Colegiul Naional Grigore Moisil

Lucrare de Atestat la
Limba Englez

LeBron James
The Story of a Basketball Super-Star

Profesor coordonator:
Iulia Perju

Elev: Srbu Alexandru-Andrei

Clasa: a XII-a E

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Contents
Foreword......................................................2
Chapter 1 The Early Years.........................3
Chapter 2 The Ascension...........................4
Chapter 3 Rising among the stars.............5
Chapter 4- `The Decision`.........................12
Chapter 5- LeBron the player.....................14
Conclusion.................................................15
Bibliography...............................................16

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Foreword
`I treated it like every day was my last day with a basketball.`
LeBron James

Havent we all dreamed of being a highly valued person that is globaly recognised for its
talents? How many of us are inspired by others will-power, self motivation and patience in
achieveing their goals?
I know I do. And I choose to provide and insight of one of the most well-known basketball
players in the world because of his combination of talent, hard-work and determination that
led him to succes.

Without
question, LeBron
James, the
`protagonist of our
story` , so to speak, is
the most scrutinized
player in NBA
history.

He first arrived on the national scene as a teenage star, leading St. Vincent-St. Mary High
School to multiple state titles, being named Ohio Mr. Basketball three times, and even gracing
the covers of Sports Illustrated and SLAM Magazine before even entering the NBA.

Criticism has followed James throughout his career, the media said that he is not able to raise
his basketball level when faced with critical moments in a game for his disappointing playoff
performances in 2009 and 2010, tore him apart for leaving his hometown NBA team Cavaliers
,where he started his NBA career in 2003 for the Miami Heat in 2010 when he became a free
agent, mocked him for his subpar 2011 NBA Finals performance, and said that he still didn't
have enough after finally claiming the elusive NBA title in 2012.
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But after he won the 2013 title, his second NBA title in a row, he proved that he deserves to
be compared with the likes of Michael Jordan , Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabar and
he has a lot to show us yet until he decides to retire.

Chapter 1
The Early
Years
`When I was 5, some financial things
happened, and I moved seven times
in a year. We moved from apartment
to apartment, sometimes living with
friends. My mom would always say,
'Don't get comfortable, because we
may not be here long.' `
LeBron James

LeBron James was born on December 30,

1984, in Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria James, was only 16 at the time. His biological
father, Anthony McClelland, was an ex-convict uninterested in being a parent. Gloria raised
LeBron on her own, and to this day he goes by her last name.
Life was often a struggle for LeBron and his mother. Gloria battled personal problems during
much of his childhood. Bouncing between retail and accounting jobs, Gloria was never able to
land steady work, and she and LeBron moved from apartment to apartment, sometimes living
at their friends homes. The pair got to know all the seedier neighborhoods of Akron, a city of
more than 200,000 inhabitants located less than a hour south of Cleveland.

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Despite her failings, Gloria worked hard to be a loving mother and shield LeBron from the
poverty and violence of the streets.
From an early age, LeBron showed tremendous instincts for basketball. Gloria gave him a
miniature hoop and ball when he was an infant, and he amused himself for hours each day
with the toys. LeBron also had the genes necessary to spawn a long-limbed basketball
phenom. Though Gloria stands only 5-5, she has relatives who are much taller.
The strain of the Jameses nomadic lifestyle began to take its toll when LeBron entered
elementary school. Embarrassed by his home life, he didnt make friends easily. And thought
he wanted to do well in school, focusing on his studies was difficult. He found an outlet for
his emotions and intelligence in sports. Basketball and football were his favorites.
By now LeBron had developed into a superb athlete. In addition to his natural speed,
quickness and strength, he could think his way around the court. His hero was Michael
Jordan, and he patterned his game after his idols.
In football, LeBron usually played receiver. He scored 19 touchdowns in six games in his first
year of Pee Wee football. His coach was Frankie Walker, a man who would soon have a
profound effect on his life. After the season ended, Walker began hearing stories that his
young star, now a fourth-grader, was missing school on a regular basis. He soon discovered
that LeBron had all but dropped out. Walker confronted Gloria, who admitted that her son
needed a more stable living environment. They agreed that Lebron should move in with
Walker and his family.
`They made me get up every day and go to school. There were days I didn't want to go to
school. Being part of a family, a mom-and-dad surrounding you had a brother and you had
two sisters it was an unbelievable experience for me at a young age. It opened my eyes up
to become what I am today, why I act the way I am today.`
LeBron quickly took to his new surroundings. Walker and his wife, Pam, had three kids,
Chanelle, Frankie Jr. and Tanesha. Everyone in the household, including LeBron, was
responsible for daily chores. The structure did wonders for him. As a fifth grader, he received
his schools attendance award.
Walker also had a positive impact on Lebrons basketball. Among other things, he taught the
youngster how to shoot with his left hand.
After 18 months of living separately from her son, Gloria took him back. But when financial
problems arose, LeBron returned to the Walkers. Eventually they worked out an arrangement
to help Gloria pay her rent. Walker and his wife wanted to ensure that LeBron always had a
place in the Akron area he could call home.
For LeBron, another advantage of living with the Walkers was his friendship with Frankie Jr.
The two ran with four other boysSian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, Willie McGee and Romeo
Travis. Together they formed a terrific team on the basketball court. On Sunday nights they
gathered at the Akron Jewish Community Center, where Keith Dambrot, the former head
coach at Central Michigan University, put them through their paces.
LeBron and Dru, who played point guard, became extremely close friends.
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Chapter 2 The Ascension

