biography of lebron james

LeBron James

LeBron James became an immediate star after skipping college to join the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the Miami Heat to NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 and won another championship with Cleveland in 2016, before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.

Who Is LeBron James?

LeBron James is an American basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers. James first garnered national attention as the top high school basketball player in the country. With his unique combination of size, athleticism and court vision, he became a four-time NBA MVP. After leading the Miami Heat to titles in 2012 and 2013, James returned to Cleveland and helped the franchise claim its first championship in 2016.

Early Life and High School Basketball Career

James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. At an early age, James showed a natural talent for basketball. He was recruited by St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to join their basketball team in 1999. Overall, James scored 2,657 points, 892 rebounds and 523 assists during his four years there.

As a freshman, James averaged 18 points per game. He helped the team to a Division III state title by scoring 25 points in the championship game. Word of his advanced basketball skills spread, and James received several honors for his performance.

As a high school sophomore, James was chosen for the USA Today All-USA First Team. He was the first sophomore ever selected for this award. His team also won the Division III state title for the second year in a row.

The following school year, James was named PARADE magazine's High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year. Following the end of his junior year, James was such a strong player that he contemplated going pro.

Deciding to finish his education, James had a tremendous senior year on the court. He averaged 31.6 points per game, helping his team clinch their third state title. The St. Vincent-St. Mary High School team also earned the top national ranking that year. James would soon emerge as one of the National Basketball Association's leading players.

With his impressive record, it was no surprise that James was the first player picked in the 2003 NBA Draft straight out of high school. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed the powerful young forward, and he proved to be a valuable addition to the then-struggling franchise. The team had ended the previous season in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland Cavaliers

During the 2003-04 season, James made history when he became the first member of the Cavalier franchise to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He also became the youngest player — at only 20 years old — to receive this honor.

James continued to excel professionally in the NBA the following season, upping his average points per game to 27.2. He made NBA history again in 2005 when he became the youngest player to score more than 50 points in one game.

In 2006, James helped his team defeat the Washington Wizards in the first round of playoff action. From there, the Cavaliers took on the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James scored an average of 26.6 per game in this postseason matchup, but it wasn't enough to secure victory for his team. While his team wasn't at the top of the rankings, James himself continued to receive special recognition for his abilities.

In 2006, James reached a new contract agreement with the Cavaliers. The team proved to be stronger competitors the following season, defeating Detroit to win the Eastern Conference. In the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, however, the Cavaliers lost their championship bid in four consecutive games.

During the 2007-08 season, James continued to help the Cavaliers improve their standing in the Eastern Conference. The team made it to the semifinals, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics in seven games. In terms of individual performance, James had a stellar year, outperforming such rival players as Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson by scoring an average of 30 points per game, the highest average in the NBA regular season.

Early in the 2008-09 season, sports journalists and fans began talking about James' future in the sport. He had the option to become a free agent in 2010, and there was much discussion as to where James would end up. Some journalists identified the New York Knicks as a potential suitor for the rising player.

James made several references to his impending free-agent status, but he was sure to downplay the matter. "I am focused on the team that I am on right now and winning a championship ... I don't think about making a change at this point," James told reporters.

DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S LEBRON JAMES FACT CARD

Shortly after becoming a free agent, James announced that he would be joining the Miami Heat for the 2010-11 season. His fans in Cleveland were less than pleased, and many considered his departure a betrayal to his hometown.

Soon after James' announcement, Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open letter declaring James' decision as "selfish," "heartless" and a "cowardly betrayal." Unfazed, James finished second in the league during his first season with the Heat, scoring 26.7 points per game.

The 2011-12 season saw major success for James and the Miami Heat. With his team's victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, the superstar forward finally earned his first title. In the clinching Game 5, James scored 26 points, and had 11 rebounds and 13 assists. "I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland, but I understood what my future was about," James told FOX Sports following the game. "I knew we had a bright future [in Miami]."

During the 2012-13 season, James made NBA history yet again: On January 16, 2013, at age 28, he became the youngest player to score 20,000 points, succeeding Bryant of the Lakers — who accomplished this feat when he was 29 — and becoming only the 38th player in NBA history to achieve this distinction. James made a jump shot the final seconds of the game, bringing his scoring total 20,001 and leading the Heat to a 92-75 victory over the Warriors.

Success followed the Heat to the end of the 2012-13 season: Following a hard-fought, six-game series against the Indiana Pacers to win the Eastern Conference, Miami outlasted the San Antonio Spurs in seven games to win its second consecutive NBA championship.

At the culmination of the 2013-14 season, Miami returned to the NBA Finals to face off against the Spurs again, this time losing to San Antonio after five games.

Return to Cleveland Cavaliers

In July of 2014, after opting out of his contract with the Heat and considering other teams, James announced that he would be returning to the Cavaliers.

Hampered by back and knee problems, James missed 13 of 82 regular-season games in 2014-15. However, he was as dominant as ever when healthy, averaging 25.3 points and 7.4 assists per game. James led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, becoming the first player in nearly 50 years to reach the championship round in five consecutive seasons. However, injuries to star teammates Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving damaged his hopes of claiming a third title, and the Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

Over the course of 2015-16, the Cavs overcame the distraction of a mid-season coaching change and breezed through the playoffs to earn a rematch with the Warriors, marking the sixth straight NBA Finals appearance for "King James." In perhaps the crowning achievement of his career, he led his team back from a 3-1 deficit, scoring 41 points in both Games 5 and 6, before recording a triple-double in Game 7 to give the Cavs their first championship in franchise history.

Voted Finals MVP, James said, "I came back to bring a championship to our city. I knew what I was capable of doing. I knew what I learned in the last couple years that I was gone, and I knew if I had to — when I came back — I knew I had the right ingredients and the right blueprint to help this franchise get back to a place that we've never been. That's what it was all about."

The following year, James again paced himself and took charge when necessary, driving the Cavs through the Eastern Conference to make an incredible seventh consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals. This time, with former MVP Kevin Durant added to the mix, the Warriors proved too formidable for James and his teammates, claiming the championship in five games.

For all his accomplishments, James achieved another first early in the 2017-18 NBA season: After yelling at a referee during a late November win over the Heat, he was ejected for the first time in 1,082 career games.

The superstar likely felt like yelling often during the course of a frustrating campaign, as an offseason trade that sent Irving to Boston for Isaiah Thomas failed to bear fruit and forced the Cavs to make another major deal before the All-Star break.

After averaging a career-best 9.1 assists in the regular season, James had to dig deep just to get the team out of the first round of the playoffs, delivering a brilliant 45-point effort to sink the Pacers in Game 7. The Cavs were again pushed to the limit two rounds later by the scrappy Celtics, but James scored 81 points over the last two games to pull out the series win and make his eighth straight NBA Finals appearance.

Game 1 of the rematch against Golden State went down to the wire, thanks to James's 51-point outburst, but Cleveland guard J.R. Smith inexplicably dribbled out the clock with the game tied in regulation, before the Warriors pulled away for the win in overtime. That represented the Cavs' best chance to get a leg up on their opponents, as the Warriors won the next three games handily to claim their third title in four years.

Afterward, with questions swirling about his future with the team, James revealed that he had played out the series with a broken right hand after punching a whiteboard in the aftermath of the Game 1 loss.

Los Angeles Lakers

On July 1, 2018, James announced that he was moving on to the next chapter of his career by signing a 4-year, $153.3 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a storied franchise that counted Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson among its all-time greats.

The good vibes had worn off by midseason, as the Lakers sputtered through a 17-game stretch without their injured star.

With the team still struggling in late February 2019, James accused his teammates of losing focus over trade rumors, saying, "If you're still allowing distractions to affect the way you play, this is the wrong franchise to be a part of and you should just come in and be like, 'Listen, I can't do this.'"

When the Lakers were officially eliminated from playoff contention in March 2019, it snapped James' personal marks of 13 consecutive postseasons and eight straight NBA Finals appearances. Capping a difficult first season in Los Angeles, the Lakers announced that their star would miss the final six games because of his lingering groin injury.

Things got off to a much better start the following season, thanks in large part to the addition of athletic big man Anthony Davis to the roster. Spearheading the Lakers' rise to the top of the standings was James, who became the first player to record a triple-double against all 30 NBA teams in November 2019.

The following month, James added another accolade to his ever-growing list by earning AP Male Athlete of the Decade honors.

Championships and Rings

James participated in eight straight NBA championships from the 2010-11 season to the 2018-19 season. During that time, he captured three championship rings: twice with the Heat (2011-12 and 2012-13) and once with the Cavaliers (2015-16).

All-Star Games and MVPs

James was selected for the NBA All-Star Game for the first time in 2005 and would go on to earn a spot in the annual showcase in each of the next 15 seasons.

In January 2018, the NBA announced that James and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry had topped the ballots and would serve as captains for that year's All-Star Game.

In 2006, James was named the Most Valuable Player in the NBA All-Star Game, a feat he would repeat in 2008 and 2018. James has also been named NBA MVP four times, in seasons 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Stats and Points

In January 2018, at age 33, James surpassed Bryant as the youngest player to accumulate 30,000 career points and became the seventh player in NBA history to achieve that milestone. The feat put him just more than 8,000 points shy of Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record of 38,387 points.

In 2019, James surpassed Jordan's career tally of 32,292 points to move into fourth place on the all-time list. In January 2020, he eclipsed Bryant's total of 33,643 points to slide into third place, one night before his predecessor's shocking death in a helicopter accident.

After 16 NBA seasons, James' stats included regular season per-game averages of:

• 27.2 points
• 38.6 minutes
• 0.736 free-throw percentage
• 0.343 3-point field-goal percentage
• 0.504 field-goal percentage
• 1.2 offensive rebounds
• 6.2 defensive rebounds
• 7.2 assists
• 3.5 turnovers

Olympic Games

James competed on the U.S. Olympic basketball team during three Summer Olympic Games, in 2004, 2008 and 2012. James made his Olympic debut at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece. He and his teammates won bronze medals after defeating Lithuania. Argentina took home the gold after beating Italy in the finals.

In the summer of 2008, James traveled to Beijing, China, to play with the likes of Bryant, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. This time around the U.S. team brought home the gold after defeating Spain in the final round.

James competed at his third Olympic Games in 2012, at the Summer Olympics in London, along with Durant, Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and several other top players. The U.S. basketball team took the gold medal — James' second consecutive Olympic gold.

Contract With Nike

In 2003, James signed several endorsement deals, including a deal with Nike for $90 million that could net him over $1 billion over his lifetime.

Other endorsements include Intel, Verizon, Coca-Cola, Beats by Dre and Kia Motors.

Salary and Earnings

In the 2016-17 season, James collected a $31 million salary, making him the third player to earn that much after Jordan and Bryant. The NBA superstar went on to sign a four-year, $153.3 million contract with the Lakers in July 2018. He’s also a co-owner of the production company SpringHill Entertainment and has invested in Blaze Pizza.

In February 2019, Forbes magazine's estimated James’ yearly earnings at $88.7 million, making him the NBA's highest-earning player for the fifth year in a row.

Wife and Kids

On January 1, 2012, James proposed to his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson. The couple married in a private ceremony with about 200 guests in San Diego on September 14, 2013.

James and Brinson have two sons and one daughter together. In October 2004, James welcomed his first son LeBron Jr. On June 14, 2007, Brinson gave birth to their second son, Bryce Maximus James. Their third child, daughter Zhuri James, was born on October 22, 2014.

LeBron James Family Foundation

Outside of the NBA, James has worked to help others. He established the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004, along his mother Gloria, to help out children and single-parent families in need.

Among its many programs, the organization builds playgrounds in economically disadvantaged areas and hosts an annual bike-a-thon.

Outspoken Posts on Social Media

One of the world's most recognizable athletes, James hasn't been shy about expressing his views on social media. Among other issues, he displayed his support for Trayvon Martin after the teen's death in 2012, and he has clashed with U.S. President Donald Trump .

James waded into delicate territory in October 2019, after Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey posted a tweet in support of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters that ignited a Chinese media boycott of NBA preseason games in the country. James said he believed Morey was "misinformed" about the situation, although he later tweeted that he mainly took issue with the executive posting comments that could have exposed traveling players to danger.

