LeBron and his mother often struggle for survival. Gloria had many problems in her son's childhood, some of which were due to her grandmother's death when LeBron was a baby. Sometimes she works in retail and sometimes as an accountant, and she will never find a job with a stable income. The mother and son are homeless and have almost traveled all over Akron, a city with a population of over 200,000 and less than an hour's drive south of Cleveland.
Despite the failure of her marriage, Gloria tried to be a loving mother and keep LeBron away from poverty and street violence. This is not easy, and it sometimes makes her think hard about remarriage. When LeBron was two years old, she started dating Eddie Jackson. Eddie Jackson was arrested and imprisoned for selling cocaine in 1990. In 2002, he confessed to the criminal facts of mortgage fraud and mail fraud. However, LeBron and Jackson have a good relationship, and Gloria is also willing to have a man who is willing to play the role of father. Her brothers Terry and Kurt also provided some help.
At an early age, LeBron showed great basketball talent. Gloria gave him a mini basket and a ball when he was a baby. He enjoyed this interesting toy every day. LeBron has the genes to be a tall and excellent basketball player. Although his mother is only 5' 5, some of his relatives are very big.
The wandering life had a great negative impact on LeBron, who was in primary school. Because of the embarrassment of family life, it is difficult for him to make a few friends easily, but it is really difficult for him to study hard at school and make progress every day. But in sports, he found an outlet for his feelings and talents. Among them, basketball and football are his favorites.
By then, LeBron had grown into an excellent athlete. Besides his natural speed, agility and abundant physical strength, he knows how to think better on the sidelines. His hero is MJ, who imitates idols on the court. LeBron likes dunks and jumpers, but he will be especially happy to pass the ball to his teammates properly.
On the football field, LeBron usually serves as a catcher. In the first year, I participated in Pee Wee Football League, played 6 games and 19 touchdowns. His coach at that time, Frankie Walker, had a profound influence on his later life. At the end of the season, Walker heard that the shining star of the fourth grade missed the basic courses prescribed by the school. He soon discovered that LeBron had faced dropping out of school. Walker found Gloria, and she agreed that LeBron needed a stable growth environment, so she agreed to let LeBron move to Walker to live with his family.
LeBron quickly adapted to this new environment. Walker and his wife Pam, three children Chanel, Frankie Jr. and Tanesha. Everyone in the room, including LeBron, shares the housework. This family helped him a lot. After graduating from the fifth grade, he won a scholarship to enter the school.
Walker also had a positive influence on LeBron in basketball. Among other things, he taught the child how to shoot with his left hand.
After separating from her son 18 months, Gloria brought him back to her. However, due to economic problems, LeBron returned to Walker's home. Finally, they agreed to help Gloria pay the rent. Walker and his wife hope LeBron will always find a place to call home in Akron.
For LeBron, another advantage of living in the Walker's house is little Frankie. They and four other children, Sean Cotton, Drew Joyce, Willie McKee and Romeo Travis, formed a pretty good basketball team. Every Sunday night, they will gather in Akron Jewish Community Center, and former Central Michigan University head coach Keith Drambot will organize them to train together.
LeBron and Drew Joyce, two children who played PG, became very close friends. LeBron lived with Joyce's family most of the summer when he was at 12.
Start showing your talents.
It wasn't long before LeBron's child was recognized in Akron. They learned the basic skills of basketball from Drambot and formed a wonderful chemical reaction with each other. Anyway, LeBron's ability is outstanding among his friends. By the eighth grade, he was 6 feet tall, able to play all five positions on the court and had a sixth sense of the game.
Named Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars Team, coached by Joyce's father, LeBron and his friends appeared in the 1997 national competition-they qualified for the sixth grade group of AAU national championship in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two years later, in Orlando, Florida, she entered the final of AAU class. They won five games in the past and competed with the Southern California All-Star Team in the final. Despite the 68-66 defeat, LeBron's super show became the highlight of that game.
Later, LeBron, Joyce, Cotton and McKee, who called themselves "Super Four", made a decision-as a whole, they vowed to continue their basketball career together. Four boys attend SVSM High School, a missionary school in downtown Akron. SVSM, which is famous for its excellent academic tradition, is about to stage a new legend, that is LeBron and his team.
