All looked forward to LeBron James’s arrival to NBA, and waited several years. And if not age restriction of Association (the player cannot propose the candidature on a draft until he is 18 years old), then, undoubtedly, LeBron appeared in NBA for a year, and even on two earlier.
David Stern did not want to change under the basketball child prodigy the constitution of League therefore it was necessary only to watch how James smashes on the platform of the school rivals.
But there came the treasured moment: the Cleveland Cavaliers team which developed the real fight with other outsiders for the last place in NBA following the results of the regular championship, chooses on a draft at the first number of LeBron. Naturally recent school student needs to adapt to big basketball still. Naturally he will not be able to act at the high level at once, both Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett, and T-Mac needed 2-3 years to play in NBA really. So many basketball experts spoke. But the hero of the occasion had other opinion in this respect, he decided to do without grand master pause and literally rushed into League. It was necessary to pass at first strength test when in one of early games it was hit the knocking-out blow by an elbow in a breast from Karl Malone. James passed test, and after the match told: “Well, welcome to League! If I bore blow from one of the strongest basketball players of NBA, then I will be able to play at the worthy level”. And it could. Having scored in the first match of 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals, LeBron made silent all sceptics. It did not need a season on “swing” because he prepared for NBA all life.
Was born James on December 30, 1984 in the town Akron located near Cleveland. His mother, Gloria James by whom then it was not executed also 17 years yet was forced to care for the child alone. LeBron’s childhood passed in continuous traveling from place to place that very much prevented it to study at school and to make friends. The only thing that there was always with young James, is a basketball, addiction to which, as well as to the American soccer, was shown early enough. Subsequently, the football coach of LeBron Frank Walker sheltered the ward at home, thereby, having finished his infinite moving and admissions of school. LeBron made friends with Walker’s son, Frankie Jr., and with other children who adored basketball: Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, Willie McGee and Romeo Travis, together they made the school team one of the best in the state.
LeBron was a cut above the partners, as in direct, and figuratively. To the eighth class he grew to 185 cm, could play all five positions and, according to the trainer, possessed the basketball sixth sense. Did not pass also years as LeBron’s team reached the final of the national championship among eighth-graders. Then for the first time started talking about James as about future star of basketball.
A time later LeBron and his colleagues in favorite pastime decided to continue the ascension to a basketball Olympus together and passed with everything in a crowd into “St. Vincent – St. Mary” school. And at once the basketball team of this school, for the first time since 1984, became the champion of the state, having won in all 27 matches of a season. And our hero scored on average nearly 20 points and was in leaders of team nearly on all statistics.
Successfully supporting also, the soccer team, LeBron nevertheless did not forget the main mission, and the rumor gradually expatiated on a basketball phenomenon in the district. School matches began to move to more capacious arenas and if LeBron was not so concentrated on a game, then could see the stare of scouts of NBA directed to himself from the hall. Thanks to a prize in the second time in a row of a final of the state championship which was taking place on the arena which spaciousness of 17000, LeBron was ranked as All-American cohort (along with Eddy Curry, Kwami Brown and others).
In the summer the basketball child prodigy did not lie on the beach, drinking Martini, and lit in various camps. Especially it caused a stir in the well-known Adidas ABCD Camp which opened to the world of the same of Kobe, T-Mac and many others. Having seen what James is capable of, reporters of ESPN through squeal and a sobbing in eager rivalry compared the school student to Jordan, to Magic Johnson. Meanwhile, Jordan right there invited LeBron to himself to the closed trainings, and the school student tried not to get lost between different Anthony Walker, Michael Finlay and Penny Hardaway. By the way, just here LeBron well became friends with Walker who quite often called subsequently him to find out as that lives as behaves, etc.
To have a rest from the glory which suddenly fell upon it, LeBron switched to some time for the American soccer. However, and here it managed to cause a stir and rivet general attention on itself. Some even claimed that LeBron could play in the main football league of the USA, NFL.
