The Succession of King James
Nope, we’re not talking about the history of England, but rather basketball's king, LeBron James.
Reality hit home almost as fast as the dream was developed for a young James. As a teenager growing up in Akron, Ohio, he plastered his walls with photos of the greatest b-ball players of all time: Jordan, Kobe, Iverson. And, of course, himself.
“I’m on my wall.”
From the beginning, he was treated like a king. When James broke his wrist the summer before his senior year, he flew to Chicago with the expressed purpose of rehabbing with Michael Jordan’s personal trainer. And when his home games weren’t on ESPN2, most Ohio folks could shell out the affordable $7.95 to watch them on pay-per-view.
For his 18th birthday, James’ mother got approval for a loan and bought him a Hummer with a price tag of about $50,000. It had to be parked outside of the low-rent, high-rise apartment he shared with her.
LeBron’s upbringing was something of a cause célèbre. As a sophomore in high school, James was already verging on becoming a household name. NBA greats like Shaquille O’Neal would come out to watch his games frequently.
Life was obviously a balancing act for the teenager, who would become one of the biggest NBA-preparatory projects ever, if not the biggest. If anything, his high-end ascension into the NBA illustrates the lustrous changes in an ever-changing business, replete today with million-dollar sponsorships and world coverage.
James was dubbed “King James” by NBA associates, just as he was anticipated to make his mark on the professional game. Friends called him “Bron Bron.”
But even from a young age, his game and skill set was fully developed. Long before being named the consensus national player of the year, an All-American and Ohio's Mr. Basketball (for a third straight time) - among countless honours as a senior in 2003 - “King James' had already arrived, even if he and others might have not recognized it yet.
But many did, merely by virtue of his statistics. In senior year he had averages of 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game. Scouts touted his perspicacity and ability to read the court like a veteran. Then there was his constant slam-dunking, where he made opponents look like wax figures on top of a cake.
"I kept hearing he was better than Kobe," then-Cavs coach John Lucas said in 2002. "So I went to see him play at an AAU tournament and stayed 11 hours. Stayed 11 hours looking for a weakness."
When asked about his childhood, James would frequently respond: "What childhood?"
He had one, though his response does get at its hardships. He grew up in the Elizabeth Park projects in Ohio, but home was really hard to define; by James' count, he and his mother moved seven times in just one year.
But James was able to find hope and home on the football field, trying his luck with a Pee Wee team and immediately sensing an affinity. "My life changed," he said. "I had shelter and food."
Ultimately James traded in the pigskin for a basketball—but it didn’t really matter, as it was obvious sports were his true calling. He stood 6 feet tall in 8th grade. He would spend hours shooting hoops while friends, and basketball enthusiasts gave him pointers. By the time he was playing as a senior in high-school, the NBA was already forecasting his ability and marketability. It seemed that everyone wanted to come and see what he brought to the court—something definitive, remarkable, and majestic.
And majestic is the right word, of course.
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