Before playing his first basketball game in high school, LeBron wore a helmet, studied under former NFL Miami Dolphin and New York Jets full-back Jay Brophy, and became an outside player of SVSM football team. A few weeks later, on February 3, 65438, freshmen made their debut on the school basketball team and became the starting backcourt of the Irish team, which attracted much attention. For Keith Drumbo, who has just been appointed as SVSM coach, making such a decision is almost unthinking. LeBron, No.23, 6' 3 ",with Jordan on his back, scored 65,438+05 points in the victory over another missionary school, Cuyahoga Falls.
Led by LeBron and Mavericks Carter (his cousin, a senior student who was elected as the best team in the state), this talented fighting Irishman created a brilliant record of 27 wins and 0 losses and won the first state championship since 1984. LeBron averaged less than 20 points per game, but his shooting percentage exceeded 50%, leading the team in rebounds, assists and steals. He has a personal talent that doesn't match his age, which invisibly enables his teammates to play better on the court. There are even rumors that IMG, an endorsement company in Cleveland, extended an olive branch to him.
In the summer after his freshman year, LeBron continued to make progress, but the biggest change seemed to come from the sidelines-he grew 4 inches, reaching 6 feet 7 inches. LeBron looks more like a man than a boy.
In the autumn of 2000, LeBron played football for another season in SVSM, and accumulated more than 700 yards of catching. He was selected for the best team, but his record against Ireland was only disappointing 4-6.
When LeBron began to train basketball for the new season, people began to say that SVSM was a talented high school student. In order to let more people watch the 00-0 1 season opener, the match was arranged at James A Rhodes Arena in university of akron. More than 5000 Jamie players crowded the arena. LeBron led the team to an easy victory, and since then, the war against Ireland has opened a new era.
In a series of games in January, Fighting Ireland fought a tough battle with the Warriors from Oak Hill College. The Warriors, led by center Diop and swingman Rachad carus, are the top high school teams in the United States. LeBron and his teammates are not afraid of strongmen. After a classic battle, Oak Hill won 79-78. But as if it had become a habit, LeBron once again became the most dazzling player on the court. Under the watchful eyes of NBA and college scouts, he scored 33 points in front of the Warriors, bombarded outside the three-point line, rampaged and dunked in the restricted area. LeBron had a chance to win the game, but at the last critical moment of the fourth quarter, he missed two of the three free throws and a buzzer jumper.
The Irish who fought quickly recovered from the shadow of defeat. They always led the leaderboard for the rest of the regular season, swept their opponents in the playoffs and successfully defended the state championship. The final was held at the Jerome Coton Stein Center in Ohio and attracted the attention of more than 65,438+07,000 fans, including North Carolina coach matt doherty and California coach Ben Brown. LeBron scored 54 points in the two playoff games that the team won, and was undoubtedly elected as the league MVP.
This year, LeBron averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, shooting more and more accurately, and the three-point shooting rate increased to 39%. Together with eddy curry and kwame brown, he was selected as the first team in the United States, and he was elected as a state basketball player in his sophomore year, which is the first time in the history of Ohio.
The summer after his sophomore year, LeBron attended the American Basketball Development Festival in Colorado Springs. As the first junior high school student invited to the training camp, he broke the scoring record with a score of 120 in five games and won the MVP trophy.
Next, he officially appeared in front of the national audience at Adidas ABCD Training Camp of fairey-Dickinson University in New Jersey. Before that, the most popular player was 6' 8 "striker Lenny Cook from new york.
LeBron completely controlled the training camp, dwarfing Cook, who was preparing to participate in the NBA draft. In front of the lens of ESPN's "Life" column, under the gaze of college and industry scouts, he played a full attack and suffocating defense. But what really shocked everyone was his passing skills. Before that, most people thought he was the next Jordan. Now, he is compared to Magic Johnson.