The basketball superstar has also shown a playful side on social media, such as when he posted a picture of cartoon character Arthur clenching his first during the Cavaliers' slow start to the 2017-18 season.

'Space Jam 2'

James starred in Space Jam 2 , the 2021 sequel to the 1996 hit starring Jordan. "The Space Jam collaboration is so much more than just me and the Looney Tunes getting together and doing this movie,” James told The Hollywood Reporter .

“It's so much bigger. I'd just love for kids to understand how empowered they can feel and how empowered they can be if they don't just give up on their dreams."

QUICK FACTS

• Name: James
• Birth Year: 1984
• Birth date: December 30, 1984
• Birth State: Ohio
• Birth City: Akron
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: LeBron James became an immediate star after skipping college to join the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the Miami Heat to NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 and won another championship with Cleveland in 2016, before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.
• Astrological Sign: Capricorn
• St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
• Interesting Facts
• During the 2003-04 season, LeBron James became the first member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the youngest NBA player in history to recieve the Rookie of the Year Award.
• LeBron James was one of only three rookies to average 20 points per game during the 2003-04 season. The other rookies to accomplish the feat were Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

• I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland but I understood what my future was about ... I knew we had a bright future [in Miami].
• I'm never in a defer mentality. I'm in attack mode. No matter how many weapons we have on the court, I'm still going to play my game.
• Sports carried me away from being in a gang, or being associated with drugs. Sports was my way out.
• It's not about the money. It's all about winning for me.
• I never feel sad [about not going to college]. But I do wish I could have been part of March Madness.
• Basketball is my life.
• We all prepare differently, but there's just one basketball on that court.
• We knew it wasn't going to be easy. We didn't want it to be easy. A lot of teams have won golds easy. We didn't want it that way.
• I don't judge my career by saying I want to be better than this person or that person at the end of my career because it's not possible. The only person on and off the court to satisfy is me.
• LeBron stays humble just by being LeBron.
• Why would you think he's coming back? People move from Cleveland to Miami every [expletive] day. They don't move from Miami to Cleveland.

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

Basketball Players

Dennis Rodman

James Harden

Kobe Bryant

Stephen Curry

Kyrie Irving

Derrick Rose

Kevin Durant

Dwyane Wade

Shaquille O'Neal

Russell Westbrook

LeBron James Biography Facts, Childhood & Personal Life

LeBron James, popularly known by his nickname ‘King James’ is an American professional basketball player.

LeBron, who is often considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, made his National Basketball Association (NBA) début in 2003 and became a star right after skipping college to join Cleveland Cavaliers.

He now plays in the NBA for Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron is generally considered the “face of NBA” and the best basketball player globally.

This article on LeBron James’ biography facts, childhood, and personal life brings you a notable account from his early life to date.

Other highlights include his NBA/Basketball career, achievements and awards, famous quotes plus other on-screen and off-screen facts about his life.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames)

You May Like: Lebron James Net Worth, Salary, Contract

Table of Contents

LeBron James Biography Facts & Profile

Lebron james childhood & early life.

LeBron Raymond James was born on the 30th of December, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, the United States, to his mother, Gloria Marie James, and father, Anthony McClelland.

Gloria had him at the age of 16.

Anthony was an ex-convict with countless criminal records and, as such, was not interested and involved in their life.

Gloria was left with no other choice but struggled and raised James on her own.

When she realized that it would be better for her son to grow in a stable home, she let him live with Frank Walker and his family.

LeBron, who has always enjoyed the game of basketball since childhood, was, at the age of nine, introduced to an organized basketball game by Frank.

He played for Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball.

LeBron and his friends who led the team to enjoy success at both local and national level stirred controversy when they chose to attend St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, mainly a white private school instead of their local public school.

LeBron James showcased a natural talent for the game of basketball and was then recruited in 1999 by St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to join their basketball team.

During his senior year, he was named Ohio Mr. Basketball and was selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team for two consecutive years.

He was also the first Junior to be named Gatorade National Player of the Year in boys’ basketball.

LeBron James Basketball Career

Cleveland cavaliers (2003–2010).

James was the player to make the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft due to his outstanding statistics.

He played for the Cavaliers from 2003–2010.

James proved himself to be a valuable addition to his hometown team, and at the end of his first regular season, he was named the ‘NBA Rookie of the Year’.

He was the first Cavalier to receive this award finishing with an average of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.

James was also the youngest player at the age of 20 to receive this award.

These accomplishments undoubtedly placed him in the same class as  Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson .

In 2005, James made history when he became the youngest player ever to score more than 50 points in a game.

James maintained an outstanding performance during the 2007–2008 season, scoring an average of 30 points per game.

This placed him ahead of rival star players such as  Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson.

On July 1, 2010, James became a free agent.

Miami Heat (2010–2014)

On July 8, 2010, James announced that he would sign with Miami Heat for the 2010–2011 season.

His announcement drew intense criticisms from fans and sports segments.

Many considered his decision a betrayal to his hometown and team.

Shortly after he departed from the Cavaliers, owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open letter aggressively denouncing James’ decision.

As a result of his actions, he gained a reputation as one of America’s most disliked athletes at the time.

Unperturbed with these happenings, James finished second during his first season in the league with the Heat, scoring an average of 26.7 points per game.

During the 2011–2012 season, James and his team had a major breakthrough.

The NBA star finally earned his first title when the Heat defeated Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, scoring 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists.

At 28 years old, King James made NBA history when he became the youngest player to score 20,000 points, coming after Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, who achieved this at 29.

He became the 38th player in the history of the NBA to meet this feat.

The Heat saw yet another success during the 2012–2013 season, winning its second NBA championship consecutively.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2014–2018)

At the end of his contract with the Heat, James announced in July 2014 that he would be returning to his hometown team, Cleveland Cavaliers.

Precisely on July 12, 2014, he officially signed with the Cavaliers.

James, who was hampered by a left knee and lower back injuries, missed 13 out of 82 season games in the 2014–2015 season.

However, he dominated with an average of 25.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.

James and his team got to the NBA Finals, making him the first player in about 50 years to reach the championship in five seasons consecutively.

Due to his teammates Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, his hopes of claiming a third title were impaired due to injuries suffered by his teammates.

During the 2015–2016 season, James led his team to win the city’s first professional sports title in 52 years, breaking the Cleveland Sports Curse.

The Cavaliers made history when they became the first team to come back from a 3–1 series shortfall in the NBA Finals.

His outstanding performance led him to be voted the Finals MVP.

During the 2017–2018 NBA season, James was sent out for the first time in his 1,082 career appearances for yelling at a referee.

Los Angeles Lakers (2018–present)

On June 29, 2018, King James terminated his contract with the Cavaliers and became a free agent.

On July 1, he announced his decision to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, a process which was completed on July 9.

Public reactions this time around to his announcement was more approving, considering the controversies that surrounded his first departure from the Cavaliers in 2010.

In the 2019–2020 NBA season, James won his fourth NBA championship and also the fourth NBA Finals MVP Award.

Lakers defeated Miami Heat in game six to clinch the championship.

James became the oldest player in the league to win the award the age of 35, and also, the only player in the NBA to win the award with three different teams.

Olympics (2004, 2008 & 20012)

LeBron James Olympic début was in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece, with the U.S. Olympic basketball team.

James and his team defeated Lithuania and won bronze medals.

During the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, James and his U.S. team defeated Spain in the finals and won gold medals.

The team included star players like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Jason Kidd.

James won his second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

The team included star players like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony.

You May Like: Richest NBA Players Ever

LeBron James Personal Life

Wife & children.

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

Together, they have three children:

• LeBron James Jr. (son, born on October 2004)
• Bryce Maximus James (son, born on June 14, 2007)
• Zhuri Nova James (daughter, born on October 22, 2014)

Other Facts & Trivia

In 2014, James was named the most powerful athlete in the world by Forbes.

Apple bought Beats Electronics for $3 billion in June 2014.

James, who owned a very small stake in the venture, reportedly netted around $30 million in stocks and cash.

On January 23, 2018, at the age of 33, LeBron James became the youngest player to score 30,000 points in NBA history.

He is the seventh player to meet this feat in NBA history.

The other six players who have achieved topped 30,000 points are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant , Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan , and Dirk Nowitzki.

James is a known activist.

He runs a non-profit organization known as The Lebron James Family Foundation.

The foundation, which is based in Akron, helps children in his hometown area.

In July 2018, his foundation teamed up with the Akron Public Schools to start an elementary school that supports children at-risk.

James has a half brother named Aaron McClelland Gamble.

They are both sons of Anthony McClelland.

Anthony also abandoned Aaron with his mother just from childhood, just like he did with LeBron’s mother.

LeBron James Highlights, Achievements & Awards

• 4-times NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
• 4-times NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
• 4-times NBA Most Valuable Player (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013)
• 16-times NBA All-Star (2005–2020)
• 3-times NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008, 2018)
• 13-times All-NBA First Team (2006, 2008–2018, 2020)
• 2-times All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2007)
• All-NBA Third Team (2019)
• 5-times NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009–2013)
• NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2014)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004)
• NBA scoring champion (2008)
• NBA assists leader (2020)
• J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2017)
• 3-times AP Athlete of the Year (2013, 2016, 2018)
• 3-times Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (2012, 2016, 2020)
• Time  Athlete of the Year (2020)
• USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2012)
• 2-times Mr. Basketball USA (2002, 2003)
• Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2003)
• McDonald’s All-American Game MVP (2003)
• 2-times Gatorade Player of the Year (2002, 2003)
• 2-times First-team  Parade  All-American (2002, 2003)
• 3-times Ohio Mr. Basketball (2001–2003)

You May Like: Highest-Paid Basketball Players

LeBron James Famous Quotes

“Sports carried me away from being in a gang, or being associated with drugs. Sports was my way out.” — LeBron James

“I’m never in a defer mentality. I’m in attack mode. No matter how many weapons we have on the court, I’m still going to play my game.” — LeBron James

“You can’t be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you succeed – you’re not gonna succeed all the time, and I know that.” — LeBron James

“We all prepare differently, but there’s just one basketball on that court.” — LeBron James

“I don’t judge my career by saying I want to be better than this person or that person at the end of my career because it’s not possible. The only person on and off the court to satisfy is me.” — LeBron James

“Warren Buffet told me once and he said always follow your gut. When you have that gut feeling, you have to go with don’t go back on it.” — LeBron James

See More: Biography Facts, Childhood, Career & Personal Life of Famous Basketball Players

Facts Check

At SportyTell.com, we strive for fairness and accuracy.

If you have concerns about something that doesn’t look right in this LeBron James Biography Facts, Childhood & Personal Life, please don’t hesitate to contact us .

About The Author

SportyTell Editors

This article was created by a combination of a few writers and editors from Sporty Tell. It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. This is just one of these examples. This is why you don't see just one author for this article.

Related Posts

I had to do research on LeBron james and this site helped me a lot.

Agreed I had to do a Feature Article on him for a assessment at school.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

• World Biography

LeBron James Biography

December 30, 1984 • Akron, Ohio

Basketball player

Before LeBron James had completed his sophomore year of high school, basketball scouts were discussing his chances of playing for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before playing his first regulation game for the NBA, James had signed deals with Nike and other corporations for multimillion-dollar product endorsements. Before he completed his rookie season in the NBA, sportswriters were discussing his chances of joining the most elite players in history in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Comparisons to NBA superstar Michael Jordan (1963–) became common, and some sportswriters began calling James "The Chosen One," indicating the hope that the rookie phenomenon would revive interest in the NBA that had declined since Jordan's retirement. LeBron James, by age eighteen, knew a thing or two about dealing with pressure. James's ability to cope with that pressure has proven to be a critical factor in his success. Sportswriters and his coaches agreed that James has shown uncommon maturity for a player his age, handling his newfound fame and the extraordinary expectations of others with grace.

