Rita Santos - Lebron James: Basketball Superstar

LeBron James CHAPTER 1 ALWAYS MOVING LeBron Raymone James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria James, was only sixteen years old. His father, Anthony McClelland, didnt want to be in his sons life. Gloria brought her little boy home to live with her own mother, grandmother, and two younger brothers. HARD TIMES LeBron was only a toddler when Glorias mother and grandmother both died. Gloria no longer had family to support her and her son.

She had a hard time making ends meet. LeBron with his mom, Gloria, in 2005. The two went through hard times during LeBrons childhood, but they kept a strong bond. LeBron Says:You have to be able to accept failure. Gloria wanted to give her son the best in life. She worked as hard as she could, but her jobs didnt pay enough. Gloria had trouble finding safe places for her and LeBron to live.

She often could not pay the . This meant the little family had to keep moving. One year LeBron moved six times. He had a hard time keeping friends because as soon as he made them, theyd have to move again. LeBron was six feet tall by the time he was thirteen! Children play basketball in front of LeBrons old home in Akron, Ohio. A SAFE PLACE Moving so often made it difficult for LeBron to go to school.

His grades slipped. One year he missed almost 100 days of school. LeBrons football coach, Frank Walker, decided to talk to Gloria. She told him about their troubles. The coach offered to give LeBron a place to stay until Gloria could find a safe home for them. Frank had a wife and children of his own.

The Walkers did their best to make LeBron feel like a part of the family. Shortly after moving in with the Walkers, LeBrons grades improved. He liked his new home but he missed his mother. CHAPTER 2 THE FAB FOUR Life with the Walkers was good for LeBron. He still saw his mom often, and it was easier to keep friends. When LeBron was nine years old, Frank taught him to play basketball.

Even when LeBron lost, Frank could tell he was a natural. LeBron and his friends became known as the Fab Four: ( left to right ) LeBron, Sian Coton, Willie McGee, and Little Dru Joyce. PART OF A TEAM In the seventh grade, LeBron began playing basketball with the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. LeBron had always been good at sports. He liked to play well. But for LeBron, the best part of basketball was being on a team.

He formed a close friendship with Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, and Willie McGee. They started calling themselves the Fab Four. The friends loved playing together. They had great teamwork. They pushed each other to . When it came time to choose which high school to attend, they picked St.

Vincent-St. Mary High School. They thought theyd have the best chance to all make it on the schools basketball team. They were right. LeBron Says:I treated it like every day was my last day with a basketball. LeBron goes for a slam dunk while playing for St. Vincent-St.

Mary High School. THE CHOSEN ONE LeBron knew he was good at basketball. But even he was surprised by just how good. He scored fifteen points in his first game as a member of the Fighting Irish. He played so well that by his senior year the team was travelling around the country playing nationally ranked teams. LeBron was the first high school student on the cover of Sports Illustrated . LeBron was the first high school student on the cover of Sports Illustrated .

LeBron found the sudden fame fun but very . He did his best to focus on achieving his goals. During LeBrons four years at St. Vincent-St. Mary, the basketball team won the state championship three times.