However, LeBron sometimes seems tired of competition and his attention becomes distracted. However, when someone began to question whether he was the smartest player in the training camp, he regained his concentration in a junior group game and responded with the MVP of this game, 22 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists. Finally, he played against Cook in the summary match in which every player participated. Cook tried to strike first, dribbling under his leg several times before making a three-pointer But LeBron had the last laugh. He scored 24 points, limited Cook to 9 points, and won the game with a 25-foot buzzer.
After ABCD training camp, The New York Times broke the news-with the help of LeBron, of course-that he was considering taking part in the NBA draft after SVSM's third season. He finally denied the rumor, which also made the legend of "King James" more and more deified. Climbed a grid about 16 years old, and slam dunk magazine invited him to write a hip-hop basketball column.
At the same time, Jordan invited LeBron to take part in one of his exclusive trainings, during which he had to confront players such as antoine walker, michael finley, Juwan Howard and Penny Hardaway. Later, LeBron established a friendship with antoine walker at the Carmel Hill Basketball Factory in Chicago, and he remains one of LeBron's most trusted advisors.
After returning home, LeBron began to prepare for the football season in the third year of high school. Gloria objected to his doing so, fearing that his injury would affect his basketball career, but LeBron insisted. After sitting in the audience in the opening game, he contributed three passing scores in the following week. Despite wearing a solid double helmet, LeBron couldn't hide his excitement after 52 catches, 65,438+0,000 yards and 65,438+05 touchdowns. At the same time, SVSM has also made great progress, winning the state playoff tickets with 7 wins and 3 losses. The fighting Irish won the first playoff game 28-20, but LeBron broke his left index finger in the game. He chose to hide his injury and take part in the final. In the end, SVSM lost the game, and LeBron thought it might be his last football game.
In senior three, LeBron immediately focused on the basketball court. Speculation about his future was flying at that time. With a good report card with a B average, he may choose to go to college. California, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Duke, anything is possible. But the question is whether LeBron is really considering going to college. He is a good student, but most importantly, he is a basketball player. The hype around him piled up and pushed him to the top. Eddie Jackson gave him a Ford Explorer, which caused a local controversy. His name often appears on the front pages of major newspapers in China. Nike and Artie fought to sign him. According to insiders, the final price may reach 20 million US dollars.
In this context, LeBron started the basketball season in senior three. Old Drew Joyce, LeBron's closest basic partner and the father of team point guard Drew Joyce Jr., became the head coach of SVSM. Against Ireland, the schedule is the highest among all teams, and almost half of the opponents are at home. LeBron and his teammates will face German Town (Pa). ) College and the invincible double guns of Li Melchioni and Matt Walsh in the first game. Thanks to LeBron's 38 points and 65,438+07 rebounds, SVSM was able to keep winning 70-64. Then at JAR Arena Stadium, they defended Jimmy McKinney, the flexible point guard of St. Louis Waxiong, and won again with 49-4 1. LeBron scored a game-high 26 points.
SVSM brought a winning streak to the Delaware "Beach Dunk" Christmas Championship. And this game is the first defeat of the Irish this season-83-84 victory over Armityville, new york. LeBron finished his dream reversal with 3+ 1 at the last moment of the regular season, but Armiville made two free throws to seal the victory. A few weeks later, LeBron felt as if he had returned to the football field and had a derby with the local team Brush. Roy Hall, a muscular baseball guard, won a football scholarship from Ohio State University and always pressed him on the court. LeBron's response was to smash the defense and limit him to only eight points. Ireland won the battle easily.
In February this year, SVSM suffered its first two-game losing streak since LeBron arrived. At the prime-time gun battle arena in Trenton, New Jersey, they confronted Oak Hill College, but they are expected to fail again. Although LeBron scored 36 points, he still didn't beat the Warriors who scored 34 points and their top star Melon Anthony. A week later, they were defeated again in the struggle with George Junior Public School in Pennsylvania.
Two defeats didn't diminish LeBron's reputation at all. In order to attract him to join Adidas, Kobe gave him a pair of basketball shoes printed with the American flag. In the away game against Cleveland Cavaliers, shaquille o'neal personally went to JAR Arena, university of akron to watch a LeBron game.
