Shaina Indovino - Lebron James

LeBron James

SUPERSTARS IN THE WORLD OF BASKETBALL

LeBron James

Dwyane Wade

Kobe Bryant

Carmelo Anthony

Kevin Durant

Chris Paul

Dwight Howard

Rajon Rondo

Blake Griffin

Players & the Game Around the World

SUPERSTARS IN THE WORLD OF BASKETBALL

LeBron James

Shaina Indovino

Mason Crest

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com

Copyright 2015 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

First printing
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3101-2
ISBN: 978-1-4222-3109-8
ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-8799-6

The Library of Congress has cataloged the
hardcopy format(s) as follows:

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Indovino, Shaina Carmel.

Lebron James / Shaina Indovino.

pages cm. (Superstars in the world of basketball)

ISBN 978-1-4222-3109-8 (hardback) ISBN 978-1-4222-3101-2 (series) ISBN 9781-4222-8799-6 (ebook) 1. James, LeBronJuvenile literature. 2. Basketball players United StatesBiographyJuvenile literature. I. Title.

GV884.J36I54 2015

796.323092dc23

[B]

2014007853

Contents

Words to Understand

excelling: Doing very well or going beyond what people expect.

stability: When something has stability it doesnt change; it stays pretty much the same.

sacrifices: Giving up something so that something else thats better can exist.

The year is 2013, and LeBron James is sweaty and exhausted as he looks up into the crowd. The auditorium is filled with his teams fans. They are clapping and cheering, because the Miami Heat just won its second NBA championship in a row. Throughout his basketball career, LeBron James has earned a lot of awards. He has competed for his home team and even for his country. As a member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team, he has won two Olympic gold medals. And in 2013, LeBron was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA finals.

LOOKING BACK

Being named MVP is nothing new to LeBron. In fact, this was his fourth time to receive the award. As he comes forward to make a speech, he is asked how he deals with the many pressures of competing. Professional athletes get asked this question all the time.

LeBron takes a moment to think before answering the question. Then he responds very plainly, I cant worry what everybody says about me. I am LeBron James. From Akron, Ohio. From the inner city. I am not even supposed to be here. The crowd cheers before LeBron continues. Thats enough. Every night, I walk into the locker room; I see a number 6 with James on the back... Im blessed.

LeBrons started his life in Akron, Ohio, far from the beaches and lights of Miami. LeBron hasnt forgotten where he started, though. He may not play for an Ohio team, but LeBrons childhood made him into the man he is today.

When LeBron says he isnt supposed to be there, he is referring to how far he has come in life. Until he entered middle school, LeBron lived in some of the poorest neighborhoods of Akron. As a child from the inner city, the odds were against LeBron. Children from the inner city rarely have a lot of money growing up. Getting a good education isnt easy for these children. Finding a great basketball coach can be even harder.

Against all odds, LeBron rose to the occasion. He played basketball and was very good at it. Failure was not an option for LeBron. Even when life got hard, he kept trying. Today we know LeBrons hard work has paid off. His story shows us that you can become anything you set your mind to if you are dedicated enough. With a little help from his family and friends, LeBron became one of the most famous basketball players of all time. And he shows no signs of slowing down.

EARLY LIFE

LeBron Raymone James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria James, was only sixteen years old. LeBrons father, Anthony McClelland, had no interest in raising his own child. He was an ex-convict and had spent a lot of time in prison. As a result, LeBron never met his father. This forced Gloria to raise LeBron alone. Her two brothers, Terry and Curt, helped out when they could.

Being a teenage mother and single parent made Glorias life very difficult. She struggled to give LeBron the life she knew he deserved. It was hard for her to make enough money to support them both, because Gloria had a hard time finding a steady job. Gloria couldnt make enough money for her and LeBron to live on their own. So LeBron spent his first few years living with his mother in his grandmothers house.

When Glorias mother died, Gloria couldnt pay the bills. The house they lived in was taken away by the city. A little while later, it was destroyed. Gloria and the young LeBron were forced to move around a lot after that. They stayed in apartments in some of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. LeBron and Gloria moved twelve times when he was between five and eight years old. The streets of the neighborhoods they lived in were often filled with crime and violence.

Even though life was hard for the young LeBron, Gloria did everything she could to shield him from the dangers of where they lived. His happiness and well-being were important to her.

When LeBron was just an infant, Gloria gave him a small hoop and ball to play with. He spent hours entertaining himself with these simple toys. Even at the age of three, LeBron showed promise. In an interview, his mother, Gloria, states, I am not going to say I knew he was going to be a superstar, but you could tell he was fully determined. He wouldnt play with that toy set unless [the basketball hoop] was on the highest setting. LeBrons determination and need to challenge himself would follow him throughout his career.

At about the same time, Gloria began dating a man named Eddie Jackson. Like LeBrons biological father, Eddie was not a very good role model. Eddie spent a lot of time in jail as LeBron grew up. Even though Eddie was far from perfect, LeBron and Eddie formed a close bond.

By the time LeBron entered elementary school, he was at sports. Two of his favorite sports were basketball and football. Michael Jordan was LeBrons favorite basketball player. On the court, LeBron loved mimicking Jordans moves. LeBron had difficulty making friends, but he didnt mind sharing the basketball with his teammates. He enjoyed watching everyone score and have a good time as they played together.

Few players have changed how people see the game of basketball more than Michael Jordan. For young players and fans growing up in the 1990s, Michael Jorden was a hero and a role model.