-27 |publisher=[[Washington Post]] |quote=...in the wee hours of Friday night at Love, the Northeast club which hosted Gilbert Arenas' million-dollar 25th birthday party last year, the deejay played a new cut by Jay-Z. The hip-hop icon actually cut it Friday and had it downloaded for a party hosted by LeBron James at the club that night. Stevenson was told that the lyrics just eviscerated him — in his own town.}}</ref><ref>[http://eighty81.com/v2/?p=1765 Jay-Z Playoff Freestyle — Eighty81.com exclusive]</ref>

==United States national team==
{{MedalTop}}
{{MedalSport |Men's [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Basketball]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]] | [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics|USA]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalWorldChampionships}}
{{MedalBronze| [[2006 FIBA World Championship|2006 Japan]] | [[USA national basketball team|USA]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Americas Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2007 FIBA Americas Championship|2007 Las Vegas]] | [[USA national basketball team|USA]]}}
{{MedalBottom}}
After his [[2003-04 NBA season|rookie season]], James played on the 2004 [[United States men's national basketball team|U.S. Olympic basketball team]] in [[Athens]], where the United States won the [[bronze medal]] in [[Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics|men's basketball]]. It was the first time a U.S. Olympic team with NBA players failed to win the [[gold medal]]. Limited to 14.6 minutes per game, James averaged just 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.<ref name="usabb">usabasketball, [http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/2004/04_msnt_stats.html USA Season Box Score], accessed [[April 25]], [[2007]].</ref> James also competed in the [[2006 FIBA World Championship]] in [[Japan]] and averaged 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.<ref name="usabbb">usabasketball.com, [http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/2006/06_mwc_cumulative_stats.html 2006 USA Men's World Championship team: Stats], accessed [[May 1]], [[2007]].</ref> However, the team finished with an 8&ndash;1 record, and was again awarded the bronze medal.<ref name="usabbb"/>

James was named as one of three [[Captain (sports)|captains]] for the [[United States national basketball team#2006-2008 U.S. Men's Basketball Team|U.S. men's basketball national team]] from 2006–2008, alongside [[Carmelo Anthony]] and [[Dwyane Wade]].<ref>nba.com, [http://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/anthony_usa_captain_081706.html Melo joins LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as captains], accessed [[May 7]], [[2007]].</ref> After failing to win the 2006 World Championships, the team competed at the 2007 [[Americas Championships 2007|Tournament of Americas Olympic qualifiers]] to qualify for the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]]. During the gold medal game against Argentina, James recorded 31 points, the most by an American in an Olympic qualifier, as the United States captured gold medal honors.<ref>espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=3002435 James' record outing highlights Team USA's dominance in title game], [[September 3]], [[2007]].</ref> He averaged 18.1 points (on tournament-high field-goal percentage (76%) and three-point percentage (62.2%)), 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 22.2 minutes per game.

== Player profile ==

James has established himself as a legitimate [[triple-double]] threat and has averaged 26.7 points, 6.4 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game for his career.<ref name="nbastat"/> As of the [[2007-08 NBA season|2007–08 season]], he has recorded 16 triple-doubles in his career,<ref>[http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_7403036 Jazz: Swollen eye doesn't deter James from triple-double]. ''[[The Salt Lake Tribune]]''. Posted November 8, 2007.</ref> with 14 in the regular season and 2 in the postseason.<ref name="nbabio"/> On offense, James utilizes his quickness, size, and strength to get past defenders. James is known for his exceptional upper body strength. When penetrating to the basket, James exhibits superb body control, adjusting his shot in mid-air according to the defense, allowing him to absorb contact and finish at the basket.<ref>nbadraft.net, [http://www.nbadraft.net/profiles/lebronjames.htm player profiles], accessed [[5 June]] [[2007]].</ref> In the [[2005-06 NBA season|2005–06 season]], he led the league in completed traditional [[three pointer|three point plays]].<ref name="nbabio"/> He is a solid rebounder who regularly ranks among the league leaders in rebounds for the small forward position.<ref>espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=nbarebound&league=nba&split=0&sort=totreb&avg=pg&qual=true&season=2006&seasontype=2&pos=sf NBA Stats 2005-2006 Rebounds], accessed [[May 12]], [[2007]].</ref><ref>espn.com, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=nbarebound&league=nba&split=0&sort=totreb&avg=pg&qual=true&season=2007&seasontype=2&pos=sf NBA Stats 2006-2007 Rebounds], accessed [[May 12]] [[2007]].</ref> His overall skill sets and on-court play has led to many comparisons to NBA legends [[Oscar Robertson]], [[Magic Johnson]], and [[Michael Jordan]].<ref name="comp">Dupree, David, [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/playoffs/2006-04-20-james-cover_x.htm King James' next conquest], accessed [[August 21]], [[2006]].</ref>