It didn't take long for LeBron and his crew to gain recognition around Akron. They learned
the fundamentals of basketball from Dambrot and developed tremendous chemistry with one
another. Literally and figuratively, LeBron was head-and-shoulders above his friends. By the
eighth grade he was six feet tall, could play all five positions and had a sixth sense for the
game.
Calling themselves the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars, LeBron and his palscoached by
Joyces fathermade a splash on the national scene in 1997 by qualifying for the Under/6th
Grade AAU (Amateur Athletic
Union) National Championships
in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two
years later they went all the way
to the AAU Under/8th Grade
final, in Orlando, Florida. The
Shooting Stars won their first
five games to set up a
showdown with the Southern
California All-Stars. They lost a
heartbreaker, 68-66, but LeBron
was the big story with his
sparkling play.

By then LeBron, Joyce, Cotton

and McGeethe selfproclaimed "Fab Four"had
arrived at a decision. They were a package deal, and pledged to continue their hoops careers
together. The foursome settled on Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School, a parochial school
in downtown Akron. Best known for its tradition of academic excellence, SVSM was about to
establish a new legacy, with LeBron leading the way.
With LeBron and Maverick Carter (his cousin and an all-state senior) headlining a talented
team, the Fighting Irish posted a perfect 27-0 record and captured the state championship, the
schools first since 1984. LeBron averaged just under 20 points, shot better than 50 percent
from the field and was among the team leaders in rebounds, assists and steals. His instincts
were amazing considering his age, and he demonstrated that intangible quality of making
everyone else on the court better. Rumor had it that IMG, the Cleveland-based representation
firm, was already putting out feelers to him.

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The summer after his freshman

season saw LeBron continue to
improve. But the biggest change
came off the court, where he grew
nearly four inches, to 6-7. LeBron
now looked more like a man than a
boy.
As LeBron prepared for the
basketball season, word began to
spread that SVSM had a bona fide
phenom on its hands. Expecting a
huge crowd for their 2000-01 season opener, the Fighting Irish scheduled the game at the
University of Akrons James A. Rhodes Arena. Some 5,000 fans packed the house. LeBron
paced SVSM to an easy victory, and the team rolled from there.

For the year LeBron averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists being named the
MVP of the tournament. He also increased his proficiency from 3 point range, connecting on
39 percent of his treys. Named an All-American, LeBron became the first sophomore in Ohio
history to be voted the states Mr. Basketball.

Chapter 3 Rising among the

stars
LeBron began the summer after his sophomore year in Colorado Springs at the USA
Basketball Development Festival. The first underclassman ever invited to the camp, he broke
the festival scoring record with 120 points in five games and was named MVP.
At his next stop, adidass ABCD
Camp at Fairleigh-Dickinson
University in New Jersey, LeBron
officially arrived on the national
scene. Going into the week, the
player attracting the most attention
was Lenny Cooke, a 6-8 forward
from New York.
Cooke, who was planning to enter
the NBA draft, was completely
overshadowed by LeBron, who
took control of the camp. With a
camera crew from ESPNs The
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Life following his every move and college and pro scouts looking on, he flashed his full
offensive arsenal and played suffocating defense. But what blew away everyone were
LeBrons passing skills. Up until this point, most had labeled him the next Jordan. Now
comparisons to Magic Johnson started.
Still, at times during the camp, LeBron seemed almost bored by the competition, and his
focus wavered. It was when challenged that he shone brightest. He first turned heads in a
featured game for underclassmen. The contests MVP, he tallied 22 points, seven assists and
four rebounds. Later he matched up against Cooke in a showdown anticipated by everyone at
the camp. Cooke tried to set the tone on an early possession, dribbling between his legs
several times before nailing a 3-pointer. But LeBron got the last laugh. He hit for 24 points,
held Cooke to just nine, and drilled a 25-footer at the buzzer to deliver a last-second victory.
Michael Jordan invited LeBron to join him in an exclusive workout, where he scrimmaged
against the likes of Antoine Walker, Michael Finley, Juwan Howard and Penny Hardaway.
LeBron struck up a friendship with Walker, a product of Chicagos Mt. Carmel basketball
factory, and still counts him among his most trusted advisors.
In the meantime, Kobe Bryant, hoping to lure the teenager to adidas, gave him a special pair
of sneakers decorated with American flags and ,while in Cleveland to play the Cavs, Shaquille
ONeal caught one of LeBrons games at the JAR Arena.