At the same time, fighting Ireland started a new winning streak and entered the state finals again. In the crazy cry of more than 20,000 fans on the campus of Ohio State University, they lost to roger bacon in Cincinnati 63-7/KLOC-0, and missed three consecutive championships. LeBron struggled with back spasms all night and didn't play his best, and his teammates didn't stand up in time.
This year, LeBron averaged 28 points, sent 6 assists and grabbed nearly 9 rebounds. As the first team in the eyes of the whole people, he was jointly selected as the best player of the year by Gatorade, USA Today and Parade Magazine. But LeBron is not very satisfied with his performance this season, because his three-point shooting percentage (34%) and free throw shooting percentage (59.3%) have declined this season. So he decided to practice these two events in the training ground.
John Lucas, then head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, was one of those who agreed that LeBron didn't need much guidance. He saw LeBron's outstanding performance in AAU League last summer, and got to know him personally because LeBron often went to Gunde Arena of Cavaliers. Lucas secretly invited LeBron of 17 to the Cavaliers for an informal trial regardless of NBA regulations. LeBron's dunks in Jumaine Jones and chris mihm were impressive, but his broad vision and subtle passing on the court once again conquered the audience.
Lucas was fined $65,438 +0.5 million by the league and suspended for two games, but Lucas still felt that he had made a fortune. How much fine does it cost to get in touch with LeBron so close? It's not bad money.
LeBron made a basketball training plan for the whole summer, but he had to sit on the bench after breaking his left wrist in an AAU game. He also ran between major training camps, never forgetting to show his strange humor cells-wearing Nike shoes in Adidas ABCD training camp and changing into Adidas in Nike national training camp.
On days when he can't play games, he will practice endurance with his personal trainer. At the same time, he is thinking about how important basketball is to him. When he returned to the stadium, his friends and family were glad to find that he had made new progress.
Everyone is aware that the most magnificent scene in this teenager's life is about to be staged, including LeBron and everyone around him, who will inevitably be in it. SVSM signed a contract to broadcast all 65,438+00 SVSM home games in northeast Ohio, and the fee was $7.95 each. ESPN2 decided to broadcast the match between SVSM and Oak Hill in February/KLOC-0. JAR Arena's season ticket price for Fighting Ireland has risen to 125 USD.
At this point, it is obvious to everyone who has heard of him that LeBron will soon land in the NBA-and probably skip college. Desperate to maximize her son's economic prospects, Gloria gave Eddie Jackson full control of LeBron's think tank. They held a meeting with all the people who came up with ideas, and repeatedly screened the suggestions that would ensure LeBron to become a millionaire. The competition between Adidas and Nike has become anxious. It is reported that LeBron's asking price is $25 million.
After Thanksgiving, the 2002-03 season began, and the fighting Irish team played against the Welsh team at home. 2,000 spectators crowded into the SVSM Gymnasium. Before the lighting facilities were damaged by the snowstorm in the middle of the game, LeBron led the team with a score of 46-/kloc-0-0. The next night, the fighting Irish ravaged little George and achieved the perfect revenge for last season with 10 1-40. LeBron's statistics are excellent, 2 1 point, 14 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals.
Less than two weeks later, SVSM won another satisfactory victory, defeating Oak Hill 65-45. LeBron had a good night, scoring 3 1 point and 13 rebounds. 654.38+6700 families chose ESPN2 live broadcast hosted by Dick Vitale and Bill Walton. What an amazing number.
Before LeBron1February's birthday, SVSM won four more games. Iverson and Jerome Betis also sent 18 birthday wishes with others. But trouble soon appeared. To celebrate her son's birthday, Gloria bought him a Hummer H2 with three televisions, starting at $50,000. This gift caused an uproar. SVSM and Ohio High School Athletes Association think LeBron should be suspended. At the same time, the media also launched a nationwide discussion, questioning whether it is wise for him and his mother to give up college and go directly to the NBA to earn money.
