148 Facts About LeBron James

LeBron James is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and ranks fourth in career assists.

LeBron James has won four NBA championships, and has competed in 10 NBA Finals.

LeBron James has four Most Valuable Player Awards, four Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals.

LeBron James has been named an All-Star 19 times, selected to the All-NBA Team 19 times and the All-Defensive Team six times, and was a runner-up for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice in his career.

LeBron James was heavily touted by the national media as a future NBA superstar.

LeBron James won his first two NBA championships while playing for the Heat in 2012 and 2013; in both of these years, he earned the league's MVP and Finals MVP awards.

In 2018, LeBron James exercised his contract option to leave the Cavaliers and signed with the Lakers, where he won the 2020 NBA championship and his fourth Finals MVP.

On February 7,2023, LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.

LeBron James has been featured in books, documentaries, and television commercials.

LeBron James has won 19 ESPY Awards, hosted Saturday Night Live, and starred in the sports film Space Jam: A New Legacy.

LeBron James was born on December 30,1984, in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria Marie LeBron James, who was 16 at the time of his birth.

When LeBron 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.

LeBron James later played Amateur Athletic Union basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars.

Also during his senior year, LeBron James was the centerpiece of several controversies.

LeBron James was cleared of any wrongdoing because he had accepted the luxury vehicle from a family member and not from an agent or any outside source.

Later in the season, LeBron James accepted two throwback jerseys worth $845 from an urban clothing store in exchange for posing for pictures, officially violating OHSAA rules and resulting in his being stripped of his high school sports eligibility.

LeBron James appealed the ruling and his penalty was eventually dropped to a two-game suspension, allowing him to play the remainder of the year.

LeBron James was recruited by some Division I programs, including Notre Dame.

LeBron James did not play during his senior year because of a wrist injury that he sustained in an AAU basketball game.

Some sports analysts, football critics, high school coaches, former and current players have speculated that LeBron James could have played in the National Football League.

LeBron James was selected by his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft.

At the 2006 All-Star Game, LeBron James led the East to victory with 29 points and was named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, LeBron James notched 48 points with 9 rebounds and 7 assists, scoring 29 of Cleveland's last 30 points, including the game-winning layup with two seconds left in a double-overtime game against the Pistons.

LeBron James became only the fourth postmerger player to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a single season.

In Game 1 of the series, LeBron James scored 49 points on 66 percent shooting in a losing effort for the Cavaliers.

Cleveland would lose the series in six games, and following the loss in Game 6, LeBron James immediately left the floor without shaking hands with his opponents, which was an act that many media members viewed as unsportsmanlike.

LeBron James was heavily criticized for not playing well in Game 5 of the series, shooting only 20 percent on 14 shots and scoring 15 points.

The Cavaliers were officially eliminated from the postseason in Game 6, with LeBron James posting 27 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, and 9 turnovers in the losing effort.

LeBron James decided to join with Bosh and Wade in part so that he could shoulder less of the offensive load; he thought that his improved teammates would give him a better chance of winning an NBA championship than had he stayed in Cleveland.

LeBron James would be relieved of the burden of scoring, and he thought he could be the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double in a season.

Former NBA players, including Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, were critical of LeBron James, condemning him for joining with Bosh and Wade in Miami and not trying to win a championship as "the man".

In retrospect, LeBron James has expressed some regret over his handling of The Decision.

LeBron James officially signed with the Heat on July 10,2010, through a sign-and-trade deal which sent two second- and two first-round draft picks to the Cavaliers and gave the team the option to swap first round picks with the Heat in 2012.

LeBron James later admitted that the constant negativity surrounding the team made him play with an angrier demeanor than in years past.

LeBron James scored 38 points and led Miami to a win while being booed every time he touched the ball.

The Heat eventually turned their season around and finished as the East's second seed, with LeBron James averaging 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7 assists per game on 51 percent shooting.

LeBron James received the brunt of the criticism for the loss, averaging only three points in fourth quarters in the series and scored just eight points in the deciding Game 6, a game Miami lost by just three.

LeBron James's Finals scoring average of 17.8 points per game signified an 8.9-point drop from the regular season, the largest point drop-off in league history.

