LeBron James

LeBron Raymone James Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James," he is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time and one of the greatest athletes in modern history. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, a four-time NBA champion, and a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. national team.

James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria Marie James. Raised in Akron, he was introduced to basketball at age nine by youth football coach Frank Walker. James played organized basketball starting in fifth grade and competed in Amateur Athletic Union basketball with the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. He attended St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, where he led the basketball team to three state championships and was named Ohio Mr. Basketball three times. He also played wide receiver for the football team, earning first-team all-state honors as a sophomore.

Selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA draft, James won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in the 2003–04 season. He quickly established himself as a premier player, winning the All-Star Game MVP award in 2006 and leading Cleveland to its first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. After winning the NBA scoring title in 2008, James earned back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in 2009 and 2010.

In 2010, James joined the Miami Heat as a free agent, a move announced during the television special The Decision. With Miami, he won his first two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013, earning both MVP and Finals MVP honors in both seasons. James returned to the Cavaliers in 2014 and led the franchise to its first championship in 2016. He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, winning another NBA title in 2020 and becoming the first player in league history to earn Finals MVP honors with three different teams.

Over his career, James has secured four NBA MVPs, four Finals MVPs, three All-Star Game MVPs, the inaugural NBA Cup MVP, and the 2024 Summer Olympics MVP. A 22-time All-Star, 21-time All-NBA selection, and six-time All-Defensive Team member, he holds NBA records for the most seasons played (23), games played, minutes played, and field goals made. Additionally, he ranks fourth in NBA career assists and sixth in career steals, and made ten NBA Finals appearances, including eight consecutive between 2011 and 2018.

Off the court, James became the first player in NBA history to accumulate $1 billion in earnings while actively playing. He has appeared fifteen times on Forbes' list of the world's ten highest-paid athletes, was selected to the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2011, 2014, and 2017, and entered the Forbes 30 under 30 Hall of Fame in 2022. James was also named to the Time 100 list of most influential people four times. As the oldest active player in the NBA, he continues his professional career with the Philadelphia 76ers.