Story

MAKING HIS MARK

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, adidas’s 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 ESPN’s “The 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 LeBron’s 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 contest’s 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.

After the ABCD camp, a rumor—floated in The New York Times and helped along a little by LeBron—surfaced that he was thinking of declaring himself eligible for the NBA draft after his junior season at SVSM. While he eventually denied the claim, it contributed to the growing legend of “King James.” After running a feature on the 16-year-old, SLAM recruited him to pen a regular column for the hip-hop hoops magazine.

Meanwhile, 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 Chicago’s Mt. Carmel basketball factory, and still counts him among his most trusted advisors.

When LeBron returned home, he strapped on the pads for his junior year of football. Gloria was opposed to the idea, afraid he might get injured and jeopardize his hoops career. But LeBron persisted. After sitting out the opener, he hauled in three scoring passes a week later. Despite a steady dose of double-coverage, LeBron wound up with 52 receptions for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. SVSM, meanwhile, experienced a tremendous turnaround, going 7-3 and qualifying for the state playoffs. In the Fighting Irish’s first post-season game, a 28-20 victory, LeBron fractured the index finger on his left hand. He chose to keep the injury quiet and take the field for the state final. SVSM lost, and LeBron suspected he had likely played his last football game.

The junior immediately turned his attention to the hardwood. By now speculation about his future was running rampant. With a solid B average, he would probably have his choice of colleges. On his short list were Cal, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, North Carolina and Duke. But many questioned whether LeBron was really considering college. Though a good student, he was a basketball player first and foremost. And with the hype around him building, he was being exposed more and more to the trappings of life as a pro. Eddie Jackson raised eyebrows by buying him a Ford Explorer. His name appeared in newspaper headlines across the nation. Nike and adidas were in a fierce battle to sign him. Reports said the final offer could reach $20 million.

Against this backdrop, LeBron began his junior basketball season. In as coach for SVSM was Dru Joyce, the father of LeBron’s best friend and the team’s point guard. The Fighting Irish faced one of the toughest schedules in the country. Indeed, nearly half of the school’s opponents were ranked nationally. LeBron and his teammates opened against Germantown (Pa.) Academy, which featured a pair of stars, Lee Melchionni and Matt Walsh. Thanks to LeBron’s 38 points and 17 rebounds, SVSM won 70-64. Next, at the JAR Arena, the Fighting Irish registered a 49-41 victory over Vashon of St. Louis and their shifty point guard, Jimmy McKinney. LeBron led the way with 26 points.

SVSM rode the momentum from those victories into the Slam Dunk to the Beach, a Christmas tournament held in Delaware. There the Fighting Irish fell for the first time, an 84-83 loss to Amityville of New York. LeBron almost gave his team a dramatic win with a four-point play near the end of regulation. But Amityville followed with two free throws to seize the lead for good. Weeks later, in a game against local rival Brush, LeBron felt like he was back on the gridiron. Roy Hall, a well muscled guard headed to Ohio State on a football scholarship, bodied him all over the court. LeBron responded with a grinding defensive effort, limiting Hall to eight points in an easy victory.

In February SVSM suffered its first two-game losing streak since LeBron joined the team. The first defeat came in a highly anticipated rematch with Oak Hill, at the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton, NJ. Though LeBron sizzled with 36 points, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors and their top gun, Carmelo Anthony, who poured in 34. The Fighting Irish were beaten again a week later by George Junior Republic of Pennsylvania.

The pair of losses did nothing to diminish LeBron’s reputation. Kobe Bryant, hoping to lure the teenager to adidas, gave him a special pair of sneakers decorated with American flags. While in Cleveland to play the Cavs, Shaquille O’Neal caught one of LeBron’s games at the JAR Arena.

The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, embarked on a new winning streak that fueled another run to the state final. In front of 20,000 screaming fans on the Ohio State campus, however, they failed in their quest for three titles in a row, losing 71-63 to Roger Bacon of Cincinnati. LeBron, who battled back spasms all night long, wasn’t at his best, and his teammates were unable to pick up the slack.

LeBron finished the year averaging 28 points, six assists and just under nine rebounds. An All-American on everybody’s list, he was named National Player of the Year by Gatorade, USA Today and Parade Magazine. But LeBron wasn’t completely satisfied with his season. His greatest cause for concern was the drop in his 3-point shooting (34%) and free throws (59.3%). He resolved to spend extra time in the gym working on both areas.

Among those who believed LeBron’s game didn’t 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 Cleveland’s Gund Arena. Ignoring NBA 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.

LeBron had plans for a full summer of hoops, but was sidelined after breaking his left wrist in an AAU game. He still made the rounds at all the major camps—and displayed a devilish sense of humor when he showed up at adidas’s ABCD wearing a pair of Nikes, then donned adidas shoes for the Nike All-American! During his downtime, LeBron worked on his endurance with a personal trainer. He also reflected on how much basketball meant to him. When he returned to the court, friends and family noticed a fresh bounce in his step.

They also noticed the circus the teenager’s life had become—not that everyone, including LeBron, wasn’t 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 school’s 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 NBA—and probably bypass college. Eager to maximize her son’s earning potential, Gloria enlisted Eddie Jackson to assume full control of “Team LeBron.” They took meetings with all comers, fielding offers that promised to make LeBron a millionaire several times over. The competition between adidas and Nike also heated up. Word was that LeBron’s asking price was up to $25 million.