During 2003, prior to his graduation from high school, James declared himself eligible for the NBA draft, the annual process by which professional basketball teams select new players to join them for the upcoming season. The Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the worst teams in the NBA, had the privilege of the number-one draft pick. The Cavs chose James, with the obvious expectation that this eighteen-year-old would lead the team to greatness. While James's first season with the Cavs did not exactly propel them to a championship, he did help his team win twice the number of games as they had the year before, and at the end of the 2003–04 season, James was named Rookie of the Year.

A team player

Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1984, James is the only child of Gloria James, who gave birth to him when she was just sixteen years old. Gloria struggled to provide for James during his childhood. When James was about five years old, he and his mother moved seven times in a year. For a couple of years during elementary school, James lived with a foster family. Gloria's longtime boyfriend, Eddie Jackson, has acted as a father figure for James, but he was not always around during James's youth, spending several years in prison for selling drugs and, later, for fraud. Regardless of any troubles they may have had, however, James and his mother have a close and supportive relationship. He told Jack McCallum of Sports Illustrated: "My mother is my everything. Always has been. Always will be."

"I don't want to be a cocky rookie coming in trying to lead right off the bat.... If there's one message I want to get to my teammates it's that I'll be there for them, do whatever they think I need to do."

Taller and more athletic than most other kids his age, James got hooked on basketball early in childhood. Dru Joyce II, who coached James for many of his early years, recalled in an article for the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service that, while playing in a summer league during elementary school, James was an aggressive offensive player who "really liked to shoot the ball—a lot." Joyce remembered advice he gave James at the time: "I started telling LeBron about passing the ball, how great players make their teammates better. I talked about getting his shots in the flow of the game." Joyce assumed that he would have to repeat this advice many times, reminding the eleven-year-old to be a team player, but he was mistaken. James absorbed every word his coach said and immediately changed his playing style. "That was the last time I ever had to talk about LeBron shooting too much," Joyce recollected.

Another Rising Young Star: Carmelo Anthony

For the 2003 draft, the hype surrounding LeBron James nearly eclipsed another young basketball phenomenon: Carmelo Anthony (1984–). The number-three draft pick with just one year of college basketball under his belt, Anthony would have attracted even more attention than he did, had he not been drafted at the same time as James. His one year of college ball, playing for Syracuse University, had resulted in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship for Syracuse, with Anthony named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, the NCAA championship series.

Anthony was drafted by the Denver Nuggets, a team that joined the Cleveland Cavaliers at the bottom of the NBA rankings. Expectations for Anthony, like those for James, were extremely high: the Nuggets would be relying on him to raise them from the depths and eventually make them playoffs contenders. Anthony performed impressively during his rookie season, racking up an average of 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Perhaps the most significant statistic for his team: the Nuggets went from winning just seventeen games in 2002–03 to winning forty-three games in Anthony's first season.

Anthony grew up in the rough inner city of Baltimore, Maryland. His father died when he was two years old, and his mother, Mary Anthony, raised Carmelo and his three older siblings by herself. She pushed her son to stay focused and disciplined where basketball was concerned, and she pushed him to attend college before going professional. To fulfill his desire to play for Syracuse, Anthony had to leave his Baltimore high school to attend the prestigious Oak Hill Academy, a Baptist boarding school in Virginia. He studied hard to bring his grades up so he could get admitted to Syracuse, and he practiced basketball as often as possible. He helped the Oak Hill team to a number-three national ranking in 2002, and he earned the grades necessary to take him to Syracuse.

Anthony has been described as an unusually mature player who has maintained his down-to-earth style even in the midst of the money, celebrity, and pressure that have come his way. Among the first things he spent his money on after being drafted by the Nuggets were a home for his mother in Baltimore and a youth center there to replace one that was closed down by the police when he was growing up.

At the time, James played basketball with his best friends, including Dru Joyce III, the son of his summer-league coach, and Sian Cotton, the son of another summer-league coach, Lee Cotton. Those coaches, both of whom stressed the values of good sportsmanship and being a team player, helped James form the basis of his playing style. James and his pals Joyce III and Cotton, along with Willie McGee, played together every chance they could as kids, and they vowed to stay together all through high school. That childhood promise became a reality as the four boys all attended Akron's St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, a private school known for its basketball program. At St. Vincent–St. Mary, James not only became the school's star basketball player, he also played football for three years and maintained solid grades. James's philosophy about being a team player meant that he spent as much of his playing time passing the ball to teammates and setting up shots as he did taking shots himself, resulting in his extraordinary passing skills. His high school coaches asserted that James could have been a player who averaged fifty to sixty points per game. Instead, his average was closer to thirty points a game, but he helped his entire team play better basketball. Many coaches and sportswriters have described James's maturity and selflessness as a player; Keith Dambrot, who coached James for his first two years of high school, summed up the key to James's success in the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service article: "LeBron is a basketball genius, there is no other way to say it."

Fast-track to the NBA

Many observers had wondered, from James's earliest high school years, whether he would go to college or attempt to be drafted into the NBA straight out of high school. Eager to test his skills at the next level, James considered declaring for the draft as a junior, trying to get an exception to the rule that would have barred him from the draft before his graduation year. He decided instead to complete high school, announcing during his senior year that he would declare himself eligible for the 2003 NBA draft. James's decision to go professional right out of high school renewed the debate over whether players should be allowed to play for the NBA at such a young age. Supporters argue that if the player possesses the skills, he should be allowed to earn a living playing his sport. Critics suggest that most high school kids would benefit more from going to college first, using those years to improve their playing, acquire an education, and become more mature. Ignoring the debate and following his own instincts, James opted to skip college and head for the NBA.

Coming off a terrible season, tying for the worst record in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a chance to reshape their future in June of 2003: they had the number-one draft pick. They chose James, pinning their hopes on the eighteen-year-old player to turn their fortunes around. At six-foot-eight and 240 pounds, James certainly looked the part of an NBA player. But many wondered if he could live up to the hype surrounding him and compete in the far more competitive arena of professional basketball. When James made his official NBA debut in the fall of 2003 in a game against the Sacramento Kings, he answered the concerns of many doubters. The Cavaliers lost the game, but James played better than most rookies could hope for in a debut game—and better than any rookie straight out of high school—with twenty-five points, nine assists, six rebounds, and four steals. While he occasionally showed his inexperience and youth, and while he did not live up to the most outrageous expectations that he would play like Michael Jordan right out of high school, James did perform extremely well in his rookie season. He ended the 2003–04 season with an average of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He ranked among the top fifteen players in the league in a number of categories, including points per game, total points, assists, and steals. In April of 2004, James was named the Rookie of the Year for the 2003–04 season. Speaking of the rookie's innate abilities on the court, Cleveland power forward Carlos Boozer told McCallum of Sports Illustrated, "You can only call it court sense. The way he takes advantage of a situation right away can't be taught. He just has it."

"I can handle it"

Barring injury, James will earn $19 million for his first four years with the Cavs, an amount that seems downright insignificant when compared to his endorsements. In a sponsorship deal that will pay James more than any other basketball player except Michael Jordan, Nike signed the player to a seven-year, $90 million contract—and that contract was signed before James had even inked a deal with the Cavs. He has also agreed to promote Coca-Cola products, including Sprite and Powerade, and Bubblicious bubblegum.

Predicting the amount of money James will generate for the Cavaliers, for Nike, and even for other NBA teams, Forbes magazine suggests that those investing in James will be repaid handsomely. During his rookie season, attendance for Cavs home games increased by fifty percent from the prior season. James sparked so much hype that basketball fans around the country sought out tickets for the Cavs' away games, moving the Cleveland team from last in the league for road attendance to first. As for his corporate sponsors, Nike released the first shoe endorsed by James, the Air Zoom Generation, in December of 2003. At $110 a pair, Nike sold 72,000 pairs in the first month alone. Bob Williams, the CEO of a company that matches athletes with corporations for endorsement deals, described to Sports Illustrated in 2003 the hurdles James will encounter in his first few years in the NBA: "He has to dominate his position, take a downtrodden franchise to the playoffs and eventually to a championship. He will make a lot of money and live happily ever after. But no one has ever had more expectations put on him than this young man right now." When reporters have asked him about dealing with the enormous pressure placed on him, James has frequently uttered what has become a sort of motto: "I can handle it." And with one successful season under his belt—both on court and off—many commentators have come to believe that perhaps he can.

For More Information

Jones, Ryan. King James: Believe the Hype—The LeBron James Story. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003.

Morgan Jr., David Lee. LeBron James: The Rise of a Star. Cleveland: Gray and Company, 2003.

Periodicals

Badenhausen, Kurt. "Slam Dunk." Forbes (February 16, 2004): p. 64.

Chappell, Kevin. "Can LeBron James Repeat the Jordan Miracle?" Ebony (January 2004): p. 124.

Finnan, Bob. "Early to Rise." Sporting News (October 20, 2003): p. 40.

McCallum, Jack. "You Gotta Carry That Weight." Sports Illustrated (October 27, 2003): p. 68.

Pluto, Terry. "LeBron James, Once a Lanky Kid, Has Come a Long Way to the NBA." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (April 20, 2004): p. K1569.

Taylor, Phil. "Carmelo Anthony Has a Secret." Sports Illustrated for Kids (November 3, 2003): p. 24.

LeBronJames.com. http://www.lebronjames.com/hsc/hscMain.cfm (accessed August 1, 2004).

"LeBron James." NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/index.html?nav=page (accessed August 1, 2004).

"LeBron Watch." Cleveland.com. http://www.cleveland.com/lebron/ (accessed August 1, 2004).

Morgan Jr., David Lee. "The Rise of a Star." HoopsHype. http://www.hoopshype.com/articles/lebron_morgan.htm (accessed August 1, 2004).

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:.

LeBron James

• Los Angeles Lakers
• Small Forward
• HT/WT 6' 9", 250 lbs
• Birthdate 12/30/1984 (39)
• Draft Info 2003: Rd 1, Pk 1 (CLE)
• Status Active
• Experience 20th Season

Career History

Career highlights, latest videos, lebron drives around a screen for a tough layup, find tickets, 2023-24 pacific standings.

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Disney Ad Sales Site
• Work for ESPN
• Corrections

LeBron James Biography: Life, Career & Records

• 4 minute read

Lakers News: Austin Reaves Believes Second Half Turnaround In Game 1 Against Nuggets Came Down To Effort

Matt MacDonald

LeBron James has been dominating the court ever since he entered the league in 2003. He’s considered one of the best basketball players of all-time and many will sit and debate him amongst the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant.

But did LeBron James go to college? When did LeBron start playing basketball? And of course, how many rings does LeBron James have now? All of these questions and more will be answered in our biography.

Lebron’s Early Life

Where was LeBron James Born? He’s just a kid from Akron, Ohio!

LeBron “King” James was born December 30, 1984, to a single mother when she was only 16 years old. Gloria Marie James gave birth to LeBron and his father, Anthony McClelland had various run-ins with the law so he was not in his son’s life as he was growing up.

James faced a lot of difficulties growing up as his family moved around a lot amongst some of the “less desirable” neighborhoods in Akron.

LeBron ultimately moved in with a local football coach when he was nine years old. Frank Walker, the coach, introduced LeBron to basketball. He quickly became a star player in his local leagues.

High School Career

In high school, James played for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. He led the school to three state championships and was named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball three times. He was also selected to play for USA Today’s All-USA First Team as a sophomore.

During his senior year, he was widely regarded as the best high school player in the country.

LeBron put up 21 points and 6 rebounds per game during his high school career and ultimately entered into the 2003 NBA Draft.

Professional Career

How long has LeBron James been in the NBA? Let’s go through the details of LeBron’s career in the league:

Cleveland Cavaliers – 2003-2010

In 2003, LeBron James was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was only 18 years old at the time and was immediately hailed as a prodigy. In fact, he put up 25 points in his first regular season game.

James quickly lived up to the hype, averaging 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game in his rookie season. He became the first Cavalier to ever receive the NBA Rookie of the Year Award .

He went on to spend seven seasons with the Cavaliers, becoming the team’s all-time leading scorer in the process.

Miami Heat – 2010-2014

In 2010, James shocked the basketball world by leaving the Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat. He was contacted during this time by a number of teams but he ultimately chose Miami for the opportunity to keep winning.

