Fun Facts About LeBron James
- Was the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft right out of high school
- Starred in his own cartoon show called “The LeBrons”
- Chose jersey number 23 for his favorite player Michael Jordan
- Scored 61 points in a single game
- Won three NBA championships and two Olympic gold medals
LeBron James is a forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers and is one of the most talented basketball players the world has ever seen.
A basketball phenom since his days in high school, LeBron jumped straight from St. Vincent–St. Mary High School to the NBA, where he was the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, located just 40 miles from his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
The list of accomplishments and awards that LeBron has earned in the NBA is massive. Here are the highlights:
- Three NBA Championships
- Four Most Valuable Player Awards
- Three Finals MVP Awards
- Two Olympic Gold Medals
- 12 NBA All-Star Selections
- 2 NBA All-Star MVPs
- 12 All-NBA Selections
- 6 All-NBA Defense Selections
- 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year
LeBron is one of only five players to be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player at least four times. Here is the list:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 6 MVPs
- Bill Russell and Michael Jordan: 5 MVPs
- Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James: 4 MVPs
LeBron is celebrated as the greatest all-around player in the NBA today and is in the conversation about the greatest basketball players of all-time.
His combination of size (6-foot-8, 250 pounds), strength, speed and skill make him as unique a player as the league has seen since the days of Wilt Chamberlain’s dominance.
LeBron can score (he won the 2007-08 scoring title). He can rebound (career average of 7.1 rebounds per game). He can pass (career average of 6.9 assists per game). He can defend (career averages of 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game).
When we look at LeBron’s career stats – 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game – only six players have ever put together those numbers for a single NBA season. They are: Oscar Robertson (6x), John Havlicek (2x), Larry Bird (1x), Michael Jordan (1x), LeBron (3x) and Russell Westbrook (1x).
LeBron spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, leading the team to the 2007 NBA Finals, where they lost to San Antonio.
He left Cleveland as a free agent in 2010 and joined the Miami Heat, where he teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to make four straight Finals appearances and win two NBA championships.
Following the 2013-14 season, LeBron chose to return to Cleveland as a free agent. In his first season back, he led the Cavaliers back to the NBA Finals (his fifth straight time in the championship series), where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
LeBron’s quest to bring the city of Cleveland a championship is complete.