Among those who believed LeBrons game didnt need much tinkering was Cavaliers coach
John Lucas. He had seen him in an AAU tournament the previous summer, and got to know
him personally because LeBron often hung out at Clevelands Gund Arena. Ignoring NBA
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rules, Lucas invited the 17-year-old to an informal workout with the Cavs. LeBron impressed
with dunks over Jumaine Jones and Chris Mihm, but again it was his ability to see the court
and make pinpoint passes that attracted the most oohs and aahs.
The practice session earned Lucas a $150,000 fine from the NBA and got him suspended for
two games. But he felt he got off cheap. Watching LeBron up close and personal was more
than worth the penalties handed down by the league.
circus the teenagers life had becomenot that everyone, including LeBron, wasnt
participating in the spectacle. SVSM struck a deal to broadcast all 10 of its home games
throughout northeast Ohio on pay-per-view at $7.95 a pop. ESPN2 agreed to televise the
schools December contest against Oak Hill. Season-ticket packages for the Fighting Irish at
the JAR Arena soared to $125.
At this stage of the game. it was becoming rather obvious to just about everyone who knew
LeBron that he would soon be playing in the NBAand probably bypass college.
LeBrons birthday in December. Among those who wished a happy 18th to him were Allen
Iverson and Jerome Bettis. But problems soon developed. To celebrate her sons birthday,
Gloria secured a bank loan and bought him a Hummer H2 (base price $50,000), complete
with three televisions. The gift caused a huge controversy. SVSM and the Ohio High School
Athletic Association considered suspending LeBron. The media, meanwhile, launched a
national debate that questioned him, his mother and the wisdom of foregoing college for the
riches of the NBA.
By playing in more than one all-star game, LeBron sealed his fate and made himself eligible
for the NBA draft, which became known as the "LeBron Lottery."

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Among the teams hoping for a

lucky bounce of the ping-pong
ball were Cleveland, Denver,
Memphis and Toronto. Some even
suggested that the Cavs dealt
Andre Miller knowing the trade
would weaken their club and thus
improve their chances of landing
the ultimate hometown hero in the
draft. If that was indeed the teams
strategy, it worked. Cleveland got
the top pick and grabbed LeBron.
Though his contract with the Cavs
was slotted in by the leagues
rookie salary structure, he had no
worries about money. In fact,
estimates put his endorsement
deals (with the likes of Nike,
Coca-Cola and Upper Deck) at
$100 million.
The lights glared, the expectations
rose and the pressure intensified in
LeBrons first season with the
Cavs. Of course, he had been
performing under similar
conditions most of his life. But he
was also cashing a paycheck every couple of weeks and taking mega-dollar endorsement fees
to the bank for the first time. Critics were concerned that this windfall might rob LeBron of
perspective and hinder his ascent to the stratosphere
of pro hoops.
But the teenager remained focused. A team player
from the opening of training camp, he averaged 21
points, six assists and more than five rebounds per
game. In turn, he helped lift Cleveland from cellardweller to playoff contender. The Cavs ended the
season at 35-47, a marked improvement over the
previous years performance.

LeBron was the number one reason for the team's

turnaround. After getting his feet wet early in
November, he strung together 11 games with
double-digit scoring, and finished the month with a
33-point, 16-rebound effort against the Memphis
Grizzlies. LeBron continued his fine play through
December and January, then suited up in the Rookie

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Challenge Game during the All-Star Weekend. He led the newcomers with 33 points, but the
sophs won the contest behind Amare Stoudemire.
Heading down the stretch in '04when many rookies hit the proverbial wallLeBron played
perhaps his best ball of the year. In late March against the New Jersey Nets, he exploded for
41 points and 13 assists in a 107-104 victory. He posted two more double-doubles in Apri.
Those types of performances stayed in voters' minds when it came time for Rookie of the Year
balloting. Though Carmelo Anthony also had a big season, LeBron beat out his buddy and
walked away with the hardware. Along the way, he also accepted an invitation to represent the
U.S. on the 2004 Olympic mens basketball team.