James was heavily criticized during this time by analysts, fans, and even former players like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

Along with fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James formed a “big three” that was expected to dominate the league. And dominate they did. James won two more MVP awards and led the Heat to four straight NBA Finals appearances, winning two championships in 2012 and 2013.

James averaged 29.7 points and 7.8 assists in February of the 2012-2013 season. The Heat had the third longest win streak in NBA history at 27. Everything seemed to be going right for the big three in Miami.

The Spurs eliminated the Heat in five games in 2014 where James averaged 28.2 points. He opted out of his contract and went back to Cleveland.

LeBron returns to Cleveland – 2014-2018

In 2014, James returned to the Cavaliers, determined to bring a championship to his hometown. He led the team to the NBA Finals in each of his four seasons back in Cleveland, winning the championship in 2016.

This was a historic moment for the Cavaliers, as they became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. LeBron helped pave the way averaging a near triple-double with 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists. He became only the third player in history to record a triple-double in a game 7.

Los Angeles Lakers – 2018-present

LeBron signed with the Lakers in 2018 and while there have been many struggles, he still dominates the Western Conference averaging 25, 7, and 8. The team in 2018 was made up of a controversial bunch of veterans and the Lakers struggled to find cohesiveness in the lineup.

James had a strong mid-season performance right up until he had the first major injury of his career missing 17 consecutive games. The team was ultimately unable to make the postseason until the 2019 season.

The team entered the playoffs as the number one seed and James helped them defeat the Heat in the Finals with a huge game 6.

On February 7, 2023 – LeBron scored his 38,388th point to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. This is a record that has remained since 1984.

LeBron James is a legend and will go down in history as one of the best basketball players to ever step foot on the court. He has contributed a lot on and off the court and has inspired countless young men to pursue their passion.

You May Also Like

• Lakers News

Lakers News: Christian Wood’s Commitment To Playing Defense Impressing Darvin Ham In Training Camp

• Corey Hansford
• 3 minute read

2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers Player Review: Anthony Davis

Lakers News: Dennis Schroder Discusses Game-Winning Steal And Score Vs. Grizzlies

• Ron Gutterman

Bynum Hosts Block Party For Nuggets As Lakers Win, 103-88

• 10 minute read

Lakers News: Jaxson Hayes Discusses What He’s Learned From Anthony Davis

Austin Reaves Expresses Confidence That Lakers Are One Of Best Teams In NBA Right Now

Lakers Injury Update: Cam Reddish Working Through ‘Extreme Soreness’ In Ankle

• 2 minute read

Lakers News: Anthony Davis Credits ‘Effort’ For Historic Performance Against Timberwolves

• Sports Reference ®
• Football (college)
• Basketball (college)
• Stathead ®
• Immaculate Grid
• Questions or Comments?
• Welcome  ·  Your Account
• Ad-Free Login
• Create Account
• Full Site Menu Below

LeBron James

LeBron Raymone James ▪ Twitter : KingJames ▪ Instagram: kingjames

(King James, LBJ, Chosen One, Bron-Bron, The Little Emperor, The Akron Hammer, L-Train, Benjamin Buckets)

Position: Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard, Center, and Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right

6-9 ,  250lb  (206cm, 113kg)

Born: December 30 , 1984 in Akron,  Ohio us

High School: St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio

Recruiting Rank: 2003 (1)

Draft: Cleveland Cavaliers , 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2003 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 29, 2003

Experience:  20 years

• 20x All Star
• 2007-08 Scoring Champ
• 2019-20 AST Champ
• 4x NBA Champ
• 19x All-NBA
• 2003-04 All-Rookie
• 2003-04 ROY
• 6x All-Defensive
• 4x Finals MVP
• NBA 75th Anniv. Team
• 2023-24 IST MVP

LeBron James Overview

• High School & Amateur
• Career Playoffs

Other LeBron James Pages

• Game Finder
• Streak Finder
• Span Finder
• Shot Finder
• Event Finder
• Quarter Finder
• Teammates & Opponents
• High School & Amateur Game Log
• Compare LeBron James to other players

More LeBron James pages at Sports Reference

• International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Game-by-game stat line for the player

Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. home/away, monthly, etc...

Player shooting history

Player lineups

Player on/off

More LeBron James Basketball Reference pages

2023-24 Lakers (36-30, 9th place in NBA Western Conference)

Last Game : W 120-109 vs. MIN

Next Game : Wednesday, Mar. 13 at SAC

Full Schedule and Results

• Colin Castleton
• Max Christie
• Anthony Davis
• Spencer Dinwiddie
• Harry Giles
• Rui Hachimura
• Jaxson Hayes
• D'Moi Hodge
• Jalen Hood-Schifino
• Maxwell Lewis
• Skylar Mays
• Taurean Prince
• Austin Reaves
• Cam Reddish
• D'Angelo Russell
• Jarred Vanderbilt
• Gabe Vincent
• Dylan Windler
• Christian Wood

Show entire roster

On this page:

Last 5 Games

Per 36 minutes, per 100 poss, adjusted shooting, play-by-play, playoffs series, all-star games, similarity scores.

• Leaderboards, Awards, & Honors

Transactions

Current contract, frequently asked questions, name + "statistics" translations, full site menu.

Next Game: Wednesday, March 13th vs SAC ( LeBron James Stats vs. SAC ) More: Game Log • Advanced Game Log • Splits • Shooting • Lineups • On-Off

Player Injury

Day To Day (Ankle) - James is questionable for Sunday's (Mar. 10) game against Minnesota. (Updated Mar.10, 2024)

• Bold indicates league leader

View on stats.nba.com

Player news.

• Add Your Blog Posts Here
• Player News Archive
• Player News RSS Feed
• Show/Hide More Stories
• 3/11 HoopsWire: Kobe Bryant Statue Has 2 Misspelled Names, 1 Misspelled Word :  NBA legend Kobe Bryant‘s statue outside Crypto.com Arena ...
• 3/11 RotoWire: Flirts with triple-double in win :  James closed with 29 points (10-16 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 7-9 FT), eight ...
• 3/11 HoopsWire: Lakers Six Games Over .500 For First Time In Nearly Three Years :  In Los Angeles, it’s reason to celebrate. After all, it’s ...
• 3/11 NBA Analysis Network: Davis Makes NBA History In Lakers’ 120-109 Win Over Timberwolves :  In an impressive showcase during Sunday’s NBA action, Anthony ...
• 3/11 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Available For Sunday :  Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is active ahead ...
• Show 61 more stories
• 3/10 HoopsRumors: Pacific Notes: Dinwiddie, Jackson-Davis, Booker, Zubac :  Lakers guard Spencer Dinwiddie used to imagine himself making ...
• 3/10 Last Word on Sports: NBA Rumors: LeBron James, OG Anunoby, Bennedict Mathurin, AD, Steph Curry, and Nikola Jokic, Plus More :  The 2023-24 NBA season is nearing crunch time, and several key ...
• 3/10 Fantom Sports Industries: The Improbability of LeBron James’ 40K :  LeBron James has surpassed 40,000 career points. Typing this sentence ...
• 3/10 The Lead: D’Angelo Russell Has Come Full Circle :  To truly understand what makes this season so satisfying for D’Angelo ...
• 3/10 Belly Up Sports: D’Angelo Russell Is The True Third Star :  D’Angelo Russell was traded back to the Los Angeles Lakers ...
• 3/9 HoopsWire: Bulls’ Zach LaVine Ahead Of Schedule In Recovery From Foot Surgery :  According to NBA reporter K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, ...
• 3/9 HoopsWire: Lakers’ LeBron James Dealing With ‘Severe Soreness’ In Ankle :  Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told NBA reporters that ...
• 3/9 HoopsRumors: Pacific Notes: Russell, Davis, Kings, Monk, Booker :  The Lakers picked up their 11th win in their last 16 games on ...
• 3/9 HoopsWire: Luka Doncic Going For 6th Straight 30-Point Triple-Double To Pass Russell Westbrook :  Over the course of his last five games, Luka Doncic has recorded ...
• 3/9 NBA Analysis Network: Lakers’ Anthony Davis Couldn’t Move Shoulder After Injury :  In a dramatic win for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Milwaukee ...
• 3/9 Last Word on Sports: Lakers Provide Scary Injury Reports for Major Players :  As Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis attempted to draw ...
• 3/9 NBA Analysis Network: Russell’s Heroics Lift Lakers Over Bucks In 123-112 Victory :  D’Angelo Russell delivered a season-high 44 points, including ...
• 3/9 HoopsRumors: Injury Notes: Curry, LeBron, Wembanyama, Brunson :  A league source who spoke to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area ...
• 3/9 Last Word on Sports: Bulls Leader to Pass ‘Hardest Person to Guard’ in Career Points :  Chicago Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan has had a steady presence ...
• 3/9 HoopsWire: Lakers’ LeBron James Out Against Bucks :  NBA legend LeBron James will not play against the Milwaukee Bucks.  ...
• 3/9 NBA Analysis Network: Lakers Reveal LeBron James Injury Update Before Bucks Matchup :  The Los Angeles Lakers are facing a critical phase as the NBA ...
• 3/9 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Won't Play Against Bucks :  Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) will sit out ...
• 3/8 HoopsWire: DeMar DeRozan Says LeBron James Scoring 40,000 Points Is ‘The Most Incredible Thing You Can Ever Witness’ :  During an interview with NBA reporter K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports ...
• 3/8 HoopsWire: Kevin Garnett Calls Out NBA For Not Stopping Game After LeBron James Reached 40,000 Points :  Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett called out the NBA for not stopping ...
• 3/8 HoopsRumors: Lakers Notes: LeBron, 2024 First-Rounder, Defense :  LeBron James is poised to become the first player in NBA history ...
• 3/8 Last Word on Sports: Duke Blue Devil Future Star Similar to All-Time College Great :  Cooper Flagg was just named the Naismith Boys High School Basketball ...
• 3/8 TeamRiseOrFall.com: NBA DFS Top Plays for 3/8/24 :  NBA DFS Top Plays for 3/8/24 Welcome to our NBA DFS Top Plays ...
• 3/8 Zone Coverage: How Playoff Seeding Affects the Timberwolves :  I can’t see the future, and even Madame Web wouldn’t be able to ...
• 3/8 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Questionable Again On Friday :  Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) has been tagged ...
• 3/7 HoopsWire: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Believes Thunder Can Win Title This Year :  During an interview with NBA reporter Malika Andrews of ESPN, ...
• 3/7 NBA Analysis Network: Lakers Provide Update On LeBron James’ Early Exit :  The Los Angeles Lakers have their work cut out for them if they ...
• 3/7 HoopsWire: Lakers Star LeBron James’ Ankle Pain Being Caused By ‘Wear And Tear’ :  According to NBA reporter Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Los Angeles ...
• 3/7 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Exits Early Due To Lingering Ankle Issue :  Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James missed the end of Wednesday's ...
• 3/7 HoopsRumors: And-Ones: Maluach, 2024 Draft, Abu Dhabi, 40K-Point Club :  Khaman Maluach, the top big man in the 2024 recruiting class, ...
• 3/7 The Lead: Who is the 2023-24 NBA MVP? :  If you can believe it, approximately six weeks stand in the way ...
• 3/7 NBA Analysis Network: Lakers Trade Proposal Lands Herbert Jones From Pelicans :  Some NBA fans don’t know how rare 3-and-D wings are. Sure, ...
• 3/6 Last Word on Sports: Bronny James’ Mindset Amid Avalanche of Criticism Revealed :  In her latest feature, The Ringer’s Morin Fader pieced together ...
• 3/6 NBA Analysis Network: Cavs’ Dean Wade Matches Kobe Bryant In Historic Performance :  Every NBA team goes through a stretch of the season having to ...
• 3/6 NBA Analysis Network: Ex NBA All-Star Urges Heat To Pair DeMar DeRozan, Jimmy Butler :  The Miami Heat have consistently been among the toughest teams ...
• 3/6 NBA Analysis Network: Former NBA All-Star Reveals True Feelings On LeBron James :  The landscape of the NBA changed forever during the 2010 offseason. ...
• 3/6 HoopsWire: Knicks Have Financial Flexibility To Trade For LeBron James In Summer Without Losing Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby :  According to NBA insiders Bobby Marks and Dave McMenamin ...
• 3/6 HoopsWire: LeBron James Has Privately Questioned Whether Lakers Fans Would Embrace Him Due To Their Love For Kobe Bryant :  According to NBA insiders Bobby Marks and Dave McMenamin of ESPN, ...
• 3/6 HoopsWire: Lakers Can Offer LeBron James True No-Trade Clause This Summer :  According to NBA insiders Bobby Marks and Dave McMenamin ...
• 3/6 NBA Analysis Network: Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Having Season For The Ages :  Normally it takes a little while for rookies to adjust to life ...
• 3/6 HoopsRumors: Pacific Notes: Vincent, Reaves, Green, Beal :  Lakers guard Gabe Vincent should be back sometime this month, ...
• 3/6 HoopsWire: Trae Young Doesn’t Want To Get Traded By Hawks :  Trae Young told NBA reporter Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report that ...
• 3/6 HoopsRumors: And-Ones: Officiating, Stewart, Eubanks, Ntilikina, Bronny :  Speaking to reporters on Friday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr ...
• 3/6 NBA Analysis Network: Lakers Defeat Thunder 116-104, Clinch Season Series :  D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis led the charge as the ...
• 3/6 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Holds Questionable Tag For Wednesday's Game :  Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) is currently ...
• 3/6 thePeachBasket: Denver Nuggets are Surging for the One Seed in NBA Playoffs :  The Denver Nuggets are undefeated since the All-Star break. Their ...
• 3/6 Last Word on Sports: NBA News: Isaiah Thomas’ NBA Return Draws Ever Closer :  Isaiah Thomas' NBA return draws ever closer, as The Athletic's ...
• 3/5 Last Word on Sports: Former NBA Star Comes to Bronny James’ Defense Amid Scrutiny :  USC guard Bronny James is an incredibly polarizing 2024 NBA Draft ...
• 3/5 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Cleared For Monday Against Oklahoma City :  Los Angeles Lakers forwardLeBron James is available Monday against ...
• 3/5 HoopsRumors: Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum Named Players Of The Month :  Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum have ...
• 3/4 HoopsRumors: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown Named Players Of The Week :  Lakers forward LeBron James and Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown ...
• 3/4 Last Word on Sports: NBA News: Mavericks Sign Former Laker to Two-Way Contract :  The Dallas Mavericks have signed former Los Angeles Laker Alex ...
• 3/4 HoopsWire: Report: Lakers Players Annoyed With Darvin Ham’s Lack Of Accountability :  According to NBA insider Anthony Irwin of Lakers Daily, Los ...
• 3/4 The Lead: The Lakers’ Ceiling is Darvin Ham-High :  Immediately following a grueling 114-124 loss to the Denver Nuggets, ...
• 3/4 thePeachBasket: LeBron James Shatters Records: A Closer Look at the All-Time Leading Scorer Milestone :  What a historic moment for the NBA to remember. LeBron James has ...
• 3/4 HoopsWire: Report: LeBron James ‘Rolls His Eyes’ When Lakers Coach Darvin Ham Speaks During Timeouts :  According to NBA insider Anthony Irwin of Lakers Daily, LeBron ...
• 3/4 Prime Time Sports Talk: NBA Week 20: Unmissable Games :  For many of us, the excitement of a new week in the NBA hits no ...
• 3/4 NBA Analysis Network: Spurs Trade Proposal Lands Kyrie Irving From Mavs :  Throughout NBA history, we’ve seen some dynamic duos find ...
• 3/4 Last Word on Sports: Lakers Rumors: Why March Matters for Darvin Ham’s Future :  40,000 is not only the number of points LeBron James has eclipsed, ...
• 3/4 HoopsRumors: Nuggets Notes: Winning Streak, KCP, Key, Top Seed, Lakers :  The Nuggets have won six straight, reminding the league that the ...
• 3/4 RotoBaller.com: LeBron James Considered Questionable Against Thunder :  Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (ankle) has been tagged ...
• 2/23 Basketball Reference: Miami Heat Top 10 Players of All Time :  The Miami Heat may not be one of the oldest franchises in the ...
• Play-by-play data available for the 1996-97 through 2023-24 seasons.
• Shot location data available for the 1996-97 through 2023-24 seasons.
• Click Season link for player's season game log Click value for box score or list of games Search LeBron James' game log history
• Most similar performance arc through 20 seasons ( Explanation )
• Most similar career performance arc ( Explanation )

