Player Bio

LeBron Raymone James Sr. was born in Akron, Ohio, on Dec. 30, 1984, to Gloria Marie James. He led St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to three state championships and was named the 2003 National High School Player of the Year. James also played football in high school through his junior year but gave up the sport to concentrate on basketball. He launched the LeBron James Family Foundation (https://www.lebronjamesfamilyfoundation.org/) in 2004 with a mission to positively affect the lives of children and young adults "by providing them with the programs, support and mentors they need for success in school and beyond." In July 2018, in partnership with the Akron Public Schools, he opened the I Promise School, a public elementary school in his hometown of Akron, that is aimed at providing a quality education and other resources to at-risk children. He and his Foundation also work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to renovate a local Boys and Girls Club in every All-Star host city each year. In January 2017, James received the NAACP Jackie Robinson Sports Award for his high achievement in athletics and contributions in the pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement. He owns a production company, SpringHill Entertainment, that is named after the public housing complex where James grew up. James was elected vice president of the National Basketball Players Association on Feb. 13, 2015. He has co-authored a book titled Shooting Stars that tells the story of the St. Vincent-St. Mary High School team that overcame adversity to fulfill its dream. James hosted Saturday Night Live on Sept. 29, 2007, and co-hosted the 15th Annual ESPY Awards on July 11, 2007. Learn more by following James on Instagram (@kingjames) and on Twitter (@KingJames). James was a starter for four seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. The team went undefeated in James' freshman season and the superstar provided 21.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest as the Fighting Irish won the Division III state title. The team won the state championship in James' sophomore season as well as he provided per-game averages of 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals. The school moved up to Division II for his junior season, but the team lost in the championship game. James performed well during the campaign, however, and won the Ohio Mr. Basketball award for the second straight season while becoming the first junior to be named Gatorade National Player of the Year. He petitioned the NBA to enter the 2002 Draft, but he was denied. During his senior season, the team traveled throughout the country as the hype train grew. James averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals. He won the Gatorade National Player of the Year and Ohio Mr. Basketball awards for a second consecutive year. He then successfully applied for the 2003 NBA Draft and the Cleveland Cavaliers chose him with the first overall pick.