Stories about how LeBron James has endured and conquered the NBA have been around for over a decade. LeBron has appeared in nine of the last 10 NBA Finals games. LeBron has won four NBA championships, four Finals MVPs, and four MVPs.
But all that glitz and glamour started in a small tenement house in Akron, Ohio.
LeBron James just won the NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Photo: Getty.
LeBron James just won the NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Photo: Getty .
Difficult origin
LeBron Raymone James had a rough start in life. He was the son of a teenage mother and a neglectful father. Born on December 30, 1984, LeBron learned the harshness of life from an early age. LeBron’s father was not the least bit excited about his birth and refused to be a part of his life.
Akron was also not a good place for a single mother like Gloria James. The city’s tire industry declined dramatically in the late 1980s and early 1990s, leading to great social inequality as the poor struggled to find opportunities to move up.
LeBron was born and raised in the suburbs of Akron. Shortly after his birth, his mother Gloria James had to return to school, leaving LeBron with his grandmother. However, when James was 3 years old, his grandmother died of a stroke.
Gloria James is a special source of motivation for LeBron. Photo: Getty.
Gloria James is a special source of motivation for LeBron. Photo: Getty .
The financial burden fell on the young single mother and soon the mother and son were living day by day in each resettlement area. Unable to find a stable job, Gloria and her son’s life was a series of days of moving house and changing schools. LeBron James had no stability in life.
The little boy struggled to grow up. His mother was often away for days and LeBron had to take care of everything in his life since he was 7 years old. The hardships made him look older than his age. LeBron’s eyes rarely had the innocence of a child, and he almost never smiled. Life only changed for LeBron when he joined a football team called East Dragons.
LeBron tasted joy from here and gradually had a solid spiritual foundation in life. Sports helped LeBron start making friends. Frankie Walker, the son of the team’s head coach, became LeBron’s first friend in life.
Gradually, LeBron became close to the Walkers. When he was 9 years old, LeBron asked his mother to come live with them. The single mother was somewhat heartbroken that she could not provide for her son, but she knew it was for LeBron’s own good. LeBron needed a home address so he could register for school. Above all, LeBron needed a home.
The Walkers enrolled LeBron along with their three other children at Portage Path Elementary School. In return, LeBron tried his best to study, behaved well, and avoided all temptations. This is also where LeBron first got acquainted with the orange ball.
With all the conveniences in life, LeBron and his mother Gloria James have not lost their emotional bond. Gloria often visits her son every weekend. She makes sure that all the money she earns goes to LeBron.
Gloria didn’t want to disappear from her son’s life, which was already lacking in family affection. That’s why the first person LeBron called after winning his fourth championship with the Lakers was Gloria.
First basketball lessons
As a kid, LeBron would go to basketball gyms run by players much older than him. He would frequent Elizabeth Park. The rule was that everyone would put their name in a hat. Then a team would be drawn. LeBron was rarely picked. He considered it a slight.
LeBron didn’t say it out loud, but he believed he was being left out because he was small. He practiced shooting with both hands. LeBron was left-handed but shot the ball with his right. This made it easier for him to score. Gradually, LeBron dominated the playing field. This was also the first stepping stone to his stardom.
Media and public attention has followed LeBron from day one. Photo: Getty.
Media and public attention has followed LeBron from day one. Photo: Getty .
LeBron stayed at the Walkers’ home until he was 17. That’s when LeBron’s fame began to take off. Word spread about the boy at St Vincent-St Mary’s High School for his incredible speed, large frame and impressive passing ability.
LeBron’s games regularly sold out, and the high school’s games were later moved to larger arenas to accommodate more fans.
The phenomenon that was LeBron James forced ESPN to televise a national high school basketball game. While his teammates were still growing up, LeBron was ready for the NBA with a 31-point performance against the number one high school team in the country at the time, Oak Hill Academy. There were strong claims: this was the best high school basketball player in history.
The difference between LeBron James and other high school stars is the maturity in his playing style. As a star, LeBron emphasizes passing and always wants his teammates to participate. This must mention the role of coach John Reed.
He was the one who helped LeBron learn how to be a real team player. LeBron learned to play every position on the court. Thanks to that, he learned his role and how to see the game from every angle.
Those who have known him since childhood understand why James has become the great he is today. Despite the hardships and difficulties in life, LeBron always sees himself as a winner.
In the face of challenges, LeBron is always positive. Instead of being defeated by the bitter comments and sarcasm in life, like the embarrassing loss to Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, LeBron keeps moving forward. Because he always believes that he is the leader and will be the ultimate winner.