Appearances on Leaderboards, Awards, and Honors

June 26, 2003 : Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 2003 NBA Draft.

July 10, 2010 : Traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat for a 2011 2nd round draft pick ( Milan Mačvan was later selected), a 2012 2nd round draft pick ( Jae Crowder was later selected), a 2013 1st round draft pick ( Nemanja Nedović was later selected) and a 2016 1st round draft pick ( Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot was later selected). Cleveland also received a trade exception from Miami. Cleveland had the option to swap 1st round draft picks with Miami in 2012 but did not do so.

July 12, 2014 : Signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers .

July 10, 2015 : Signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers .

August 12, 2016 : Signed a multi-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers .

July 9, 2018 : Signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers .

November 22, 2021 : Suspended by the league. (1-game suspension)

August 18, 2022 : Signed a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers .

• Player Option , Team Option   ·   NBA Contracts Summary
• Declined 2021-22 player option to sign extension Thursday, December 3, 2020.
• Signed 4-yr maximum salary contract on Monday, July 9, 2018 2021-22 is player option.

How old is LeBron James?

LeBron James is 39 years old.

Where was LeBron James born?

LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio.

When was LeBron James born?

LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984.

How tall is LeBron James?

LeBron James is 6-9 (206 cm) tall.

How much does LeBron James weigh?

LeBron James weighs 250 lbs (113 kg).

Is LeBron James in the Hall of Fame?

LeBron James is not in the Hall of Fame.

When was LeBron James drafted?

LeBron James was drafted by Cleveland Cavaliers , 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2003 NBA Draft .

What position does LeBron James play?

Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard, Center, and Shooting Guard.

What is LeBron James' net worth?

LeBron James has made at least $434,986,578 playing professional basketball.

How much does LeBron James make?

LeBron James made $44,474,988 in 2023.

What does LeBron James average?

LeBron James averages 25.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game.

How many rings does LeBron James have?

LeBron James has won 4 championships.

What is LeBron James' Twitter account?

LeBron James is on Twitter at KingJames .

What is LeBron James' Instagram account?

LeBron James is on Instagram at kingjames .

What schools did LeBron James attend?

LeBron James attended St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio .

What are LeBron James' nicknames?

King James, LBJ, Chosen One, Bron-Bron, The Little Emperor, The Akron Hammer, L-Train, Benjamin Buckets are nicknames for LeBron James.

More James Pages

• Return to Top
• Players In the News : V. Wembanyama , L. James , K. Durant , J. Embiid , J. Harden , S. Curry , L. Dončić ... All-Time Greats : E. Hayes , J. Stockton , H. Olajuwon , W. Chamberlain , D. Schayes , J. Havlicek ... Active Greats : L. James , G. Antetokounmpo , C. Paul , J. Harden , S. Curry , K. Durant ...
• Teams Atlantic : Toronto , Boston , New York , Brooklyn , Philadelphia Central : Cleveland , Indiana , Detroit , Chicago , Milwaukee Southeast : Miami , Atlanta , Charlotte , Washington , Orlando Northwest : Oklahoma City , Portland , Utah , Denver , Minnesota Pacific : Golden State , Los Angeles Clippers , Sacramento , Phoenix , Los Angeles Lakers Southwest : San Antonio , Dallas , Memphis , Houston , New Orleans
• Seasons 2023-24 , 2022-23 , 2021-22 , 2020-21 , 2019-20 , 2018-19 , 2017-18 ...
• Leaders Season Points , Career Rebounds , Active Assists , Yearly Steals , Progressive Blocks ... Or, view "Trailers" for Season Field Goal Pct , or Career Blocks Per Game
• NBA Scores Yesterday's Games and Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history
• NBA Schedules Team Schedules and League Schedules
• NBA Standings Today's Standings and Standings for any date in history
• Stathead Player Finders : Season Finder , Game Finder , Streak Finder , Span Finder Team Finders : Season Finder , Game Finder , Streak Finder , Span Finder Other Finders : Versus Finder (NEW) , Shot Finder
• Coaches Richie Guerin , Rudy Tomjanovich , Jim O'Brien , Mike Fratello , Alvin Gentry ...
• Awards NBA MVP , All-NBA , Defensive Player of the Year , Rookie of the Year , All-Rookie , Hall of Fame ...
• NBA Contracts Main Index , Team Payrolls , Player Contracts , Glossary ...
• Playoffs 2023 NBA Playoffs , 2022 NBA Playoffs , 2021 NBA Playoffs , 2020 NBA Playoffs , 2019 NBA Playoffs , 2018 NBA Playoffs , 2017 NBA Playoffs , Playoffs Series History ...
• All-Star Games 2023 All-Star Game , 2022 All-Star Game , 2021 All-Star Game , 2020 All-Star Game , 2019 All-Star Game , 2018 All-Star Game ...
• NBA Draft 2023 Draft , 2022 Draft , 2021 Draft , 2020 Draft , 2019 Draft , 2018 Draft , 2017 Draft ...
• Frivolities Players who played for multiple teams (WNBA) , Birthdays , Colleges , High Schools , Milestone Watch ...
• Executives R.C. Buford , Wayne Embry , Stan Kasten , Danny Ainge , Don Nelson ...
• Referees Joe Forte , Tony Brothers , Dan Crawford , Ron Olesiak , David Jones ...
• G League Stats Players , Teams , Seasons , Leaders , Awards ...
• International Basketball Stats Players , Teams , Seasons , Leaders , Awards ...
• WNBA Players , Teams , Seasons , Leaders , Awards , All-Star Games , Executives ...
• NBL Players , Teams , Seasons , Leaders , Awards ...
• About Glossary , Contact and Media Information , Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball ...
• Immaculate Grid (Men's) and Immaculate Grid (Women's) Put your basketball knowledge to the test with our daily basketball trivia games. Can you complete the grids?
• Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles

We're Social...for Statheads

Every Sports Reference Social Media Account

Site Last Updated: Monday, March 11, 7:04AM

Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction?

Subscribe to our Free Email Newsletter

Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE Your All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database

Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Find out more.

FAQs, Tip & Tricks

• Tips and Tricks from our Blog.
• Do you have a blog? Join our linker program.
• Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead
• Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine

All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos.

Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net.

Copyright © 2000-2024 Sports Reference LLC . All rights reserved.

• Gangwon 2024
• Milano Cortina 2026
• Brisbane 2032
• Olympic Refuge Foundation
• Olympic Games
• Olympic Channel
• Let's Move

LeBron James: A definitive look at King James' career stats, records, awards and medals

From winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals to becoming the NBA's all-time scoring leader, we take a look at some of the most notable highlights from LeBron James' storied basketball career. Will the legend go for a third Olympic gold at Paris 2024? 

LeBron James is now the leading scorer in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The 38-year-old overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's previous record of 38,387 points in the LA Lakers' defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday 7 February.

It’s the latest, and arguably greatest, accolade in a glittering career for ‘King James’ - a fitting moniker for a player who continues to have a powerful impact on the game of basketball.

Olympics.com takes a look at the championships, medals, records and stats of one of basketball’s most legendary players.

• LeBron James passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become NBA's all-time scoring leader
• LeBron James points tracker: 'The King' has become the NBA's all-time top scorer

LeBron James’ high school stats & records

The fact that James was selected first overall in the 2003 NBA draft straight out of high school should tell you everything you need to know about just how great his playing career at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School was.

In fact, the small college preparatory Catholic high school in Akron, Ohio has become famous thanks to the exploits of its most famous alumnus.

James made his high school debut as a 14-year-old freshman in 1999, and his play soon garnered national attention; several of James’ games were televised nationally during his senior year, and many of the Fighting Irish’s games were moved to the University of Akron to accommodate the crowds that wanted to see him play.

