LeBron James, known as King James, is truly a man who needs no introduction. His accomplishments include three NBA championships (2012, 2013, 2016), four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), three NBA Finals MVP Awards (2012, 2013, 2016), two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012), an NBA scoring title (2008), and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award (2004). He has also been selected to 13 NBA All-Star teams, 12 All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive teams, and is the Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer. The list doesn't end there. It actually continues below. Enjoy these 32 facts about LeBron James.
LeBron James Facts
1. Class is in Session
LeBron has proven this to be true, being named the NBA finals MVP in 2012, 2013, 2016. He also has been to the NBA All-Star Game every year since 2005!!
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 ,Wikimedia Commons
2. Take your pick
LeBron's athletic ability was demonstrated from a young age. If LeBron didn't make it in basketball, he probably could have played professional football. In James’ first season playing football, in fourth grade, he played for a team called the East Dragons and scored 17 touchdowns in six games.
David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
3. Age is just a number
LeBron has been putting in work from the second he stepped on to the NBA court. He is the youngest NBA player ever to score 2,000 points in their career, as well as being the youngest NBA player to record a triple-double.
4. Best for 2nd Last?
LeBron was the 2nd last player ever to be drafted out of high school, followed by Dwight Howard the following year. Currently players must be 19 years old or one year removed from high school to be eligible for the draft.
Keith Allison , CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
5. #1!
LeBron was coming straight out of high school and facing a stacked draft year with names like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Despite all the other talent in the draft pool that year LeBron was taken #1 overall.
Tim Shelby, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
6. Goldrush
LeBron has not one but two Olympic gold medals. The first was won in 2008 with the "Redeem Team" that took back the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. This was four years after the U.S. national team was disappointed in Athens, only receiving a bronze medal. In 2012, the U.S. team defended its title in London where Lebron averaged 13.3 points per game.
Christian Petersen, Getty Images
7. Used to setting the bar high!
During LeBron’s highly anticipated career at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, he was named the state's player of the year three times, a feat that had never been accomplished before.
8. 10 Top-Five MVP Finishes
LeBron has 10 top-five finishes, tying legend with Michael Jordan. LeBron actually accomplished this feat in 13 years compared to Jordan's 15 seasons.
9. Small stake big bucks
Apple bought Beats Electronic in June 2014 for $3 billion. James owned a very small stake in that company, netting a reported $30 million from the deal.
Christopher Johnson, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
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10. I. Get. Buckets.
When it comes to putting up points in the playoffs, LeBron has topped the 30-point mark in 12 NBA Finals games. His teams are 7-5 in those contests. Five of these games were in the 2016 Finals games in the against the Golden State Warriors.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Commons
11. Feel the Rhythm
LeBron also holds the record for most consecutive points scored for a team in a playoff game. He scored 25 consecutive points against the Detroit Pistons on May 31, 2007.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
12. Only the best.
Le Bron is the second player in history to have won the NBA MVP, Finals MVP, and the Olympic Gold Medal in the same year. The only other player in history is to accomplish this in one year is Michael Jordan.
13. Can't but a drink but he can buy the bar
When LeBron was drafted in 2003 first overall, this made him the youngest first overall pick in NBA history at age 18!
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
14. Ambidextrous
An interesting fact about LeBron is that he is ambidextrous. He writes and eats with his left hand, which may make you think he is left hand dominant. The strange thing is, he shoots and makes layups using his right hand.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
15. Sign my Kicks?
In addition to a gold medal, LeBron took home another memento from Team USA’s Olympic win in Beijing in 2008. He had the entire team sign the sneakers he wore in the championship game against Spain.
Tim Shelby, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
16. Millionaire before he touched the court.
Before the Cleveland Cavaliers even won the draft lottery to secure the rights to LeBron James. Nike had already signed him $90 million contract, the richest rookie shoe deal ever offered to an athlete at the time. LeBron’s $90M deal was more than double the amount of money Nike had paid Kobe Bryant just one month later. At the time, Kobe was already a three-time NBA Champion, and LeBron hadn’t played a single NBA game!