At 19, LeBron was the youngest member of the squad in Greece. Again, he displayed the type
of dignity and class that veterans twice his age are
known for. While Melo was complaining about his
lack of playing time, he kept quiet and did whatever
coach Larry Brown asked of him. This was saying a
lot on the dysfunctional American squad. In a
frustrating couple of weeks in Athens, the Dream
Teamers could do no better than the bronze. Angry
fans back home complained that the U.S. was nothing
more than a collection of spoiled superstars who didn't
understand the team concept.
During his 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons LeBron
kept on improving his game. At the '06 All-Star Game,
he scored 29 points and took home MVP honors as the
East gained a 122 120 victory. Under new coach Mike
Brown, Cleveland won 50 games and finished second
in the NBA Central. The team played consistently all
year, putting together winning streaks of six, seven,
eight and nine games. Veterans Snow and Ilgauskus
were solid contributors, but it was LeBron who made
the difference in a season that looked like it might be
headed down the tubes after newly acquired scorer Larry Hughes missed more than half year
to a broken finger. For his efforts, LeBron was honored as the runner-up to Steve Nash in the
NBA MVP voting.
In the playoffs, the Cavaliers locked horns in an epic battle with Gilbert Arenas and the
Washington Wizards. In his first postseason game, LeBron notched a triple-double, and then
missed by one rebound in Game 2 of repeating this feat. In Game 3, he hit for 41 points.
After four games, the series was tied at 2-2. The Cavs showed their mettle by finishing off the
Wizards with a pair of one-point overtime wins. LeBron averaged 35.7 pointsthe most ever
for a non-center in his first postseason series.
Clevelands magical run continued in the next round against Detroit. After dropping the first
two games to the Pistons in the Palace, the Cavs tightened their D and squeezed out three
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straight victories to throw the

defending conference champs back
on their heels. But Cleveland blew a
chance to finish the Pistons off at
home, and ended up losing the series
in seven games.
The Pistons really got it right in the
finale, shutting down the Cleveland
offense and holding them to a
record-low 61 points (for a Game 7).
Early in the contest, LeBron was
smoking, hitting 10 of 15 field goals
in the first half. But the Pistons held
him to one bucket in final 24
minutes to win 79-61. After the
game, even LeBron had to admit that it was a masterful defensive performance.

With Hughes healthy and the core of the team returning for 2006-07, the Cavs set their sights
on a conference championship and trip to the NBA Finals. The defending champion Heat
were older and injured, so the East looked wide open as the playoffs neared. LeBrons
numbers dipped slightly coming out of the All-Star break, but his impact on games was
undiminished. The Cavs, meanwhile, were among the top teams in the conference. At home,
they were playing .750 ball.

Overall, LeBrons numbers were down slightly coming out of the All-Star break, but his
impact on games was undiminished. The Cavs, meanwhile, were among the top teams in the
conference, including a .750 winning percentage at home.
LeBron finished the year averaging 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.6 steals. He
was just getting his motor revved for the Cavs first-round meeting with the Wizards. With
Arenas sidelined for the series, it was little more than a tune-up for Cleveland. LeBron led his
team to a sweep, getting more involved on the boards and in playmaking than during the
regular season. No one noticed, but he was laying the groundwork for a dominant do-it-all
postseason.
Against the Nets in the second round, Jason Kidds experience and leadership were not
enough to lift New Jersey out of the swamps. The Cavs took three of the first four and closed
out the seriesin six games. Game 4 was the key. LeBron netted 30
Cleveland faced a much sterner test in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons.
Detroit was an experienced, battle-hardened club that had already demonstrated it knew how
to stop a one-man show like the Cavs. Or so it seemed after the first two games, which Detroit
won by identical scores of 7976.