A phenomenal athlete, James picked up numerous honours en route to leading St. Vincent–St. Mary to three state championships in four years, during which time the Fighting Irish only lost six games (James had a 101-6 high school record)!

High school awards

• National Basketball champion: 2003
• 3× State champion: 2000, 2001, 2003
• 2× Gatorade National Player of the Year: 2002, 2003
• 2× Mr. Basketball USA: 2002, 2003
• 2× USA Today High School Player of the Year: 2002, 2003
• 3× Ohio Mr. Basketball: 2001, 2002, 2003
• 3× USA Today All-USA First Team: 2001, 2002, 2003
• 2× PARADE High School Player of the Year: 2002, 2003
• 2× First-team Parade All-American: 2002, 2003
• Second-team Parade All-American: 2001
• Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year: 2003
• Naismith Prep Player of the Year: 2003
• McDonald's National Player of the Year: 2003
• McDonald's High School All-American: 2003
• McDonald's Slam Dunk Contest (Powerade Jam Fest): 2003
• McDonald's All-American Game MVP: 2003
• EA Sports Roundball Classic MVP: 2003
• Jordan Capital Classic MVP: 2003
• Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year: 2003

LeBron James NBA stats, awards and records

James was heavily touted as a future NBA star while still in high school, and his decision to forgo college and declare for the NBA draft made the draft lottery in 2003 one of the most anticipated in years.

As fate would have it, the Cleveland Cavaliers, James’ hometown team, ended up winning the lottery and duly selected the Ohio native with the first overall pick - and what a selection that turned out to be.

In his first career game, the 18-year-old phenom scored 25 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out nine assists in a losing effort to the Sacramento Kings - but it was just a taste of things to come. At the conclusion of the 2003–04 season, James became the first Cavalier to receive the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and was nominated to the All-Rookie First Team.

Awards with the Cleveland Cavaliers 2003-2010

• NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004)
• 6x NBA All-Star (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
• 2x NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008)
• 2x NBA Most Valuable Player (2009, 2010)
• 4x All-NBA First Team (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010)
• 2x All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2007)
• 2x NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009, 2010)
• NBA Scoring Champion (2008)

Though James had already lived up to his potential in the first phase of his NBA career, a championship still eluded him. In 2010, the then 26-year-old unrestricted free agent signed with the Miami Heat, joining fellow Olympians Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Florida.

In his first season with the Heat, James reached the NBA Finals, though Miami would lose to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

James was vilified for his performance in those Finals (he averaged only three points in fourth quarters during the series), but returned to the 2011-12 season with a bang. The 2.06m (6 ft 9 in) forward posted averages of 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on 53 per cent shooting to earn his third regular season MVP and help the Heat return to the Finals, where they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder. 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 as he won his first career NBA title.

Awards with the Miami Heat 2010-2014

• 2x NBA champion (2012, 2013)
• 2x NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013)
• 2x NBA MVP (2012, 2013)
• 4x NBA All-Star (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• 4x All-NBA First Team (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• 3x NBA All-Defensive First Team (2011, 2012, 2013)
• NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2014)
• Associated Press (AP) Athlete of the Year (2013)
• Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (2012)
• USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2012)

In June of 2014, James opted out of his contract with the Heat, electing instead to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first season back with the Cavaliers, James helped Cleveland return to the Finals, making him the first player since the 1960s to play in five consecutive NBA Finals.

Despite averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in the Finals, James was unable to stop the Golden State Warriors from winning the championship in six games. The following season, however, James and co. would return to the Finals for a rematch with the Warriors. After falling behind 3-1 in the series, the Cavaliers were able to win the next two games thanks to a superhuman effort from James (who recorded back-to-back 41-point games in Games 5 and 6) to force a decisive Game 7 in Oakland, California. Undeterred by a boisterous away crowd, James became just the third player to record a triple-double in an NBA Finals Game 7 as he helped the Cavaliers simultaneously win Cleveland’s first professional sports title in 52 years and become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3–1 series deficit in the Finals.

Awards with the Cleveland Cavaliers 2014-2018

• NBA Champion (2016)
• NBA Finals MVP (2016)
• 4x NBA All-Star (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
• 4x All-NBA First Team (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
• NBA All-Star Game MVP (2018)
• AP Athlete of the Year (2018)
• Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (2016)

After becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2018, James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. He suffered a groin injury in his first season with the Lakers that caused him to miss 17 consecutive games, and consequently, the Lakers failed to make the postseason (marking the first time James missed the playoffs since 2005).

The following season the Lakers emerged as a force in the Western Conference behind the play of James and Anthony Davis, who the team had acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans in a major trade in the offseason. Los Angeles would enter the playoffs as the number one seed in the West, and advanced to the Finals in convincing fashion, suffering only three losses in the previous three rounds combined. In the Finals, the Lakers beat the Heat in six games to earn 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. James also became the second-oldest player in league history to win the award (at 35 and 287 days old), and the third player in NBA history to win at least one championship with three different teams.

Awards with the Los Angeles Lakers 2018 - present

• NBA Champion (2020)
• NBA Finals MVP (2020)
• 5x NBA All-Star (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• All-NBA First Team (2020)
• All-NBA Second Team (2021)
• 2x All-NBA third team (2019, 2022)
• NBA assists leader (2020)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• AP Athlete of the Year (2020)
• Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year (2020)
• Time Athlete of the Year (2020)
• NBA all-time scoring leader (2023)

LeBron James Team USA stats, awards and records

Fresh off his rookie season in the NBA, James was selected to represent the United States of America (USA) at the Olympic Games Athens 2004 . He received limited playing time (14.6 minutes per game), averaging 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in eight games as Team USA won the bronze medal - becoming the first U.S. basketball team to fail to win a gold medal since adding active NBA players to their lineup.

James returned to play for Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan, as the USA won another bronze medal. At the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 - an Olympic qualifying event for the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 - James averaged 18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists as the USA won the gold medal with a 10-0 record, thereby qualifying for the Olympic Games.

At Beijing 2008, Team USA’s ‘Redeem Team’ went unbeaten to win a first gold medal since Sydney 2000.

Who you got - Dream Team or Redeem Team?

James would represent the USA at a major tournament for the final time at London 2012 , where he recorded the first triple-double in U.S. Olympic basketball history with a 1-point, 14-rebound, 12-assist effort against Australia. The USA would repeat as Olympic champions, and 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.

Awards with Team USA

• Athens 2004 Olympic Games bronze medalist
• FIBA 2006 World Championship bronze medalist
• FIBA 2007 Americas Championship gold medalist
• Beijing 2008 Olympic Games gold medalist
• London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist

LeBron James notable career achievements

Achievements are current as of the end of the 2022 NBA season. This is by no means the definitive list of all of James’ achievements, which are extensive.

• NBA all-time leading scorer
• Most consecutive double-digit scoring games (1096 games)
• Most All-NBA First Team selections (13)
• Most 20-point games in NBA history (1,171)
• Only player in NBA history to record at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists .
• Only player in NBA history to be in the top 5 all-time in points , top 10 all-time in assists , and top 10 all-time in steals
• One of two players in NBA history to win at least four NBA MVP awards and four NBA Finals MVP awards (Michael Jordan is the other).
• Most all-time playoff points (7,631)
• Most all-time playoff wins (174)
• Most all-time playoff games (266)
• Youngest player to reach every round milestone in points (through 37,000)

Related content

LeBron James points tracker: NBA's all-time top scorer passes 40,000 career regular season points

LeBron James: His legacy on and off the court

How well do you know: LeBron James?

Beijing Olympic Basketball Final: USA Redeem Team rematch with 2006 World Champ Spain

You may like.

• Share full article

The Story of LeBron James’s 38,390 Points, by Those Who Were There

Teammates. Competitors. Victims of his memes. They each have a story about James’s road to breaking the N.B.A. career scoring record.

Credit... WalkerTKL

Supported by

By Sopan Deb

• Feb. 7, 2023

Stephen Curry’s favorite memory of playing against LeBron James isn’t from any of the three championships he won with the Golden State Warriors against James’s teams. It was from his 2009-10 rookie season, when James was in his seventh year with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

They first met when James attended one of Curry’s college games for Davidson . The night before their first N.B.A. clash, in Cleveland, James hosted Curry at his home.

“For me, as a rookie, it was a whirlwind of excitement,” Curry said. He added: “The fact that he’s as big as he is, as strong as he is, as skilled as he is, there’s never a time he can’t get a shot off.”

James scored 31 points, most coming from near the rim or at the free-throw line . He hit just one 3-pointer.

More than a decade later, James’s game looks different, though he can still dunk as if the rim insulted his honor. The N.B.A. has evolved rapidly since James entered the league in 2003, and his ability to change with it helped him break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s seemingly unbreakable career scoring record of 38,387 points on Tuesday. James has 38,390 points now.

“Nobody could imagine somebody doing it,” said Drew Gooden, who played hundreds of games alongside James in Cleveland. He added: “If you would have said or told somebody in 2003 when LeBron James got drafted when he was 18 years old that he was going to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record, they would have looked at you like you were crazy.”

N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver, in an email, called the record “one of the most hallowed” in all sports. Of James, he said, “His extraordinary athleticism, power and speed leave you in awe.”

Over the past 20 years, James’s ascent to the top of the scoring list has impressed Hall of Fame players as he made a definitive case to join their ranks and perhaps be considered the best among them. His shots have felled the toughest competitors, yet made them fans as he blocked them from fulfilling their sports dreams. His teammates have amassed stories of the joys of playing with him — and the pain of being on the other side.

At 38, James is one of the N.B.A.’s oldest players. He’s also still one of its best.

“It’s not like he’s holding on for dear life just to get the award,” Curry said. “He’s still playing at a high level. So it’s pretty damn impressive.”

‘Scored baskets in every way possible’

Abdul-Jabbar, 75, played in the N.B.A. from 1969 to 1989 after starring for three seasons at U.C.L.A. When he broke Wilt Chamberlain ’s career scoring record in April 1984 , he did so with his patented, and nearly unstoppable, shot: the sky hook .

James hasn’t cultivated that kind of signature.

“Now, is there a shot that you know that he got that would make you say LeBron James? No,” said George Gervin, 70, a Hall of Fame player who won four scoring titles and is known for his finger roll .

Instead, Gervin said, James’s “greatest attribute will be his ability to be consistent.”

James has methodically developed his game all over the floor, borrowing from the greats. During any given game, he might shoot the fadeaway from the post perfected by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, go for a logo 3-pointer like Curry or do the “Dream Shake” he was taught by its namesake, Hakeem Olajuwon .

“LeBron has scored baskets in every way possible,” Philadelphia 76ers Coach Doc Rivers said.

Rivers, who has also coached the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, said he recently ran into James in Los Angeles and joked, “I think you scored at least 10,000 of those points against one of my teams.”

He said James responded, “‘Those Celtics points were the hardest damn points that I’ve ever had to score.’”

Defenders became “more fearful” as James expanded his game, Rivers said.

“When LeBron first started, you wanted to take away his right hand. His drive. His attacks to the basket,” Rivers said. “You actually would sag off and give him shots. Then he started going both ways with the ball, which made it more difficult to guard. Then he got the in-between game.”

The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo, one of the league’s best defenders, said James was “like a computer.”

“He’s calculating everything that is going on at a rapid speed,” Adebayo said. “So it would be like you typing normally and you got somebody on, like, Excel saying it to the computer and the computer is just reading what they’re saying and just typing it.”

James is known for his savvy, but also for his strength.

“His area of attack is at the top of the floor,” said Mike Brown, who coached James for five seasons in Cleveland. “Everybody knows it, but nobody can stop it.”

Diana Taurasi , who holds the W.N.B.A.’s career scoring record , said James was “probably still the most dangerous man in transition.”

Gooden said he “took it for granted” that he had played with James. That is, until 2008, when Cleveland traded Gooden to Chicago and he tried to make the Cavaliers regret it the first time he faced off with James.