The third basketball season for “SVSM” was less successful. Despite an excellent game of James, his team could not defend a champion rank and lost in the final. But Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal came to take a look at LeBron personally, and it could not but please a young rising star. Besides it was noted in the different nominations on the best basketball player again.
Having ignored rules of NBA, the head coach “Cleveland Cavaliers” John Lucas invited a 17-year phenomenon to be trained with team before a season 2002-03. And Lucas was not even confused by a fine of 150 thousand dollars and disqualification on two games. He got acquainted with possible future the team! This future cut in imitation walnut some careless players of Cleveland, having hammered few times from above through Chris Mihm and Jones’s hands, and also having distributed several “blind” transfers, magnificent on beauty.
Once LeBron trained in one of the school Ohio halls and nearly got the most dangerous trauma. When it hammered the next most powerful tank, the ring did not sustain a pressure and broke, and LeBron failed together with it on a parquet. His school trainer ran up to James during an instant, and to the ring lying near it the principal on physical culture jerked. The ring broken by LeBron is money, these are thousands of dollars lying at legs! Perfectly knowing about it, to a ring also the adoptive father of James, Eddie Jackson ran. Between it and the director there was nearly a fight, and there was approximately following dialogue:
– Give a ring, please. – I will not give! – Give a ring! – No! It is mine! – Yes we will condemn you! – I will not give … – It will be a Merry Christmas! Give in an amicable way. – Well, only in exchange for six balls signed by LeBron. – All right …
Here what is done with people by “lebrons fever”. And it is better for James to insure well the health, nobody guarantees that next time the basketball rack will not fall down it.
The fourth, last season of LeBron in school team started. It should see on TV screens of residents of Ohio 10 times, so many games with participation of the King James were decided to broadcast on the local channel. In addition, the ESPN2 company agreed to broadcast the game “SVSM Contra OAK-Hill”. Already LeBron was known to all and all wanted to see the gifted basketball player personally. For it the major sports companies “Nike” and “Adidas” developed fight, offering more than 20 million dollars for the contract. LeBron took year on thought, but did not begin to refuse gifts from the companies. on December 30th, 2002 to James, and Allen Iverson congratulated him on this considerable date. LeBron’s mother prepared for it a gift really royal: having taken a bank loan more than for 50 thousand dollars, bought the son the Hummer car. The school Association of Physical culture of the State of Ohio (Ohio High School Athletic Association, OHSAA) represented discontent in connection with such gift, but any did not take actions. However, when LeBron was handed one more gift, two rare undershirts from sports shop for the sum of $875, OHSAA debarred James from school competitions (the matter is that the Association forbids school students, having the sports success, to accept gifts for the sum more than $100). However, then disqualification was removed, and after short absence LeBron reminded of himself at once, having gathered in one of games 52 points – as much how many all team of the rival.
Then James acted in Matches of stars of McDonald’s All-American and EA Sports Roundball Classic. Already in advance having refused entering a university, LeBron let all know that he will propose the candidature on the next draft. He told about the decision so: “I made much more difficult decisions in life. For example, it was much more difficult to leave off smoking or go regularly to school the choice between NBA and university”. In this regard a circumstance several teams of NBA started serious fight for the worst result in League, but Cleveland which got as a result the right to choose as the first succeeded most. By the way, most likely, the management of club intentionally gave in the middle of a season of the main playing Andre Miller to worsen team. If this is so, then managers have to applaud Cavaliers for such radical step, it is obvious that LeBron James will make enormous profit for owners of club.
“50 posters with Jordan’s image in my room, Iverson, Kobe, Magic posters, and the poster on which I – here everything that you need to know about me” – LeBron says. “I want that as little as possible people knew what LeBron James actually. I am a superhero. Call me the King of basketball”.
It seems that the phenomenal basketball player does not suffer from an inferiority complex. And, it is necessary to tell, he has full authority to such statements. Because it “the best school student ever playing basketball”. Because it appeared on a cover of the Sports Illustrated magazine twice, and write books about it and shoot telecasts. Because for some month he earned in ten times more, than Michael Jordan for the first years of the career. Because, by the number of addresses on the Internet his name costs above all stars of NBA, above even to MJ, and a talk on LeBron’s inclusion in structure of the American Dream Team goes to the Olympic Games-2004 already now.