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In the closing seconds of

Game 1, LeBronwith
just 10 points in the
scoring columnhad a
chance to tie the game but
instead passed to Donyell
Marshall, who missed a
wide-open shot.
So at the end of Game 2,
with a chance to win,
LeBron took a spinning
shot with Richard
Hamilton hanging all over
him and missed. Hughes
grabbed the rebound and
missed, and Anderson Varejao missed a follow-up tip. The Pistons controlled the ball and sank
a pair of foul shots to widen their margin to three points.
A dispassionate observer could easily have interpreted LeBrons late-game decision-making
as the misguided thinking of a young star. In truth, he was maturing before the NBAs eyes.
With the Cavs all but written off, LeBron found his extra gear, and the Pistons were totally
unprepared to stop him.
The Cavaliers were certain they could win three straight after dropping two, but could they
close out the Pistons with that elusive fourth victory? LeBron and his teammates took it one
game at a time. Cleveland captured Game 3 and then Game 4. In both contests, LeBron was
money at crunch time. He scored 12 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 and 13 in the final stanza
of Game 4. With Detroit keying on LeBron, young Daniel Gibson made back-breaking plays
in both victories.
The entire Cleveland team was brimming with confidence at the start of Game 5. Both sides
anticpated a war. The fans at the palace in Auburn Hills were expecting a victory. What they
got was an epic performance from LeBron, who took command in the fourth quarter. LeBron
scored 10 of Clevelands last 11 points to knot the score at 90 after 48 minutes.
When the Pistons gave LeBron an outside shot, he drilled it. When they came out to meet
him, he exploded past one, two and three defenders for layups and dunks. In the two
overtimes that followed, Lebron outscored the Pistons singlehandedly 1917, including the
winning basket on a layup with less than three seconds on the clock. He finished with 48
points, including Clevelands last 25 and 29 of the teams final 30.
The 109107 loss humbled the Pistons. Back in Cleveland for Game 6, they focused so much
attention on LeBron that they forgot about the rest of the Cavs. LeBronnetted just 20 points,
but Gibson went wild with a career-high 31 to lead a second-half surge that cemented a 9882
victory and the franchise's first trip to the NBA Finals.
Alas, Clevelands remarkable run came to an end against the Spurs in the NBA Finals. The
matchups were not pretty against San Antonio. Tim Duncan outclassed the Cavs' frontline,
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Tony Parker cut the Cleveland defense to

ribbons, and the San Antonio defense
forced LeBron into tough shots. The Cavs
led in only one game in the second half,
and that moment was fleeting. The Spurs
swept them in four.

Playing the 200708 season as the team

to beat in the East was a new experience
for Cleveland. LeBron responded with
another magnificent season. In February,
he reached the 10,000-point plateau just
59 days after his 23rd birthday. That
made him the youngest player ever to hit
five figures. A few days later. he passed
Brad Daugherty to become the
franchises all-time leading scorer.
LeBron averaged an even 30 points with
7.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists. The Cavs went 4537 to earn a #4 seed in the playoffs.
In the playoffs, the Cavs defeated Washington for a third straight year, but fell to the newly
reloaded Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals in seven games. The finale was a classic,
as LeBron and his buddy Paul Pierce filled it up for their respective teams. It was a throwback
for those who had witnessed Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins duel in the 1988 playoffs.
LeBrons 45 points were not enough to overcome Bostons timely rebounding and clutch
shooting, and the Cavs lost 9792.
Up next for LeBron were the 2008 Olympics and a spot on the so-called Redeem
Team. Though he was on the roster during Team USAs 2004 debacle, he was not given the
chance to be a difference-maker. Now he and Kobe Bryant were charged with bringing home
the gold.