“I jumped right in LeBron’s way, and it was like a freight train hit me,” Gooden said. “He came across with two elbows. All his elbows went across my face. Basically, he got an and-one. And I came out of the smoke with a bloody, busted lip. And I was like, ‘Wow, that’s what everybody’s been having to deal with.’”

More passer than scorer?

James’s points are often an afterthought to his skill as a passer.

“He never set out to be a scoring leader,” Golden State forward Draymond Green said. “He’s never been viewed as a scorer. I think that’s more impressive than anything .”

James passed Magic Johnson for sixth on the career assists list in December and passed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash to become fourth in January.

Jeff Green, who was James’s Cavaliers teammate in 2017-18, said James’s passing “allowed me to get a lot of buckets.”

James has led the league in assists only once, in the 2019-20 season. But Erik Spoelstra, who coached James to two championships with the Heat, said he believed that James could have done it any time he wanted to.

“ The skill that I thought was most fascinating with him, with his size and skill and his vision, is his passing,” Spoelstra said.

Some think the most momentous play of James’s career wasn’t even on offense.

Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, said: “In terms of memorable, it’s not points he has scored. It’s his chase-down block of Andre in the finals.”

Late in Game 7 of the 2016 N.B.A. finals against Golden State, James, then with Cleveland, flashed the length of the court to block a crucial shot by Andre Iguodala, helping the Cavaliers complete an improbable championship run.

“I never got mad about that,” Iguodala said. “Like, people think it hurts me when they say, ‘You got blocked by LeBron.’ That was an amazing play. Even in real time, I was like, ‘Geez, bro, that was incredible.’ ”

‘A grown man playing among kids’

During James’s rookie year, he averaged fewer than three 3-point attempts a game. Last season, he averaged eight a game — a reflection of the N.B.A.’s shift to emphasize 3-point shooting and his willingness to go with the tide. It’s also a reflection of graceful aging to preserve his legs.

Abdul-Jabbar rarely missed games because of injury and James largely had not either, until recent seasons with the Lakers. James is known for a diligent diet and exercise regimen that has allowed him to stretch his career and remain dominant past the typical N.B.A. retirement age.

“The reward for doing that is he’s a grown man playing among kids now,” Gooden said.

As James’s game has drifted toward the perimeter, his drives to the basket — and the foul shots they often draw — have become less common. Instead, he’s become a better shooter, with more of his points coming from 3-point range.

Still, Silver said he had always been struck by “the sheer force of his dunks.”

In 2012, when James was with the Heat, he jumped over the 5-foot-11 John Lucas III for a dunk against Chicago.

“It happened so fast that I didn’t know he actually jumped over me until it was on the Jumbotron and we called the timeout and the crowd was going crazy,” said Lucas, who was an assistant coach on James’s Lakers team last season. “My phone was blowing up at halftime.”

Lucas even has a picture of himself getting dunked on hanging in his house.

“That picture is going to be in the Hall of Fame,” Lucas said. “I have a great sense of humor.”

Malik Monk, who played with James on the Lakers last season, said he often teased Lucas about the dunk. “He said he wanted to punch him,” Monk said.

James has spent a career making once-in-a-lifetime athleticism look casual, which is why his career-best 61-point performance against the Charlotte Hornets in 2014 seemingly blends in with last season’s 56-point explosion against Curry and Golden State, not to mention his scoring at least 40 points against every N.B.A. team.

But James’s greatness is far from casual. He has been a symbol of consistent dominance for decades — just as Abdul-Jabbar was. When James entered the league straight from high school, he did so with unprecedented hype. He had already been on the cover of Sports Illustrated . His high school games were on national television .

As Rivers put it: “LeBron is one of the few people in the history of sports to overachieve from a position that was impossible to overachieve.”

Decades later, perhaps the most remarkable fact about James’s career is that his scoring at age 38 is at least as good as it’s ever been — meaning the story of his offensive prowess has not been fully written.

Sopan Deb is a basketball writer and a contributor to the Culture section. Before joining The Times, he covered Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign for CBS News. More about Sopan Deb

Inside the World of Sports

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping professional, collegiate and amateur athletics..

 The Worst Job in College Basketball: South Carolina Salkehatchie had no budget, players or running water when Matt Lynch arrived. One season in, the first publicly gay head coach is figuring out how to win , on the court and off.

How the Kelces Made Crying Cool: Tears in men’s sports were once considered a sign of weakness. But Jason and Travis Kelce have regularly put their emotions on full display .

Dartmouth Players: Members of the Dartmouth College men’s basketball team voted 13-2 in favor of forming a union, a development that could usher in a new phase of the movement for college athletes to be treated like employees. Here is how the players’ union plan came together .

The Bohemians: This small-time soccer team in Dublin has made support for social causes a crucial part of its identity . Critics say the hipsters have taken over, but the approach has attracted fans around the world.

A Safe Harbor: If you’re tired of the endless manufactured arguments by modern sports personalities, Scott Van Pelt’s midnight “SportsCenter” offers a necessary respite .

Advertisement

The inspiring story of LeBron James: From High School to NBA Champion

• Planet Sport writer
• 5 months ago

NBA Champion LeBron James is without a doubt one of the most legendary sports athletes of all time, with even those who are not interested in basketball confirming his legacy.

At age 38, James is still one of the biggest sports stars of the US, but the end of his career seems in sight.

From his humble origins in Ohio to becoming one of the most record breaking athletes of the globe, James’ story is an inspiration to many Americans.

With a flaming aspiration to make it in professional sports, LeBron James has been able to achieve success and recognition very few other athletes have achieved.

This guide will therefore take a closer look at the incredible story of LeBron James, that starts at his childhood full of struggles to become one of the biggest basketball players ever seen in the NBA. This is the story of LeBron James: from high school to NBA Champion.

Struggles as a kid in Akron, Ohio

LeBron James was born when his mother Gloria Marie James was only 16 years old. He was born in the state of Ohio, where he grew up in the city of Akron. When LeBron James was still a kid, life was often a struggle for the Afroamerican family, as they often moved between apartments, not providing the family with the overall stability they needed. His father, a convicted criminal, was not part of his life nor did he support his family financially.

James grew up in the roughest neighborhoods of the city which was partially due to his mother Gloria having ongoing difficulties finding a job and maintaining her family.

Aware that her son needed a stable household to progress in life, his mother allowed him to live with Frank Walker and his family. Walker was a known youth American Football coach in Akron who saw potential in James and presented him to the sport when he was 9 years old.

James began playing at a local American Football team when he was in 5th grade.

Although initiating his sports activities in American Football , he switched to basketball when he became older.

In 2001, right before his junior year, James was the main topic of an article in Slam Magazine in which the 16-year-old at the time — standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall — was labeled as the potentially “best high school basketball player in the United States”.

Officially being given the title by the sports organization in that same year was also the beginning of James' mind-blowing career as a college basketball player.

First overall pick in the NBA Draft

A few years later in 2003, James experienced the first of the honors that would boost his career. He was chosen as the first overall pick in the NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Later throughout his career the Cavaliers would turn out to be one of the most important teams. At the age of 18, he became the youngest player ever in the history of the NBA to be drafted.

Despite his young age, he was able to show his extraordinary skills to the world, coming to an average of 20,9 points, 5,5 rebounds, and 5,9 assists per basketball game in his very first season.

These NBA stats led to the honor of being chosen as the NBA Rookie of the Year. At the time, he was the first Cavalier who won this prize.

He then graduated in his hometown from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School a year later in 2004 where he was part of the basketball team.

James was named to the USA team as a sophomore and was also selected for Today’s All-USA First Team. This was also the time when he was given one of his most known nicknames, “The Chosen One.”

After his junior year, a year after his decision to focus on professional basketball, James became a full-time pro.

Move To Miami Heat

James managed to set record after record, but his team, Cleveland Cavaliers, were having difficulties to win a significant title.

Frustrated by the overall sporting achievements of his team, James became a free agent in 2010.

He publicly announced he was going to make his first move with his new destination being the Miami Heat.

This turned out to be a good decision for James as he led them to the Heat to back-to-back championships in both 2012 and 2013. In both tournaments, James was chosen the NBA Finals MVP.

After having won his first championship titles, James said that he was going to come back to Cleveland. His return was established in 2014.

Return to Cleveland Cavaliers

James quickly led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, losing the finals against the Warriors.

The loss affected the small forward although he states that it would only add to his “determination in winning titles with the team and city he loved so much”. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers made it to the Finals, giving them the opportunity to seek revenge as it was once again the Golden State Warriors they were playing.

At a 3-1 deficit, it looked like they were going to lose the series again, but the determination James talked about after the last lost Finals, turned out to be decisive as his team was the very first NBA team in the history of the competition to turn a 3-1 deficit into a victory. James was named the NBA Finals MVP.

It was the 3rd time in his already impressive career that he was given the honor.

Sign with the Los Angeles Lakers

In 2018, James made the move to the west coast as he joined the Los Angeles Lakers . He did this as a free agent, signing a contract of 4 years with the LA team. James was given the responsibility to lead and rebuild the team. The ultimate goal was to establish the team’s comeback to championship contention.

While doing so, at the age of 33, James still managed to perform strongly, leading to imposing stats. Despite his strong season, James wasn’t able to lead the team to the playoffs.

The team was facing a lot of injuries with James being one of the players who was affected by different groin injuries. Due to missing parts of the next seasons, his performances were inconsistent for a few years.

2023: The GOAT?

In February 2023, however, LeBron earned himself the title as the greatest basketball player of all time in the history of the NBA.

The number 6 of the Los Angeles Lakers did this by achieving the NBA career scoring record, which saw him surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at a total of 38,388 points.

The record was globally celebrated with international recognition for his performance. Now, at the age of 38, LeBron James has managed to set a long list of records and honors. These include winning a total of 4 MVP Awards, 4 Finals MVP Awards, and 2 Olympic gold medals with the US team.

He has also been selected as an All-Star for 19 times, chosen for the All-NBA Team for the same amount of 19 times (13 First Team selections) and was picked six times for the All-Defensive Team.

Still active, LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the best players and is often compared to Michael Jordan in the debate who is the greatest basketball player ever.

More Articles

• George Dempsey

Best tips and picks for Thursday’s NBA acca: Nets and Heat good value on the road

• 12 days ago

Best tips and picks for Wednesday’s NBA: Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers

• 13 days ago

Best tips and picks for Tuesday’s NBA acca: Mavericks and Pelicans headline tasty five-fold

• 26 days ago

Best tips and picks for Wednesday’s NBA acca: Beware of the double-digit underdogs on hump day

• 27 days ago

Best tips and picks for Tuesday’s NBA acca: Magic shut down Thunder, Pistons continue ATS roll

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

LeBron James becomes first player in NBA history with 40,000 career points

• LA Lakers star eclipses milestone with second-quarter layup
• James, 39, surpassed all-time scoring mark in February 2023

LeBron James reached 40,000 points Saturday night, still going strong in his 21st NBA season as he tries to put the career scoring record out of reach.

James drove past Michael Porter Jr. and hit a layup with 10:39 left in the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets for the historic basket.

James received a standing ovation at the next timeout, while coach Darvin Ham gave him a congratulatory pat on the chest. There was an in-arena video presentation, which was preceded and followed by James raising the ball over his head.

LeBron James scores the bucket to become the first player in league history to score 40,000 career points 👑 DEN-LAL Live on ABC pic.twitter.com/I84Xd5hiWf — NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2024

James shot an airball on his first attempt of the night but responded by getting out in transition for a layup for his first points and prompting the Nuggets to use their first timeout. He then knocked down a corner three-pointer before subbing out with 3:19 left in the first quarter.

James checked back in to start the second quarter, attacking the basket 14 seconds into the period to set up the historic basket.

James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s mark of 38,387 points to become the league’s leading scorer on 7 February 2023, against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He reached 39,000 points on 21 November in an In-Season Tournament game against the Utah Jazz.

Ham was a young fan when Abdul-Jabbar was finishing out his career and assumed the record would never be challenged, let alone surpassed in the way James has.

“But here we are,” Ham said before the game. “It’s a testament to Bron, just the time and resources he spends on himself, making sure not only he is healthy but he’s healthy at a high level.”