Although James exhibits exceptional offensive ability, he has yet to be featured on the [[NBA All-Defensive Team]]<ref>basketball-reference.com, [http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/all_defense_by_player.html All-Defense Selections by Player], accessed [[5 June]] [[2007]].</ref> and has struggled with his [[free throw]] shooting — he averaged a subpar .698 free throw percentage in the [[2006-07 NBA season|2006-07 season]].<ref name="nbastat"/>

==Personal life==
{{Copyedit|date=December 2007}}
{{double image|right|Kingkongposter.jpg|125|Vogue-Cover James-Bundchen.jpg|135|The 1933 ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]'' movie poster and the March 2008 ''[[Vogue magazine|Vogue]]'' cover with James and [[Gisele Bundchen]] which some claim references it}}
James has two children with his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson. The first, LeBron James Jr., was born on [[October 6]], [[2004]].<ref name="kid"/> The second, Bryce Maximus James, was born on [[June 14]] [[2007]].<ref name="kid">iht.com, [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/14/sports/NA-SPT-BKB-NBA-LeBrons-Baby.php LeBron James' girlfriend gives birth to couple's 2nd son, Bryce Maximus], accessed [[June 14]], [[2007]].</ref><ref name="ESPN"> ESPN, [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2903820 Lebron welcomes child], accessed [[June 14]], [[2007]].</ref> During his sophomore year, he was named First Team-All State as a wide receiver, and in his junior year he helped lead [[St. Vincent - St. Mary High School]] to the state semifinals in football.<ref name="nbabio"/> As a freshman playing basketball, James wore jersey number 32 before adopting his current number 23 as a tribute to his role model, [[Michael Jordan]].<ref name="nbabio"/>

Despite being compared to players such as [[Michael Jordan]], [[Oscar Robertson]], and [[Magic Johnson]],<ref name="comp"/><ref>sportsillustrated.com, [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2003/06/02/silas_lebron_ap/ Is Silas right coach for LeBron?], accessed [[May 5]], [[2007]].</ref> James compared himself to a young [[Penny Hardaway]]. He stated, "Penny sees the whole floor and can score," James said. "He's still one of my favorite players of all-time."<ref>usatoday.com, [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2003-04-21-all-usa-boys_x.htm James leads 2002-03 All-USA teams], accessed [[May 5]], [[2007]].</ref>

James has stated he wants to be the first billionaire athlete and a global icon. He has a number of endorsement contracts with [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]], [[Sprite (soft drink)|Sprite]], [[Powerade]], [[Bubblicious]], and [[Upper Deck Company|Upper Deck]]. With Nike LeBron has released five signature shoe styles. He has acted in a series of commercials called "[[The LeBrons]]" also produced by Nike.

During the [[2007 NBA Playoffs]], James drew criticism<ref name="csm">Christian Science Monitor, [http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0524/p09s01-coop.html?page=1 On Darfur, LeBron James drops the ball], accessed [[June 7]], [[2007]].</ref> when he declined to sign a petition started by his teammate, [[Ira Newble]], regarding the [[Government of the People's Republic of China|Chinese government]]'s alleged involvement in the [[Darfur conflict|ongoing conflict]] in the [[Darfur]] region of [[Sudan]], stating that he did not know enough about the issue.<ref>yahoo.com, [http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AuUKIgRXZ7o9QUghAK6qsoM5nYcB?slug=stcavaliersjamesdarfur&prov=st&type=lgns James Draws Criticism For Stand on Darfur Issue], accessed [[May 28]], [[2007]].</ref><ref name="nytdarfur">The New York Times, [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/sports/basketball/16cavaliers.html?ex=1336968000&en=6d99aee7ba4a9ed5&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Cavalier Seeks Players' Support for Darfur], accessed [[June 8]], [[2007]].</ref> A year later, however, James did talk publicly about the issue, saying, "At the end of the day we're talking about human rights. And people should understand that human rights and people's lives are in jeopardy. We're not talking about contracts here. We're not talking about money. We're talking about people's lives being lost and that means a lot more to me than some money or a contract."<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3398947&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos2 ESPN - LeBron speaking out on Darfur - NBA<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