They did exactly thatin dominant fashion. The Americans

werent really challenged until the gold medal game against
Spain. Up by just four points in the fourth quarter, the U.S.
turned it on and won going away. LeBron starred throughout
the tournament. Embracing Mike Krzyzewski's team-first
philosophy, he did whatever was asked of him. LeBron dug in
on the defensive end, gave up the ball on the fast break and
took over the socring burden whenever necessary. He
celebrated his first meaningful championship since high school
like a teenager.
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Back in Cleveland, the Cavs looked to LeBron to lead them in 2008-09 and he didin points,
rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. The team gelled well around him, and the Cavsobliterated
their old record of 57 wins, finishing with 66, the NBAs top victory total. In 81 games,
LeBron averaged 28.4 points, 7.2 assists and 7.6 rebounds. His shooting average improved to
a career-best 48.9%.
When the MVP voting came in, no one was surprised when LeBron walked off with the award
for the first time. He also was named to the All-Defensive First Team for the first time, plus
All-NBA First Team for the second season in a row.
The Cavs appeared to be unchallenged in their quest for a return to the NBA Finals. In the
opening round of the playoffs, LeBron was literally unstoppable. He averaged 32 points, 11
rebounds and seven assists in a four-game sweep of the Pistons. In the waning moments of
Game 4, Detroit fans were chanting, "MVP! MVP!"
The Hawks put up a better fight in the next series, but again, no one on the court could deal
with LeBron. In the third game of a second straight sweep, LeBron torched Atlanta for 47
points.
Cleveland's dream season came to a screeching halt against the Orlando Magic, a team that
was inferior on paper but matched up very well. LeBron scored 49 in Game 1, but he suffered
leg cramps in the fourth quarter as Orlando squeezed out a 107106 win. LeBron came back
with a game-winning three-pointer to take Game 2 and knot the series.
In Florida, the Magic won a brutal contest by 10 points. LeBron scored 41, but he shot poorly,
doing most of his damage from the foul line. Game 4 was another classic battle, this one
going to overtime. By this time, Orlando had figured out Clevelands defense. They forced the
Cavs to double Dwight Howard, which left their perimeter shooters open. When they chased
the shooters, Howard had his way with the Cleveland big men. He scored 10 points in OT to
give the Magic a 116114 win and an insurmountable lead in the series. Howard was
dominant again in Game 5, scoring 40 to LeBrons 25. The game was decided in the first half.
The Cavs had to make up 18 points in the final two quarters and never launched much of a
run. After the final buzzer, LeBron hurried into the locker room without congratulating the
Magic. Many felt he was being a poor sport.
The Cavs responded to their lack of authority in the paint by bringing in Shaquille ONeal for
200910. Cleveland had another great season, winning 61 games. LeBron had another lightsout campaign as well, averaging 27.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists. Once again, the
Cavs entered the postseason as the odds-on favorite to reach the NBA Finals where,
presumably, LeBron and Kobe Bryant would face off in an epic championship battle.
Cleveland handled the young and talented Bulls in five games. There was concern among
Cavs fans, however, as LeBrons right elbow began to ach. In Game 5, a narrow 9694
victory over Chicago, he actually shot his final free throw left-handed. Fortunately, Antawn
Jamison picked up the scoring slack, and LeBron led the team in assists and rebounds. He had
never had a problem with the elbow before.
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The injury was a big issue against the Celtics in the next round. The Cavs needed their entire
team to answer the call against the experienced Boston lineup. The teams split the first four
games, which made Game 5 a "statement game." Unfortuantely, the Cavs folded in a shocking
12088 loss. They went nearly as quietly in Game 6. Cleveland simply couldnt buy a bucket
in the second half. Ironically, the series loss once again came down to a deficiency in the
middle. No one could contain Kevin Garnetta stunning development, given that KG had
looked like half a player as he limped through most of the regular season.

LeBron, who had been criticized for his seemingly indifferent performance in Game 5,
showed up and played hard in Game 6. He led his team with 27 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists
and three steals. As he walked off the parquet floor among the celebrating Boston players,
LeBron realized that this might never wear a Cleveland uniform again. He felt awful that he
was unable to bring a championship to his home state.

Chapter 4- `The Decision`

Almost immediately, sports fans began the great guessing game: Who would sign LeBron? As
the July 1 signing period neared, it was all anyone could talk about. To create some semblance
of order from the media chaos, LeBron announced that he would tell fans where he was
signing live on ESPN the evening of July 8th. Everyone had a theory where he was headed
New York, Dallas, Cleveland, Miami, New Jersey, Chicagobut after Dwyane Wade and
Chirs Bosh signed with the Heat, it began to look like he was headed to South Beach. The
three friends made no secret of the fact that they had engineered their contracts to elapse at the
same time, and they had talked about playing together then.

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Still, the decision was not an easy one. LeBron would wake up one morning thinking he
would go to one club, then wake up the next and change his mind. The morning of the "Big
Reveal," he woke up, had a conversation with his mother, and then made his final choice. That
night, he confirmed what was becoming clearer and clearer: LeBron would create a new Big
Three in Miami.
Miamis starting five for most of the 201011 season was the Big Three plus center Zydrunas
Ilgauskus and guard Carlos Arroyo, with James Jones and Mario Chalmers seeing plenty of
time in substitute roles. For long stretches of games, LeBron functioned as a point forward,
logging several double-digit assist performance and leading the team in that category by more
than 200 assists.
From late November to early
January, the Heat dropped just
one of 22 games to take a
commanding lead in the
Southeast Division. Erik
Spoelstra guided the team to a
5824 record, third-best in the
league and just behind the
Bulls in the East. LeBron
scored more than 2,000 points
for the seventh year in a row
and led the team in points,
steals, and defensive rebounds.
He finished second in the NBA
with a 26.7 scoring average

