LeBron Raymone James (born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) small forward, he is an NBA champion, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), three-time NBA MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year. One of Miami's co-captains along with Dwyane Wade, he is an eight-time NBA All-Star and has earned eight All-NBA honors and four All-Defensive honors.
Nicknamed King James, James had a storied high school basketball career at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. A three-time Mr Basketball of Ohio, he was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar. After graduating, he was selected with the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.
In 2010, he left the Cavaliers for the Heat in a highly publicized free
agency period. In 2012, he led Miami to their second ever NBA title,
winning his first overall. His list of achievements
and leadership during the Heats 2012 championship run have led many
basketball analysts, experts, and writers to consider him the best
player in the NBA today.
Off the court, James has accumulated considerable wealth and fame as a
result of numerous endorsement contracts. His public life has been the
subject of much scrutiny, and he has been ranked as one of America's
most disliked and influential athletes. Having shown a passion for
entertainment, he has been featured in books, documentaries, and
television commercials, and has hosted the ESPY Awards and Saturday Night Live.