Humbled by the Heat's loss to the Mavericks, the experience inspired LeBron James to leave behind the villain role that he had been embracing, which helped him regain a sense of joy on the court.

LeBron James was eventually named MVP for the third time, finishing with averages of 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on 53 percent shooting.

LeBron James responded with a 40-point, 18-rebound, and 9-assist outing in Game 4 to help even the series.

Miami won Game 7 to advance to the Finals, earning them a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder and LeBron James's budding rival Kevin Durant.

Late in Game 4 of the series, LeBron James hit a three-pointer to give the Heat a lead, helping them win the game despite missing time with leg cramps.

LeBron James was unanimously voted the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player with averages of 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.

In Game 1 of the Conference Finals, LeBron James scored a buzzer-beating layup to give Miami a one-point victory against the Pacers.

LeBron James was named Finals MVP for the second straight season, averaging 25.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2.3 steals per game for the championship round.

In Game 1 of the Finals, LeBron James missed most of the fourth quarter because of leg cramps, helping the Spurs take an early series lead.

On June 25,2014, LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Heat, and on July 1, he officially became an unrestricted free agent.

LeBron James responded by registering back-to-back 41-point games in Games 5 and 6, leading the Cavaliers to two consecutive wins to stave off elimination.

LeBron James became just the third player to record a triple-double in an NBA Finals Game 7, and behind series averages of 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 2.6 steals per game, he became the first player in league history to lead both teams in all five statistical categories for a playoff round, culminating in a unanimous Finals MVP selection.

The Cavaliers finished the season as the East's second seed, with LeBron James averaging 26.4 points and career highs in rebounds, assists, and turnovers per game.

In Game 5 of the Conference Finals against the Celtics, LeBron James scored 35 points and surpassed Michael Jordan as the league's all-time postseason scoring leader.

Behind averages of 33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game, LeBron James became the first player to average a triple-double in the Finals, but Cleveland was defeated in five games.

LeBron James eventually finished the season with averages of 27.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 4.2 turnovers per game.

The Cavaliers lost the series in four games, with LeBron James averaging 34 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 10 assists per game for the Finals.

On June 29,2018, LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers and became an unrestricted free agent.

LeBron James missed a then career-high 17 consecutive games, and the Lakers fell out of playoff contention without him, marking the first time that James missed the playoffs since 2005.

LeBron James immediately embraced Los Angeles's much-improved roster by transforming his playing style, moving to full-time point guard, and competing with a more consistent defensive effort.

LeBron James earned a record 16th All-NBA Team selection as part of the First Team, extending his record First Team selections to 13.

In Game 5 of the Conference Finals against the Nuggets, LeBron James helped clinch the conference championship by scoring a game-high 38 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter.

In Game 5, LeBron James had his best statistical performance of the Finals with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists in a memorable duel with Miami's Jimmy Butler, but Los Angeles was ultimately defeated in a three-point game.

The Lakers finally eliminated the Heat in Game 6, which earned LeBron James, who averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game during the series, his fourth NBA championship and fourth Finals MVP award.

LeBron James's 34-foot shot before the shot clock buzzer was his longest basket of the season as well as his longest go-ahead shot in the closing three minutes of a game in his career.

The Lakers lost to the Suns in six games, making it the first time LeBron James lost in the first round in his career.

LeBron James finished the series averaging 23.3 points, his fourth-lowest scoring output for a series over his career and his lowest mark since averaging 22.8 in the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals.

LeBron James made his 17th consecutive All-NBA Team selection, extending the record for most selections in NBA history, being named for the third time to the All-NBA Second Team.

LeBron James became the oldest player in NBA history to record at least 25 points in ten straight games, doing so at 37 years old.

At the 2022 NBA All-Star Game held in Cleveland, LeBron James was celebrated among the other 75 players for the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

In March, LeBron James recorded two 50-point games, which were his Lakers' career-high, becoming the oldest player to have multiple 50-point games in a season, as well as the first Lakers player since Bryant in 2008 to have back-to-back 50-point home games; it was LeBron James's 15th 50-point game in his 19-year career, including the postseason.

LeBron James recorded his 10,000th career assist, becoming the only player in NBA history to record at least 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists.