Page 17

and was third in the MVP voting. The Big Three was good for 60 points and 20 rebounds
pretty much every night.
All eyes were on LeBron as the playoffs began. Nothing short of the NBA Finals would be
acceptable, and once there the expectation was that Miami had a superior team to anyone in
the West. LeBron and his teammates took care of business in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
They scored easy five-game victories over the 76ers, Celtics and Bulls. They faced the Dallas
Mavericks in the Finals.
The Heat split two close games at home to open the series. LeBron played well at both ends of
the court in a Game 1 victory, but he was conspicuous by his absence in the fourth quarter of
Game 2. The rest of the series played out in similar fashion. LeBron put a lot of pressure on
himself and fell out of synch with his teammates at crucial moments. He seemed to be focused
on passing instead of scoring, which was fine with Dallas. His points per game plunged below
20. Miami won Game 3 to lead briefly take the series lead, but Dallas found an extra gear and
won the final three games to capture the championship.
After a labor dispute pushed the 2011-12 season opener back to Christmas, the Heat got down
to business. Great players learn as much from their mistakes as they do from their triumphs,
and LeBron was determined to be at his best from opening night to the final game of the
postseason. To Wades credit, the longtime Miami leader stepped back and encouraged
LeBron to be the man in key situations. Bosh, a smart and talented player, filled in around
these two as needed.
Although the faces were essentially the same, it was a very different Heat club that entered the
2012 playoffs with a division-best 4620 record. LeBron upped his scoring average to 27.1
points per game and topped Miamiin rebounds and assists. He also played spectacular defense
some nights shutting down shooting guards and othernights outmaneuvering centers. It was
a year that convinced many doubters that LeBron had matured into the player that everyone
believed he would one day become. He was an easy pick for MVP his third award in four
seasons.
The second seed in the Eats
behind the Bulls, the HEat
drew the Knicks in round one
of the playoffs. They made
quick work of the New
Yorkers, taking the first three
games and finishing them off
in five. LeBron was the teams
top scorer in four of the five
contests. Next came the
Indiana Pacers. Indiana put a
scare in Miami by taking
Games 2 and 3. But LeBron
dropped 40 on the Pacers in
Game 4 to even the series, and
the Heat went on to win in six
games.
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In the Eastern Conference Finals, Miami faced Boston. The Celtics looked exhausted after a
7-game battle with the young 76ers. The Heat won the first two games, prompting Miami fans
to predict a sweep. Instead, the Celtics came alive and took three straight to push the Heat to
the brink. Playing Game 6 in Boston, LeBron authored what may be the defining performance
of his career, as he scored 45 and led his team to a 20-point win. Back in Miami, LeBron had
31 point and a dozen rebounds to pace Miamis 10188 Game 7 victory. Boston actually led
early in the fourth quarter, but LeBrons thunderous dunkfollowed by a Bosh 3-pointer
gave the Heat the lead for good.
The difference in the Heat from 2011 to 2012 was clear heading into the Finals. When things
got tight, LeBron didnt try to do too much, and he didnt disappear. He let his talent flow at
both ends of the court and provided his team with the best chance possible to win. Even so,
some experts were predicting that the Heat would wilt against the young and energetic
Oklahoma City Thunder. Miami had endured two tough series, Bosh was not 100 percent and,
well, LeBron had a less-than-stellar history in the Finals that was hard to ignore.
These sentiments appeared to be spot-on after the final buzzer sounded on Game 1. The
Thunder scored a 10594 victory behind Kevin Durants 36 points. LeBron was high man for
the Heat with 30 points.
LeBron did not change his game as the series unfolded. Rather, he simply outplayed whoever
was guarding him, and whoever he was guarding. That included Durant, whose lack of body
mass put him at a disadvantage as the series got more and more physical. The Heat tied the
series with a narrow victory in Game 2 and then it was off to the races. They swept the final
three games in Miami to win the championship. LeBron led the Heat in scoring, assists and
rebounds in Games 4 and 5 and was named NBA Finals MVP.
When asked what he was thinking when the last few seconds ticked away on his first
championship, LeBron answered, Its about d**n time!
In the 2013-2014 season Miami Heat ,driven by the talents of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade
and Chris Bosh alongside other key players such as Mario Chalmers, Chris Andersen and
Ray Allen achieved a 66-wins 16-loses record. They managed to achieve a historic 27-game
winning streak, the second longest in NBA history. On June 3, 2013, the Heat defeated
the Indiana Pacers in game seven of theEastern Conference Finals to become the first team
since the Chicago Bulls in 1998 to Three-peat as Eastern Conference champions. The Heat
then defeated the San Antonio Spurs in a thrilling NBA Finals that went the full seven games,
which also echoed the 1997-98 Bulls as they had also been the last Eastern team to repeat as
NBA champions.
All these remarkable achievements were achieved in large part due to LeBrons stellar
performances that outlined him as both a regular season MVP and a NBA Finals MVP.
The Heat swept the Milwaukee Bucks in 4 games with Lebron averaging between 27 and 30
points.The second round ,turned out to be a very physical series that nonetheless turned out in
a 4 to 1 victory for Miami,that defeated the heavily injured Bulls.
In the Conference Finals ,the Heat were faced to the Indiana Pacers and struggled because of
their inferiority in height and rebound power. Roy Hibbert, the Indiana center put a lot of
problems to Heats defense as well as to its offense forcing LeBron and the others to miss
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plenty of shots and lay-ups. But LeBron once again was up to the task and scored in the last
seconds of the first game ,winning a game that turned out to be decisive in a series that went
on with 3 Indiana and 3 Miami wins in which he dragged his team to the finals by being the
highest scorer in all 7 matches ,contributing with 30 ,36, 22, 24, 30, 29 and 32 points.
The Finals also turned out to be an incredible 7 game series in which LeBron showed his
basketball IQ and game maturity ,leading the Heat in points, rebounds and assists and
motivating his teammates in Games 6 and 7 ,in which Miami were forced to win back-to-back
matches in order to once again win the championship.
After a thrilling Game 6 win in over-time where Lebron scored 32 points and a spectacular
display of his talent in Game 7 in which he scored 37 points, he enlisted himself in a select
group of players that managed to win 2 straight titles, once again setting multiple franchise
records.