James, 39, has also played the second-most regular season and most playoff minutes in league history. He is the only NBA player with at least 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone spent five seasons with James as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-10 and remains in awe of how he is able to still play at such a high level.

“I don’t get caught up in the number per se, but you just have to marvel at the continued greatness,” Malone said.

“Just to do what he’s doing at this stage of his career, and it doesn’t appear like he’s slowing down at all, which is even scarier. Really, when you take a step back, you just have to marvel at the longevity. But he’s just not playing at this. He is playing effectively.”

• LeBron James
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Denver Nuggets

Most viewed

LeBron James surpasses 40,000 career points as NBA legend burnishes legacy

LeBron James surpassed 40,000 career points during Saturday night’s home game between his Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets, further solidifying his place in the NBA record books.

James, who has held the pro basketball league’s record for most career points since last year, was within 9 points of the achievement going into the game. A layup in the second quarter had James reach 40,000 points, and another layup ensured he surpassed the mark.

When James reached the history-making number, L.A. fans jumped to their feet. Amid a subsequent timeout, a brief ceremony was held, and a video commemorating some of James’ achievements, “LeBron James ‘Scoring King’ Career Mixtape,” was played at the venue.

The player with four NBA championships on his resume said it was a “special” moment when he looked toward his daughter, 9-year-old Zhuri, as he realized he made history with the first layup.

“My daughter was just clapping, and you know like pumping her arms up in the air,” James said during a postgame news conference. “So that was a super cool moment. Blew her a kiss, she blew one back to me.”

James finished the game with 26 points, but the night’s glow was fleeting, as the Lakers fell 114-124 after the defending champions went on a 9-point run late in the fourth.

James’ presence on the hardwood wasn’t a certainty Saturday night.

On Friday, the NBA echoed a report by LakersNation.com stating that the Lakers had listed James as questionable for the Nuggets game because of pain and swelling in his left ankle. But James has been known to play, and play well, regardless of how he’s listed.

Lakers fans basked in another James high mark, but play for his home state’s Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as for the Miami Heat, contributed to his career total.

With another milestone, his 40th birthday, coming later this year, James’ superlative performances have come amid what is retirement age for almost any pro athlete.

In February, James became the first NBA player to start in 20 All-Star games, this year as captain of the West. He scored 8 points in a self-limited 14 minutes of play as the East prevailed 211-186.

“The most important thing for me is definitely my health,” James said at the time.

He’s played more minutes than any other NBA player, past or present, and upon his expected return next season, he’ll match Vince Carter, eight-time All-Star and retired Toronto Raptors guard-forward, for most seasons: 22.

But despite the plethora of accomplishments, he still has professional goals.

James has said he wants to play in the NBA with his sons, University of Southern California combo guard Bronny , a college freshman, and Sierra Canyon School shooting guard Bryce, a high school sophomore.

On Feb. 7, 2023, James scored his 38,388th point  in a home game against the Oklahoma Thunder, surpassing former Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 points. The achievement elevated him to the all-time top scorer position.

After Thursday’s Lakers win over the Washington Wizards 134-131 in overtime, James suggested reaching 40,000 is another metaphorical offspring of his career — precious, but not nearly as significant as his firstborn, besting Abdul-Jabbar’s total.

“No one has ever done it,” he said of scoring 40,000 career points at the postgame news conference on Thursday. “For me to be in this position at this point in time in my career, I think it’s pretty cool. Does it sit at the top of the things I’ve done in my career? No. Does it mean something? Of course. Absolutely. Why wouldn’t it?”

Remaining the league’s all-time points leader isn’t guaranteed.

Among today’s top 10 career scorers, there’s only one other active player — Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns — who had 38,113 points through Friday and, at 35, may have plenty of points ahead.

A number of younger players may be building a challenge to James’ record as the world considers his legacy, as well.

Slovenian forward-guard Luka Dončić of the Dallas Mavericks was the 2023-24 season’s leading scorer. On Christmas night, a 3-pointer against the Phoenix Suns pushed him past 10,000 career NBA points. On Wednesday, he turned 25.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 25; the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, 29; the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell Jr., 27; and Durant completed the list of the season’s top-five scorers.

On Thursday, James’ 31-point performance helped the Lakers prevail against the Wizards, and it got him within nine points of the 40,000 points mark.

At the postgame news conference, James noted that he still has the job of all-time scorer, and he made it clear he will defend his fortress of points.

“It was never a goal of mine when I came into the league, like I wanted to be the all-time leading scorer,” he said.

“But I’m still playing, so...” he said, trailing off.

“It’s going to continue to go up,” he said of his career total, “until I’m done playing.”

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

LeBron James becomes first NBA player to score 40,000 points

Robbie Griffiths

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James looks toward fans after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. Mark J. Terrill/AP hide caption

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James looks toward fans after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

Basketball star LeBron James became the first NBA player to reach 40,000 career regular-season points on Saturday. James, 39, said he was proud to reach the milestone, but described the game as "bittersweet", as his Los Angeles Lakers lost 124-114 to the defending NBA champions the Denver Nuggets.

"Being the first player to do something, it's pretty cool in this league, just knowing the history, the greats that's come through the league, and then you see some of the greats on the floor tonight, it was great to compete," said James, who scored 26 points on the night.

"But for me, the main thing, as always, is to win, and I hated that it had to happen in a defeat." James has achieved the feat in 1,475 regular-season games, reaching double-digit points in each of the last 1,205 of those.

James also talked about the intense pressure that has been on him since he started as a young player over 20 years ago. "For the first time in a long time, I've seen the commercial that was played before my first game," James said. "I think they mentioned all the greats to ever play the game of basketball, like Big O and Michael and Kareem and Kobe, and forgot who all else was in that commercial. And then it was like, 'the next one, LeBron James.'

"I didn't see that commercial when it happened, but when I was watching it today, I was like what the hell? That expectation on an 18-year-old kid like that, that was insane to think about."

Why Lebron James has excelled for so long

Last February, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's previous record of 38,387 NBA career points, which had stood since 1989. James is also a great passer of the basketball. He is fourth in career assists with 10,847, with a high average of 7.35 per game.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles the ball as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. Yannick Peterhans/AP hide caption

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles the ball as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles.

James said most people didn't imagine he would break 40,000 points when he started out in the game. "There's just certain things that you just don't think that's going to happen," he said. "I guess for years people said Kareem's record wouldn't be broken. I was able to eclipse it. But like I said, you have to have some really good luck, you have to play the game at a high level for a long time, and then we see."

"I come to work and prepare and prep, mentally, physically, spiritually every single night when it's time to play, and I just try to go out and contribute," he said. "Been able to do it for 20-plus years, including this year. When I come on the floor and feel pretty good, I feel I can make plays.

"Still able to do the things that I was doing 10 years ago. And some things I was doing 20 years ago, which is weird to say."

It is likely to be a long time until James's record is broken. Of current active NBA players, Kevin Durrant has the second highest total of regular-season points scored over his career, with 28,372. The 35-year-old is expected to retire long before troubling James's total.

On top of the regular NBA season, James has also played 3 1/2 seasons worth of games in the playoffs, en route to four titles in 10 NBA Finals appearances. Throughout his career, he has largely avoided major injuries.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who worked with James at the Cleveland Cavaliers, paid tribute to the player's incredible career. "I remember being in Cleveland, him being in the weight room with our weight and strength coaches, and there's no way he's doing what he's doing at this stage of his career if he is not putting a ton of time into his body, his diet, his sleep, all those things that really matter," Malone said before the game.

• LeBron James

LeBron James becomes first NBA player to reach 40,000 points

The LA Lakers forward reached the milestone in his 21st season in the NBA, but termed it ‘bittersweet’ as it came in a loss against Denver Nuggets.

LeBron James has become the first NBA player to reach 40,000 career points, scoring on a driving layup in LA Lakers’ home game against the Denver Nuggets.

James became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader more than a year ago when he passed former Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 7, 2022. Abdul-Jabbar had 38,387 points over 20 seasons.

Keep reading

‘in gaza, football is the only escape’: palestine star mahmoud wadi on war, girona: from defeating napoleon to dreaming of ruling spanish football, nagham abu samra: palestine karate champion, victim of israel’s war on gaza, ‘basketball mecca’: fiba world cup passion spikes in co-hosts philippines.

James entered Saturday’s game with a career average of 27.1 points per game over 1,474 contests in 21 NBA seasons.

Needing nine points to reach his latest milestone, the Akron, Ohio, native had five points on 2-of-3 shooting in the first quarter.

James cut to the basket for a layup to open the second quarter then reached the 40,000 mark when he drove past the Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr with a spin then made a left-handed layup with 10:39 remaining in the second quarter.

He called the historic effort “bittersweet” as it came in a losing cause. James finished with 26 points, but the Lakers lost to the Nuggets 124-114.

“Being the first player to do something, it’s pretty cool in this league ‘cause you just know the history, you know the grace that has come through the league,” James said after the game.

“But the main thing is always the main thing and that’s the win. And I hated that had to happen in a defeat, especially versus a team that plays extremely well.

“We played some good basketball but wasn’t able to close it out, so bittersweet, but I enjoyed every moment though, while on the floor.”

Congrats to @KingJames of the @Lakers for becoming the first player ever to score 40,000 career points! pic.twitter.com/gShSHPICS8 — NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2024

James is a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player as well as the league’s oldest active player, now in his 21st campaign.

The 39-year-old has been on a scoring surge of late, with an average of 30.8 points over his previous four games. James entered the game averaging 25.3 points per game this season with 7.1 rebounds and 7.9 assists.

He scored the first points of his career as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 29, 2003, against the Sacramento Kings. He reached 10,000 points in February 2008 and hit 20,000 points in January 2013. James made his 30,000th point in January 2018.

“Just happy for him. It was a hell of an accomplishment,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “Wish we could have got the win to cap it off. But my hat’s off to him. Amazing, amazing run that continues to this day.”

The crowd gave James a standing ovation during a timeout and the ball James used for the milestone hoop was removed from the game.

Watch CBS News

LeBron James becomes the first NBA player to score 40,000 points

Updated on: March 2, 2024 / 9:34 PM EST / AP

LeBron James reached 40,000 regular season points Saturday night, still going strong in his 21st NBA season as he tries to put the career scoring record out of reach.

James drove past Michael Porter Jr. and hit a layup with 10:39 left in the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Denver Nuggets for the historic basket.

James received a standing ovation at the next timeout, while coach Darvin Ham gave him a congratulatory pat on the chest. There was an in-arena video presentation, which was preceded and followed by James raising the ball over his head.

James shot an airball on his first attempt of the night but responded by getting out in transition for a layup for his first points and prompting the Nuggets to use their first timeout. He then knocked down a corner 3-pointer before subbing out with 3:19 left in the first quarter.

James checked back in to start the second quarter, attacking the basket 14 seconds into the period to set up the historic basket.

James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's mark of 38,387 points to become the league's leading scorer on Feb. 7, 2023, against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He reached 39,000 points on Nov. 21 in an In-Season Tournament game against the Utah Jazz.

Ham was a young fan when Abdul-Jabbar was finishing out his career and assumed the record would never be challenged, let alone surpassed in the way James has.

"But here we are," Ham said before the game. "It's a testament to Bron, just the time and resources he spends on himself, making sure not only he is healthy but he's healthy at a high level."

James, 39, has also played the second-most regular season and most playoff minutes in league history. He is the only NBA player with at least 10,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone spent five seasons with James as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-10 and remains in awe of how he is able to still play at such a high level.

"I don't get caught up in the number per se, but you just have to marvel at the continued greatness," Malone said.

"Just to do what he's doing at this stage of his career, and it doesn't appear like he's slowing down at all, which is even scarier. Really, when you take a step back, you just have to marvel at the longevity. But he's just not playing at this. He is playing effectively."

• LeBron James
• Los Angeles Lakers

More from CBS News

Mass kidnappings show Nigerian officials have lost control, expert says

Dazzling Webb telescope images reveal "ghostly glow" of newborn stars

Convicted killer says his lover had no part in murder of her husband

Chelsea Peretti on her directorial debut in "First Time Female Director"