On [[July 11]], [[2007]], James, along with comedian [[Jimmy Kimmel]], hosted the 2007 [[ESPY Awards]]. The show aired on [[July 15]], [[2007]]. LeBron was nominated for three ESPYs; his nominations were for Best Male Athlete, Best NBA Player (winner), and for Best Record Breaking Performance. The Record Breaking performance was when he scored 48 points in Game 5 of the 2007 NBA Eastern Conference Finals agains the Detroit Pistons, including 29 of the last 30 points and all of the teams 25 points in overtime. In other comedic pursuits, James hosted the 33rd season premiere of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. Creator Lorne Michaels along numerous castmembers praised him for his versatility. LeBron joined the ranks of other NBA hosts including Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley who also hosted the premiere episodes.

In December 2007, James was ranked at #1 in the [[Forbes]] Top 20 Earners Under 25 with annual earnings of 27 million dollars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/media/2007/12/01/celebrity-hollywood-media-cz_lg_1204kidstars.html|title=20 Under 25: The Top-Earning Young Superstars|date=2007-12-04|publisher=Forbes.com}}</ref>

On [[October 4]], [[2007]], James received criticism from Cleveland fans and critics alike for showing up to Game 1 of [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[2007 American League Division Series]] at the [[Cleveland Indians]]' [[Jacobs Field]] as a fan wearing a cap of the [[New York Yankees]], the Indians' ALDS opponents. In a third inning interview with [[TBS]] reporter [[Craig Sager]] while seated in the bleachers, James said, "As individuals I want every Indian to succeed. I love all these fans for coming out and supporting us. But team-wise I want the Yankees to win." Despite residing in Ohio for all of his childhood, James explained that he grew up as a Yankees fan, a [[Dallas Cowboys]] fan for the [[NFL]] and a [[Chicago Bulls]] fan for the NBA. As the Indians began to rout the Yankees in the sixth inning, James left the stadium with his entourage.<ref name="MLB.com">MLB.com, [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071004&content_id=2250946&vkey=ps2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb LeBron spurns Tribe, sports Yanks cap]</ref>
The controversy would continue upon Nike's [[January 22]], [[2008]] announcement of the "''Air Zoom V LeBron''" shoe. The shoe was named in James' honor, but in a Yankees-type motif and scheduled to only be available in New York.<ref name="AirZoomV"> [http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2008/01/a_yankees_fan_from_head_to_toe.html A Yankees fan from head to toe]</ref>

In March 2008, James became the first black man to appear on the cover of [[Vogue magazine]], posing with [[Gisele Bündchen]].<ref name="npr 3/27/08">[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89151096 Some Call LeBron James' 'Vogue' Cover Offensive]</ref> Some considered the cover offensive, describing the positioning of James and Bündchen as a reference to classic imagery of the movie monster [[King Kong]].<ref name="npr 3/27/08"/> James himself has offered no public comment on the matter as of April 19, 2008.

==NBA regular season statistics==
{| class="wikitable"
!SEASON
!TEAM
!GP
!MPG
!SPG
!BPG
!RPG
!APG
!PPG
!Hi
!40+
!50+
!TD
!MVP
|-
|2003–04
|Cleveland
|79
|39.5
|1.6
|0.7
|5.5
|5.9
|20.9
|41
|1
|0
|0
|9th
|-
|2004–05
|Cleveland
|80
|38.6
|2.2
|0.6
|7.4
|7.2
|27.2
|56
|5
|1
|4
|6th
|-
|2005–06
|Cleveland
|79
|42.5
|1.6
|0.8
|7.0
|6.6
|31.4
|52
|10
|2
|5
|2nd
|-
|2006–07
|Cleveland
|78
|40.9
|1.6
|0.7
|6.7
|6.0
|27.3
|41
|1
|0
|1
|5th
|-
|2007–08¹
|Cleveland
|76
|40.4
|1.8
|1.1
|7.9
|7.2
|30.0
|51
|7
|2
|7
|4th
|-
|Career
|Cleveland
|391
|41.1
|1.8
|0.8
|6.9
|6.6
|27.3
|56
|24
|5
|17
|/
|}