Chapter 5- LeBron the player

LeBrons quickness and strength are off the charts, his court vision and ball-handling skills
are highly developed, and his rebounding and defense are superb. LeBrons passing ability is
nothing short of extraordinary. He not only sees the whole court but anticipates the movement
of teammates and defenders. LeBron knows he will be double-teamed whenever he gets the
ball, so the first thing he does is look to see where the help is coming from, always thinking
one or even two passes ahead before the second man arrives.

LeBrons willingness to share the ball and get others involved is one of the things coaches
love about him. His unselfishness underscores his innate understanding of basketball and how

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fully he embraces the fundamentals. Of course, when it is time to take charge and make a
momentum-changing statementor score a key buckethe is almost impossible to stop.
When LeBron joined the Heat, the big question was who would take the last-second shot?
After two seasons, that question hasnt been fully answered. LeBron is deadly from long
distance and can beat almost any defender to the basket. What made his hero, Michael Jordan,
so dangerous was that he was a master of the mid-range jumper. This is a shot LeBron has yet
to perfect. Until his post-up game evolves inside 20 feet, he will be a great option for buzzerbeaters, but not the only one the Heat have.
Where does LeBron stand in the pantheon of all-time greats? Few would argue that he has
now earned his way into the Top 10. What makes him hard to rank is that he is such a unique
player. He is capable of playing any position on the court at an All-Star level, both on offense
and defense. No one else in history can claim this distinction.

Conclusion
A player like LeBron James, inspires both children that want to become
professional athletes and children and teenagers who want to embrace a
different domain and shows us why talent and hard-work combined is far more
powerfull than talent alone.
This is summarized in a fellow basketball players quote (Kevin Durant) : Hard work beats talent
when talent fails to work hard.
Not having the appropriate social and financial means , this incredible player
proved that it is important taht you find your talent, work hard to develop it and
never give up.
Throughout his entire career he faced a lot of criticism and plenty difficulties but
he managed to surpass all these obstacles, proving to himself and to others that
even without the support of a father, without a stable financial situation, facing
the constant comparison between himself and other great basketball players who
already had the opportunity to prove themselves ,being blasphemed for leaving
his home contry team etc. he is one of the best basketball players that ever
played this wonderful sport.
So , it is our `duty` to prove ourselves that we have what it takes to be the best
in whatever it is that we enjoy doing ,and that ,no matter what obstacles might
come in our way , we are capable of surpassing them.
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Bibliography
Web Sites:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1680291-2013-nba-finals-where-lebron-jameslegacy-stands-after-2013-title

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1876553-21-people-who-made-lebron-jamesthe-man-he-is-today
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/l/lebron_james.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012%E2%80%9313_Miami_Heat_season
http://espn.go.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/mia/year/2013/seasontype/3/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTeCc8jy7FI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James
http://www.biography.com/people/lebron-james399748#synopsis&awesm=~oDqvT58pwjDYUM
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/182094-cleveland-cavaliers-win-game-two-butorlando-magic-persevere?search_query=lebron%20james
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1598035-why-lebron-james-will-never-surpassmichael-jordan?search_query=lebron%20james
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/734375-lebron-james-and-the-miami-heat-oneof-many-super-teams-to-come-up-short?search_query=lebron%20james

Other sources:
LeBron James: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
by Lew H. Freedman
Ryan Jones: King James. Believe The Hype. The LeBron James Story. St. Martin's
Press, New York 2003

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