However, LeBron and fighting Ireland continued to win. In another game broadcast by ESPN2, SVSM challenged Mater Dei High School as a guest of UCLA's Pauley Pauley Arena. The game was billed as a Mars-to-Earth showdown between LeBron and D·J· Strawberry, the son of former Major League batter Daryl Strawberry, who is about to enter the University of Maryland. Ireland won the battle without difficulty, 64-58. LeBron scored 24 points, although he missed nine shots from outside the three-point line.
A month later, LeBron got into trouble again, this time because he received two NBA retro jerseys worth $845 from a sporting goods store. This time, OHSAA did not hesitate to cancel the qualification. However, LeBron chose to fight back and hired a lawyer, Fred Nance, to file a lawsuit, demanding the cancellation of his punishment. Nancy appealed to the Summit County Civil Litigation Court, and finally Judge James R Williams supported LeBron's claim. The verdict came at the right time, just in time for LeBron to participate in the prime-time gun battle in Trenton. He didn't show any fatigue after playing, scoring 52 points to help the team beat Westchester, Los Angeles 78-52.
The story soon became the national headline news. People who have never heard of LeBron-in fact, those who are not interested in high school basketball games-suddenly become familiar with every detail of his personal life. At this time, 18-year-old LeBron has gone beyond the scope of sports and started to step into the field of pop culture.
After that, LeBron tried to concentrate on basketball training and did well. SVSM entered the state playoffs after losing only one game, and met Caitlin Oort in the second division finals. With the attention of 18454 fans who broke the league record in Value City Arena, Ohio, Fight Ireland entered the fourth quarter with a slight advantage. It's time for LeBron to take over the game-in the last quarter, he scored the first nine points of the team's score and finally led the Irish team to a 40-36 victory. The record rose to 24 wins 1 loss, and Ireland won back the state championship trophy, locking in the legendary high school basketball champion team award awarded by the United States today.
Later, LeBron participated in the 26th McDonald's National High School Men's Basketball Championship held in Gonder Arena in Cleveland and EA Sports Roundball Classic Arena in Chicago. After playing more than one all-star game, LeBron officially decided to participate in the NBA draft, which is the famous "LeBron sign".
When LeBron was almost three years old, he got his first basketball. It was Christmas Eve on 1987. It was the ball that changed LeBron's fate, but this night was also the most unfortunate moment for the James family.
LeBron happily set up a basketball court on the canvas bed and filled the net with a small ball. Around him, other Christmas gifts were scattered, but LeBron was unaware of it and just played basketball selflessly.
But at three o'clock in the morning, Frieda suddenly collapsed on the kitchen floor, unconscious. Goliath touched his mother's nose, and Frieda stopped breathing. That Christmas morning, LeBron, who was wrapped in diapers, was still excited to dunk on his toy basketball stand. He doesn't know what the death of his grandmother Frieda means to him. But after the death of Frieda, the "pillar" of the family, James' family life became more and more sad. When LeBron was four and a half years old, Gloria and her son left their home in Hickory Street and moved to nearby Elizabeth Park Street.
But they still don't have their own house. They just wandered into other people's homes. Once someone needs a house, they have to leave and come back when they have time. They have lived here for more than six years.
Say goodbye to the football field in pain and injury.
As a child, LeBron gradually showed his talent in sports. When he was 9 years old, there was a youth team under a football team in the south of Akon, and the coach was Kirk. When he is free, LeBron likes to play in this football team. It is at this time that Cork left a deep impression on LeBron: "This kid knew at a glance that he had never played an organized game before, so I let him play. He knows nothing about the rules of the game, but to my surprise, he knows everything as soon as I say it. I have never seen such a clever boy as him. " So LeBron stayed and played for this team, with 6 games 18 touchdowns. He played many positions, but the best one was as a catcher. Cork praised: "LeBron's hand is very strong. If he didn't get hurt later and didn't play football, I bet his achievements in this respect will not be smaller than basketball. "
It was in this team named Southern Tour that LeBron felt the warmth of his family and left him with wonderful memories for a lifetime. This team is very important to me. LeBron still remembers that experience and relishes it. "The coach here and the parents of other children are very concerned about me, and my game here is also very interesting. At that time, my dream was to play in the NFL. "
However, after playing football for three years, LeBron injured his left hand in a game. If he wants to continue his football career, he must change from winger to quarterback, which is the last thing LeBron wants to see. In this way, he gave up football.