TD = Triple Doubles

MVP = Most Valuable Player voting

==Awards and honors==
{{main|List of career achievements by LeBron James}}
<!--THIS SECTION IS FOR ADDING THE MAIN CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEBRON JAMES. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD ANY DETAILED STATS OR NOTES TO THE SUBPAGE: CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEBRON JAMES -->

* '''[[NBA Rookie of the Year]]''': 2004
* '''[[NBA All-Rookie First Team]]''': 2004
* '''NBA Scoring Champion''': 2008
* '''2-time [[NBA All-Star Game MVP]]''': 2006, 2008
* '''4-time [[NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star]]''': 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
* '''4-time [[All-NBA]]''':
** '''First Team''': 2006, 2008
** '''Second Team''': 2005, 2007
* '''Bronze medal with Team USA, [[2004 Summer Olympic Games]].
* '''Bronze medal with Team USA, [[2006 FIBA World Championship]].
* '''[[Eastern Conference (NBA)|NBA Eastern Conference Champion]]''':[[2007 NBA Playoffs#Conference Finals: (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (2) Cleveland_Cavaliers|2007]]
* '''Gold medal with Team USA, [[FIBA Americas Championship 2007]]
<br style="clear:both;"/>

==References==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
{{Reflist}}</div>

==External links==
{{portal|Basketball|Basketball.png}}
{{sisterlinks}}
*[http://www.lebronjames.com/ Official Website]
*[http://www.nike.com/nikebasketball/usa/#lbjv Lebron: The Complete Story]
*[http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/ LeBron James: NBA.com Profile]
*[http://www.usolympicteam.com/26_19988.htm U.S. Olympic Team bio]
*[http://www.nba.com/draft2003/profiles/JamesLeBron.html LeBron James: NBA.com Draft Profile]
*{{espn nba|id=3704|name=LeBron James}}
*{{imdb name|id=1429908|name=LeBron James}}
*[http://www.zadzadz.com/index.php?keyword=lebron LeBron James] ads in the [[ZADZADZ]] ad database

{{start box}}
{{s-ach}}
{{Succession box | title= [[NBA first overall draft pick]] | before = [[Yao Ming]] | years= [[2003 NBA Draft]] | after=[[Dwight Howard]]}}
{{succession box|title=[[National Basketball Association|NBA]]<br />[[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]]|before=[[Amare Stoudemire]]|after=[[Emeka Okafor]]|years=2004}}
{{succession box|title=[[National Basketball Association All-Star Game|NBA All-Star Game]]<br />[[Most Valuable Player]]|before=<br />[[Allen Iverson]]<br />[[Kobe Bryant]]|after=<br />[[Kobe Bryant]]<br />Incumbent|years=2006<br />2008}}
{{succession box|title=[[National Basketball Association]]<br/> Scoring champion|before=[[Kobe Bryant]]|after=Incumbent|years=[[2007-08 NBA season|2007-08]]}}
|}

{{USA Squad 2006 FIBA World Championship}}
{{Footer 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalists Basketball Men}}
{{2003 NBA Draft}}
{{NBA NumberOne Draft Picks}}
{{NBA Rookies of the Year}}
{{NBA All-Star Game MVP Award}}
{{Cleveland Cavaliers current roster}}

<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->

{{Persondata
|NAME= James,Lebron
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= James, King
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= NBA Basketball player
|DATE OF BIRTH= [[December 30]], [[1984]]
|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Akron]], [[Ohio]]
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Lebron}}
[[Category:1984 births]]
[[Category:African American sportspeople]]
[[Category:United States men's national basketball team members]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Cleveland Cavaliers players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Cavaliers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association high school draftees]]
[[Category:Olympic basketball players of the United States]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
[[Category:People from Akron, Ohio]]
[[Category:People from Cleveland, Ohio]]

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Revision as of 21:35, 29 May 2008

LEBRON IS THE BEST!!!!

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