The Fighting Irish opened the 2002-03 season after Thanksgiving, at home against Wellston. With 2,000 spectators crammed into the SVSM gym, LeBron led his team to a a 46-10 lead before a storm literally turned out the lights on the game. The following night, the Fighting Irish exacted their revenge against George Junior Republic, employing a devastating full-court press that keyed a 101-40 blowout. LeBron was fantastic, posting 21 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

Less than two weeks later SVSM registered another satisfying victory, defeating Oak Hill 65-45. With Dick Vitale and Bill Walton doing the game for ESPN2, LeBron enjoyed another big night, going for 31 points and 13 rebounds. A staggering 1.67 million households tuned into the contest.

SVSM won four more before LeBron’s 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 son’s 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.

LeBron and the Fighting Irish, however, kept right on chugging. SVSM traveled to Los Angeles to square off at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion against Mater Dei High School, in another ESPN2 broadcast. Billed as a matchup between LeBron and D.J. Strawberry, a forward headed for Maryland and the son of former big-league slugger Darryl Strawberry. In an entertaining game, the Fighting Irish won 64-58. Though he missed all nine of his 3-point attempts, LeBron still managed to score 24.

A month later LeBron found himself in hot water again, this time for accepting two retro NBA jerseys worth $845 from a sports store. The OHSAA acted with little hesitation and rescinded his eligibility. But LeBron fired back, hiring lawyer Fred Nance to get the ban lifted. Nance requested an injunction in the Summit County Common Pleas Court, and judge James R. Williams ultimately reinstated LeBron. The ruling came just in time for him to play in the Prime Time Shoot Out in Trenton. He showed no ill-affects from the legal tussle, scoring 52 points in a 78-52 shellacking of West Chester of Los Angeles.

The entire episode grabbed national headlines. People who had never heard of LeBron—indeed, people who had no interest in high school hoops—suddenly were familiar with the details of his life. It was at this moment that the 18-year-old transcended his sport and passed into the realm of popular culture.

From there LeBron tried to concentrate on basketball, and did a pretty good job of it. SVSM entered the state playoffs with just one loss, then returned to the Division II final against Kettering Alter. In front of a tournament-record 18,454 fans at Ohio State’s Value City Arena, the Irish held a slight lead heading into the fourth quarter. That’s when LeBron took over—he scored his team’s first nine points of the final stanza to spark SVSM to a 40-36 victory. Pushing their record to 24-1, the Irish reclaimed the state title and tightened their grasp on the mythical national high school hoops championship awarded by USA Today.

Next on LeBron’s agenda were the 26th annual McDonald’s All-American High School Boys Basketball Game at Gund Arena and the EA Sports Roundball Classic in Chicago. The McDonald’s game has produced 15 top overall picks in the NBA draft, which sets up another likely headline-making moment for LeBron. As the league’s surefire number-one pick, he along with the rest of the world will learn the location of the next stop on his basketball odyssey at the draft lottery.

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 team’s strategy, it worked. Cleveland got the top pick and grabbed LeBron. Though his contract with the Cavs was slotted in by the league’s 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 LeBron’s 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 cellar-dweller to playoff contender. The Cavs ended the season at 35-47, a marked improvement over the previous year’s performance.

Cleveland also got solid contributions from Carlos Boozer and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, both of whom provided muscle in the paint. The Cavs juggled the roster midway through the campaign, sending Ricky Davis and Chris Mihm to Boston for Eric Williams and Tony Battie. Jeff McInnis was another in-season pick-up who made an impact. Cleveland battled the Celtics tooth-and-nail for the final playoff spot in the East, but was egded out by a single game.

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 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 ‘04—when many rookies hit the proverbial wall—LeBron 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 April.

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 men’s 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.

The sailing wasn’t much smoother for LeBron during the 2004-05 season. Before the campaign started, the Cavs got awful news when Boozer jumped ship and headed for the big money offered by the Utah Jazz. Cleveland tried to make up for the loss with several additions, including Drew Gooden, Tractor Traylor, Eric Snow and Lucious Harris, but the burden most nights fell on LeBron.

He responded with a wonderful season, improving in every significant statistical category. No one in the NBA logged more minutes, and he ranked third in the league in scoring (27.2 ppg), third in steals (2.2 a game) and sixth in passing (7.2 apg). There were some games when LeBron was simply too much for opponents to handle. By increasing his range and accuracy from the outside, teams had to respect his perimeter game, which opened more opportunities for him and his teammates. LeBron posted four double-doubles on the season, and pumped in 40 or more points on five occassions, including a 56-point outburst against the Toronto Raptors.

But he and Silas saw eye-to-eye less and less frequently as the year progressed. Cleveland was fighting for the last playoff spot in the East, and player and coach differed on how the Cavs would get there. As usually happens in pro sports, the star won out. Silas was canned, as the team finished 42-40 and out of the post-season.

For the first time in his young NBA career, LeBron has taken a hit. Most agree that Silas is a good man who got a raw deal. Of course, Cleveland’s motives became more apparent when they hired Detroit assistant Mike Brown as the club’s new head coach, and then tried to lure Brown away from the Pistons to be team president. Still, LeBron has been cast as the culprit in Silas’s departure.

Repairing his reputation will have a lot to do with his performance on the court. Overshadowed in the Silas situation was the fact that LeBron carried an undermanned within inches of the playoffs. The Cavs are now attempting to find the one or two supporting stars who can put them over the top. They’ve already signed multi-talented guard Larry Hughes. Another similar role player is probably necessary.

Meanwhile, LeBron continues to do many of the quiet things that show he has the potential to be a truly special player. He answers every question thrown at him, keeps his nose clean off the court and lends his support to plenty of charitable causes, including a generous donation earmarked for the rennovation of an old Akron court in the Ed Davis Community Center where he played as a kid.

After only two years in the pros, this much is certain: LeBron’s story will remain among the most-followed in the history of sports.