You help start a normal student life.
Without Frank Walker, LeBron's life direction might be completely different from what it is now. This is not a simple guess, but LeBron's own personal feelings.
Walker is a staff member of the Akon Housing Association. He used to play for the Southern Rangers. After retiring, he volunteered to coach the youth team of this team after work. He likes sports very much. He can coach football and basketball games. This is where Walker met LeBron. At that time, LeBron was still thinking about whether to play football or swing between basketball, so sometimes he played football and sometimes he played it twice on the basketball court.
On one occasion, Walker noticed that LeBron didn't go back to school after the Christmas holiday. LeBron was in the fourth grade at that time. Walker is very anxious about this. He doesn't know why LeBron didn't come to class. By asking the parents of other children, Walker learned that LeBron and his mother Goliath had unusual feelings, and he also knew that Goliath was a stubborn person and would not be easily persuaded by other people's opinions.
So, he went to LeBron's house for a "home visit", only to find that Gloria and her son were displaced everywhere and had no house to live in, but Gloria was reluctant to leave LeBron and wanted her son to accompany her every day, so she simply refused to let him go to class. Walker was in a hurry, but he could only patiently convince this eccentric mother. Finally, they reached a plan-Walker took LeBron to his house to take care of food and education, while Gloria was not allowed to see children at ordinary times, but only on weekends.
In this way, LeBron started a new life in Walker's home. Walker is as strict with LeBron as he is with his three children. He made a duty list for four children. Whoever should clean the bathroom must not be lazy. LeBron goes to school, does his homework and eats at a fixed time every day, and is allowed to be with his mother on weekends.
LeBron said that without Walker's education, he might be finished. "For me, this is a new starting point. In the fourth grade, I missed 87 days of classes, and in the fifth grade, I didn't miss a day of classes. I like the Franks. It's like my home. Without them, there would be no me today. "
Talent began to appear and quickly became the leader of the stadium.
Walker not only gave LeBron a warm home, but also a good basketball education.
During the summer vacation, Walker held a basketball camp, and his sons Jr and LeBron both participated. One day, 10-year-old LeBron and Jr confronted each other on the court. Although Jr is not as tall as LeBron, he has trained under his father for several years, and he has a good grasp of basketball. LeBron didn't have much basketball skills at that time.
As a result, Jr kicked LeBron's ass. He proudly said to his father afterwards, "I beat LeBron as easily as a 2 1 year-old man beat a 7-year-old child." Walker solemnly told Jr that he played better than LeBron because he was exposed to basketball education very early, so it was nothing to be proud of. Walker was not disappointed in LeBron. Instead, he put his arm around the boy's neck and said it was great that LeBron played like this when he first came into contact with basketball. Then I will teach him patiently.
Walker is very optimistic about this clever boy. In this basketball camp, he taught LeBron carefully. Walker, like many coaches, thinks that LeBron is too smart to know anything, and there is absolutely no need to say it again. Moreover, Walker noticed LeBron's strong personality: "He hates losing. If he loses in the game, he will stay and train until he loses next time. "
At the end of the training camp, LeBron showed amazing basketball talent and he made rapid progress. Those little players with better foundation than him are not as good as LeBron. When he faced Jr again, LeBron seemed comfortable this time. He easily defeated Jr. Although he knew LeBron had a good basketball talent, Walker was still surprised. He thinks LeBron's ability to learn new things is not only fast, but also very profound. Just like a chess master, he can always think of the next few steps in advance before playing chess on the court, while ordinary children can only think of what will happen next.
Even more amazing, LeBron showed his talent as a leader at an early age. He not only works hard on the court, but also plays the role of a guest coach, instructing his teammates how to play. So when LeBron was in the fifth grade of elementary school, Walker asked LeBron to be the assistant coach of the fourth grade team and asked him to help direct the game.
At that time, Walker asserted that the child would definitely get ahead in basketball. "He knows the true meaning of the game. He knew it when he was very young."