Ian D'Andrea , CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
17. Till death do us part….
In 2015 LeBorn signed a life time deal with Nike. A company spokesperson would not say how much Nike paid but one source familiar with the negotiations said is the largest single-athlete guarantee in company history. It is believed to be the first lifetime deal in the shoe and apparel company's 44-year history.
18. Can’t pick a side.
Despite being born in Ohio, LeBron is a big supporter of the New York Yankees, Chicago Bulls and, Dallas Cowboys. LeBron once showed up to a Yankees vs. his hometown Cleveland Indians playoff game and he was wearing a New York Yankees hat. Savage!
19. The other football
In April 2011 LeBron became an investor in Liverpool FC, one of the most celebrated soccer clubs in the English Premier League. The deal was part of a marketing arrangement with Fenway Sports Group,( the Boston Red Sox) where owner John Henry and Tom Werner are to become the exclusive representative for James.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
20. Coach of the decade!
LeBron lived with his Pee Wee football coach, Frank Walker, when times got tough. Amidst Gloria James's legal troubles and bouncing from home to home, Frank and Pam Walker decided to open their home to James to give him some stability. They gave him structure, rules, and encouragement, both on and off the field. Frank is even given credit with introducing LeBron to basketball.
21. Mommy loves ya!
When LeBron was in the senior year of his high school, he used to live in government subsidized housing. Regardless of their humble means, his mother took out a loan to buy a Hummer as LeBron's 18th Birthday gift. I guess they were anticipating future cashflow.
Philafrenzy, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons
22. Kicks inspired by whips.
LeBron’s first Nikes were Mainly inspired by the Hummer mom got him in high school.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
23. Vogue Issue’s
US Vogue was accused of racism back in 2008 over the magazine’s April cover, which featured LeBron and Gisele Bündchen. For the annual “Shape Issue,” the front cover saw the basketball star holding the supermodel in a manner viewers thought resembled a vintage King Kong poster.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
24. Loves his President!
He is a Democrat and was a very vocal supporter of President Obama. In 2008, LeBron donated $20,000 to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. But his support of the president did not stop there, James was later recruited by Obama to help him promote the Affordable Care Act. James made a 30 second public service announcement about the bill that was running at a peak time – during the March Madness NCAA basketball championships. He clearly does not mind letting people know where he stands!
25. High school Sweethearts
On September 14, 2013 LeBron married his high-school sweetheart Savannah Brinson. They have two sons, LeBron James, Jr. and Bryce Maximus James. It’s very rare that you hear a love story like this with big name athletes. Most major athletes enjoy the fruits of their labour for a while before settling down. This shows the character of Lebron James. He wanted to be a great family man and role model - and he certainly is.
Christian Petersen, Getty Images
26. Highest Paid Basketball Player in the World
2013 was a good year for LeBron James, he played great as usual and he managed to surpass Kobe Bryant as the highest paid basketball player in the world. He earned a $56.5 million contract.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
27. Sixty One points!
LeBron scored a career-high 61 points against the Charlotte Bobcats in a 124-107 win. James shot 22-for-33 from the field, including 8-for-10 on three-point attempts, and went 9-for-10 from the free throw line.
28. Big Bucks!
According to Forbes, LeBron made $65 million in 2015, factoring in his NBA salary and endorsement deals. That put him at No. 18 on the list of the world's highest-paid celebrities of the year.
Marc-Lautenbacher, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons
29. Best of the Best
In 2013, LeBron joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only two players to win four MVP awards by age 29.
Yahoo, CC BY 2.0 ,Wikimedia Commons
30. Consistency is Key
In 2008, LeBron became the only player besides Oscar Robertson to average 27 points, six rebounds and six assists a game for four consecutive seasons.
31. Bye Bye Kobe
In 2009-10, LeBron became the youngest player to score 15,000 points, breaking the record which was held by Kobe Bryant.
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
32. Not afraid of the path less taken
LeBron was just the third player in history to leave his team the year after being named NBA MVP. The first two were Wilt Chamberlain and Moses Malone.
Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
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