LeBron James was ruled out the rest of the season due to soreness in his left ankle.

LeBron James recorded his 1,135th career 20-point game, passing Karl Malone for the most such games in NBA history.

LeBron James recorded his 10,142nd assist, surpassing Magic Johnson for sixth place on the NBA all-time career assists list.

LeBron James recorded 516 30-point games in 1,386 career appearances.

LeBron James joined Michael Jordan as the only two players with back-to-back 40-point games at 38 years of age or older.

On January 19, LeBron James was named as a starter at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for the most All-Star selections.

LeBron James surpassed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash for fourth on the NBA all-time career assists list.

LeBron James missed the following three games due to left ankle soreness.

LeBron James scored 26 points on 10-for-23 shooting, eight rebounds, and three assists in 37 minutes.

LeBron James came off the bench for just the second time in his career; the other being in 2007.

LeBron James tied Jason Kidd for fourth place on the all-time career triple-doubles list.

LeBron James won his 41st playoff series, surpassing Derek Fisher for the most all-time playoff series wins in NBA history.

LeBron James made his debut for the United States national team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

LeBron James spent the Games mostly on the bench, averaging 14.6 minutes per game with 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in eight games.

LeBron James felt his limited playing time was a "lowlight" and believed he was not given "a fair opportunity to play".

At the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, LeBron James took on a greater role for Team USA, averaging 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game as co-captain.

LeBron James's behavior was again questioned, this time by teammate Bruce Bowen, who confronted LeBron James during tryouts regarding his treatment of staff members.

LeBron James did not play at the 2010 FIBA World Championship but rejoined Team USA for the 2012 Olympics in London, England.

LeBron James became the leader of the team, with Bryant, who would soon be 34, stepping back.

LeBron James facilitated the offense from the post and perimeter, called the defensive sets, and provided scoring when needed.

LeBron James contributed 19 points in the win, becoming the all-time leading scorer in US men's basketball history.

LeBron James joined Michael Jordan as the only players to win an NBA MVP award, NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP, and Olympic gold medal in the same year.

LeBron James's playing style, which is athletic and versatile, has drawn comparisons to Basketball Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan.

LeBron James holds numerous "youngest to" distinctions, including being the youngest player to score 30,000 career points.

Around this time, LeBron James was frequently criticized for not having a reliable jump shot or post game.

Teams would try to exploit these weaknesses by giving him space in the half court and forcing him to settle for three-pointers and long two-pointers, a strategy famously used by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich in the 2007 Finals, where LeBron James converted on only 36 percent of his field goals in four games.

LeBron James spent more time in the post and improved his shot selection and accuracy on jump shots.

LeBron James learned how to work as an off-ball cutter in the Heat's "pass-happy" offense.

Behind these improvements, LeBron James's overall scoring efficiency rose to historically great levels.

LeBron James's shooting temporarily regressed, and he briefly ranked as the NBA's worst high-volume shooter from outside the paint.

For most of his career, LeBron James has controlled the offense as the primary ball handler on his team.

LeBron James executes unconventional passes, including after leaving his feet and through defensive traffic.

LeBron James himself admitted to taking plays off at times, referring to this approach as "chill mode".

LeBron James eventually developed a reputation for raising his defensive level in the playoffs, which some analysts referred to as "Playoff LeBron".

LeBron James left high school as one of the most hyped prospects in NBA history.

LeBron James has won four Finals MVP Awards, which is the second-most all-time, and earned All-Defensive honors every season from 2009 to 2014.

LeBron James's teams have appeared in the Finals ten times and won four championships; his ten Finals appearances are tied for third all-time.

Some analysts have criticized him for not having a better Finals record, while others have countered that LeBron James usually performed well but his team was defeated by superior competition.

LeBron James is discussed within the context of being the greatest basketball player of all-time, which has resulted in frequent comparisons to Michael Jordan.

LeBron James has voiced his desire to play basketball into his forties, potentially alongside or against his sons Bronny and Bryce.

LeBron James married his high school sweetheart Savannah LeBron James on September 14,2013, in San Diego, California.

LeBron James purchased another home in Brentwood in December 2017 for $23 million.

