Who is Lebron James?

                                                                          Informative Speech

                                                                             Jeremy Hughes

It’s July 8th, 2010, BUZZ! You get an ESPN notification on your phone saying, “Breaking News Lebron James announces he’ll sign with the Miami Heat.” You open up Twitter to see what social media’s reactions are. First thing you see is a video of a Lebron James jersey on fire with the caption saying “F Lebron James” in all caps. This was my point of view from the first minute when Lebron James shocked the world and signed with the Miami Heat.

 

      There are few sportsmen as famous, or as revered, as Lebron James. Considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, he is set to earn an astonishing $41 million during this upcoming season according to Forbes magazine. That makes James comfortably the highest paid basketball player in the world; and for good reason. There has been no player- aside, perhaps, from Michael Jordan - more dominant, more versatile or more intelligent. The consistency of James’ performances since he burst onto the scene with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, as well as his unparalleled marketability, has taken him to the top of the NBA. At the age of 36, he remains as athletic as ever and continues to average remarkably high in rebounds, assists, and steals. His list of awards and honors is seemingly endless. James' reputation has been enhanced, too, by his various interests away from the court. What can this man not do? James is everything from a donor to a businessman, as is made clear on his website, lebronjames.com. He established the Lebron James Family in Foundation in 2004 to help single-parent families and has, throughout his career, actively supported a number of non-profit organizations. He has starred in movies like Trainwreck and Space Jam, hosting awards shows, and co-owns the production company SpringHill Entertainment. Along with reputable contracts with Nike and Coca-Cola, and investments in businesses such as Blaze Pizza, James is currently drowning in money! It is little wonder that his net worth, as of August 2021, was $850 million, according to Forbes magazine. But, success did not come easily for James.

 

       Born in 1984, in Akron, Ohio, to a 16 year old mother and a father who abandoned his young family, James’ early life was a struggle. He and his mother, Gloria, moved from apartment to apartment in poor areas of Akron, surviving off what little income they had. Gloria, hopeful of a better future for her son, told James to move in with the family of Frank Walker, a local football coach. It was Walker who introduced basketball to a young James, and it was clear early on that the trailblazing youngster was a triumphant talent. In high school, James played for St. Vincent-St. Mary School. Bringing them a state title and winning boys high school basketball player of the year. James had no purposeful intention of continuing his education beyond high school, opting instead to pursue his passion: a career in professional basketball.

 

      With all the hype around James, he was picked first in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the bright beginning of a booming and legendary career, where he went on to average 20 points his rookie year with the Cavaliers and also won Rookie of the Year according to bleacherreport.com. People were starting to take notice as he earned himself a place in the 2005 NBA all star game for the first time. In his first couple years, fans were starting to call him, “King James.” James' success with Cavaliers came to an end after making multiple playoff appearances and outperformed the likes of Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson. James, a free agent, decided to take his talents to South Beach, Miami in 2010, but many Cleveland fans disliked this decision including Cavalier owner Dan Gilbert, who publicly declared James a, “trader”, “heartless”, and “cowardly betrayal.” James was unfazed though, as he went on to win two championships with teammates like Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. But with teammates retiring around Lebron, success did not seem likely. James decided to make the return to Cleveland joining all-star point guard Kyrie Irving. With the epic finals rivalry from 2015 to 2018 against the Golden State Warriors, Lebron brought back a championship to his hometown Cleveland. In 2018, Lebron decided to leave the Cavaliers, joining the Los Angeles Lakers, creating the team of the century with teammates like Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, and others. James may not be unanimously considered the GOAT, but his influence and impact- on kids, adults, and basketball since his NBA debut in 2003- cannot be questioned. As ESPN writer Brian Windhorst put it, “No one has ever had as much hype as James has had to live up to, and James has delivered on every last drop.” With Lebron starting his 19th season this fall, many wonder will Lebron James ever be stopped?

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                                                                            Bibliography

 

Football, Tifo. “As ESPN Writer Brian Windhorst Put It: ‘No One Has Ever Had as Much Hype as James Has Had to Live up to, and James Has Delivered on Every Last Drop.” Twitter, 27 June 2019, Accessed 14, October, 2021.

 

“Lebron James.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.. Accessed 14, October 2021.

 

“Lebron James.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine. Accessed 14, October 2021.

 

“Lebron James.” LeBron James, https://www.lebronjames.com/. Accessed 14, October 2021.

 

M., Daniel. “Lebron James vs. Michael Jordan: Comparing Their First 9 Seasons in the 

NBA.” Bleacher Report, Bleacher Report, 3 Oct. 2017. Accessed 14, October 2021.