He speaks so because it was always better than the others, he hammered more, best of all saw the platform, above all jumped, on an undershirt it always had 23rd number. LeBron “reads” a game on several steps forward and distributes the most beautiful transfers, without looking as Magic, as Mike he attacks a ring and hangs in air for seconds as Tracey deals with all team of the rival as Ivy rushes with pass to a three-second zone. His athleticism and outstanding physical qualities strike. James wins selections at powerful center, but at the same time likes to act on a position of playing. He could win a competition of slam-dunk of NBA already now. Once you remember, he repeated the well-known trick of Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and some other, having hammered in one of matches of the school championship from above, previously already in air having passed a ball under a leg from one hand on another. And when LeBron soars up in fast break, apparently, that else slightly, and it will be knocked by the head about a ring. But most of all it is distinguished with the extremely high basketball IQ and a certain intuition to the Game from the others. Generally, miracle, but not the player!
Reflecting over a question what it is more in LeBron James – commerce or talent from God, it is impossible to come to the categorical answer. On the one hand, after three months of the regular championship it is not necessary to doubt improbable endowments of the beginner: any graduate of school for all history of NBA did not start so the career. Kevin Garnett in a debut season gathered 10,4 points and 6,3 selections for a game, Kobe Bryant hammered about 8 points for a game, Tracy McGrady and that is less. LeBron’s statistics: 20 points, 6 selections and 6 transfers. One of these figures speak about much. But a game of James speaks about bigger.
On the other hand, it is possible to tell safely that LeBron James is the already untwisted brand. Without having played any game NBA yet, “golden boy” James already earned more than 100 million dollars from advertising contracts from Nike, “Coca-Cola” and several companies it is less. Undershirts with a surname James are bought up instantly, his personalized sneakers which went on sale shortly before Catholic Christmas, even quicker. Before James’s arrival the games of Cleveland the American TV companies showed quite seldom. In this season the national television of the USA included in a broadcasting schedule even 13 matches! It is obvious that it is not invention of some big uncle “to untwist” LeBron and to force public to watch his matches. Demand grows – along with it also the offer grows. This simple economic formula is very well shown in a situation with all this marketing fuss around James.
At first to some journalist has the luck to write to the first about the talented school student, living and playing basketball somewhere in Ohio, in some local limited newspaper. The public quickened, interest appeared. Publications were published in newspapers more largely. Gradually readers wanted to learn more about the young guy to whom they designate Michael Jordan’s monasteries. Also, rushed. Learned more and more people about LeBron, told about him more and more. Scouts from universities, managers and coaches of the teams of NBA became interested in it. Michael Jordan heard about him and invited to himself to workouts. The coach of Cavaliers also invited him to viewing. The Nike and Adidas companies offered it contracts. The smiling school student appeared on covers of “ESPN” and “Sports Illustrated”. In two-three years LeBron James from the school student unknown to the general basketball public turned into the car on an earning of millions and the chief newsmaker of the American sport. Everything went as according to in advance developed scenario. The management of Association already impatiently rubbed hands in an anticipation of production which goes straight to them in hands. America was overflowed by a wave of Lebromania. Hysteria around James reached improbable heights …
And if LeBron could not act at the good level? If after several unsuccessful attempts of club to extend reputation of the player for ears, James would not play in League? LeBron’s failure in NBA would become a failure of the Nike company, a failure of Cleveland, a failure of Association, a failure of TV companies, a failure of all those who uplifted the unknown school student above heaven. Fans of basketball would come to a conclusion that they were deceived, and LeBron of any not so second Jourdan. Respectively and the reputation of NBA would be impaired a little. However, LeBron played, and having at once become the leader of team. And all who put on the unknown school student remained in a prize.