LeBron James has a heavy exercise regimen and dietary habits that some consider atypical for a top athlete.

Tristan Thompson has stated that LeBron James eats desserts with every meal, and Kyle Korver says LeBron James's fitness routine is unrivaled.

Biopsy results showed that LeBron James developed a benign jaw tumor, specifically in his parotid gland, which required a five-hour surgery to remove on June 2 after the end of the Cavaliers' run in the 2009 playoffs.

LeBron James's opinions have yielded significant influence on people who make important league decisions; in 2014, he asked commissioner Adam Silver to increase the duration of the All-Star break, and the request was granted the following season.

On February 13,2015, LeBron James was elected the first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association.

LeBron James has led the league in jersey sales six times.

All jerseys worn in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game were auctioned by the NBA and NBPA to raise funds for charity; LeBron James's jersey sold for $630,000, setting a record for a modern-day sports jersey.

In March 2008, LeBron James became the first black man, as well as the third man overall after Richard Gere and George Clooney, to appear on the cover of Vogue, when he posed with Gisele Bundchen.

LeBron James has his own charity foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation, which is based in Akron.

In 2015, LeBron James announced a partnership with the University of Akron to provide scholarships for as many as 2,300 children beginning in 2021.

LeBron James later reflected that it was his most important professional accomplishment of his life.

LeBron James made LeBron look smart, which isn't easy to do.

LeBron James has worn his clothing in a show of support several times.

In June 2008, LeBron James donated $20,000 to a committee in support of Obama for the 2008 US presidential election.

Later that year, LeBron James gathered almost 20,000 people at the Quicken Loans Arena for a viewing of Obama's 30-minute American Stories, American Solutions television advertisement.

In November 2016, LeBron James endorsed and campaigned for Hillary Clinton for the 2016 US presidential election.

LeBron James's statement drew backlash from some Hong Kong protesters and in February 2022, political commentator Bill Maher called James hypocritical for not taking a critical stance towards China's human rights abuses.

LeBron James has taken various other stands on issues regarding sports, such as the Kaepernick controversy and the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal.

LeBron James spoke in support of the More Than a Vote movement and encouraged members of the African-American community to vote.

In June 2022, James condemned the ruling of Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization that overturned Roe v Wade, saying that the decision is about "power and control".

In May 2023, LeBron James became the first active NBA player to become a Billionaire.

LeBron James has signed numerous endorsement contracts; some of the companies that he has done business with are Audemars Piguet, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, Dunkin' Brands, McDonald's, Nike, and State Farm.

LeBron James has stated that he would like to own an NBA team in the future, albeit in a hands-off capacity.

In 2011, LeBron James co-founded the designer retail store UNKNWN in Miami, Florida.

LeBron James has tried his hand at acting, appearing in a cameo role on the HBO series Entourage.

In 2016, CNBC aired an unscripted series hosted by LeBron James called Cleveland Hustles, where four up-and-coming Northern Ohio entrepreneurs will be financed on the condition of revitalizing a neighborhood in Cleveland.

Later that month, Fox News host Laura Ingraham told LeBron James to "shut up and dribble" as a response to his political agendas.

LeBron James partnered with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2018 to found Ladder, a company that developed nutritional supplements to help athletes with severe cramps after dealing with that issue during the 2014 Finals.

In June 2022, it was announced LeBron James is launching a media company in partnership with professional tennis player Naomi Osaka and Maverick Carter's SpringHill Company.

LeBron James later became a spokesman for the company and began appearing in advertisements after ending his contract with McDonald's.

In November 2020, LeBron James became an angel investor of the tequila and mezcal company Lobos 1707.

Also in 2021, LeBron James joined Fenway Sports Group as a partner, making him a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox, New England Sports Network, RFK Racing, and Liverpool FC, the latter of which he already owned a two-percent share in individually.

LeBron James has expressed his interest in owning an NBA team once he finishes playing basketball, specifically a team located in Las Vegas, Nevada, either through expansion or relocation.

LeBron James is a part owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League.

LeBron James is represented by agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.

LRMR handles LeBron James's marketing, including the marketing of The Decision, for which it was criticized.