LIFE OF A BALLER
LEBRON JAMES
DRAFTED:
Selected in the first round (first overall pick) of the
2003 NBA Draft by the Cavaliers. Signed a multi-year
contract extension on July 18, 2006.
2008-09 SEASON:
Played in a career-high 81 games (all starts)…averaged
28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.69 steals and
a career-best 1.15 blocks in 37.7 minutes per game…
shot career highs from the field (.489) and free throw
line (.780)…was the only player to average at least 28.0
points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in the NBA during
the season...became just
the second player in
NBA history to post five
consecutive seasons of
at least 27.0 points, 6.0
rebounds and 6.0 assists
(Oscar Robertson)…
led the NBA in fourth
quarter scoring with a
7.6 average, points per
game in road games
(31.5 ppg in 41 games)
and combined points,
rebounds and assists
average (43.3)…led
the team in total points
(2,304), rebounds (613), assists (587), steals (137) and
blocks (93), becoming the fourth player since steals
and blocks became official statistics in 1973-74 to
accomplish the feat (K. Garnett – 2002 with MIN, S.
Pippen – 1994 with CHI and D. Cowens – 1977 with
BOS)…led the NBA in triple-doubles (7) and free
throws made (594), second in points per game (28.4)
and total points (2,304), third in field goals made (789)
and attempted (1,613), free throws attempted (762),
fourth in free throws attempted per game (9.4), tied for
sixth in total steals (137), tied for seventh in steals per
game (1.69), eighth in total assists (587), ninth in assists
per game (7.2), tied for 13th in defensive rebounds per
game (6.3), tied for 14th in double-doubles (29), 23rd in
blocks per game (1.15) and 25th total rebounds (613)…
scored 41 points in three of the Cavs first eight games (41
versus Chi on Nov. 5th and 8th and 41 versus Milwaukee
on Nov. 11th), becoming the first player since Michael
Jordan in 1991 to score 40-or-more in at least three of
a team’s first eight games of a season…with 38 points,
seven rebounds, six assists, three blocks and four steals
versus Boston on Jan. 9, James became the first person
to reach those numbers in a game since David Robinson
on March 19, 1994…totaled 23 points, 15 rebounds, 11
assists and three blocks versus Sacramento on Jan. 27th,
becoming the first player to post at least those numbers
in a game since Larry Bird in 1987…tallied 33 points,
14 rebounds and nine
assists on Jan. 24th at
Utah, becoming the
first player to record
at least those numbers
in a non-overtime
game since Kevin
Garnett in 2004…
at Madison Square
Garden on Feb. 4th,
James posted 52
points, nine rebounds,
11 assists and two
blocks against the
Knicks. The last
player to have at least
those numbers in a game was Wilt Chamberlain on
March 18th, 1968…joined Michael Jordan as the only
two visitors to MSG to have multiple 50-point games…
made a career-high eight three-pointers on 11 attempts
on his way to a season-best 55 points at Milwaukee on
Feb. 20…became only the 12th player in NBA history
to have three consecutive triple-doubles (March 7th,
10th and 12th)…posted 43 points, 12 rebounds, eight
assists, four steals and a block versus Orlando on March
17th, joining Larry Bird in 1992 as the only players
to record at least those numbers in a game…James
finished March with 479 points, 152 rebounds and 143
assists. The only other player in NBA history to reach
each of those totals in one month is Oscar Robertson,
who did it in eight separate months, most recently in
January 1965…was voted an Eastern Conference All- in the fourth quarter at Toronto on Jan. 6 on his way to
Star starter, was named Eastern Conference Player of a 39-point, 11-rebound, eight-assist effort…became the
the Month four times and Player of the Week an NBA first player since Rick Barry on March 25, 1978 to post
all-time high seven times…missed the season finale at least 51 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a
(rest) and placed on Inactive List on April 15 versus game when he finished with 51 points, nine assists and
Philadelphia. eight rebounds at Memphis on Jan. 15…became the
first player in NBA history to ever post at least 31 points,
PROFESSIONAL CAREER: a career-high 19 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and
Played in 75 games (74 starts) during the 2007-08 three blocks in a game when he reached those numbers
season…averaged an NBA-high 30.0 points, 7.9 versus Charlotte on Jan. 11…averaged 28.8 points on
rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game…became .506 shooting, 12.3 rebounds and 10.5 assists over four
the first Cavalier in franchise history to lead the league games from Feb. 19-24, becoming the first player since
in scoring (30.0 points per game)…became the third Wilt Chamberlain (March 16-20, 1968) to average at
player in NBA history to average at least 30.0 points, least those numbers during a four-game span…became
7.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game (Oscar Robertson the first player since Bob Sura (April 9-10, 2004) to
and Michael Jordan)…became just the second player in have back-to-back triple-doubles on consecutive days
NBA history to post
four consecutive Notes
seasons of at least 27
points, 6 rebounds and First Cavalier to be named NBA Rookie of the Year
6 assists (Oscar Youngest player in NBA history to:
Robertson)…led the
* Be named NBA Rookie of the Year, at 19 years of age.
NBA in points per game * Record a triple-double in his career (20 years, 20 days)
(30.0) and field goals * Reach 12,000 points
made (794), ranked * Win an All-Star Game MVP (21 years, 55 days)
second in total points * Be named to the All-NBA first team (21 years, 138 days)
(2250), free throws * Lead the league in All-Star voting (22 years, 26 days)
24 career regular season Triple Doubles
attempted per game 3 career post season Triple Doubles
(10.3) and triple- 6 Time All-Star
doubles (7), sixth in 2 Time All-Star MVP
total steals (138), eighth All-Time Leading Scorer for the Cleveland Cavaliers
in assists per game All-Time Steals Leader for the Cleveland Cavaliers
2nd All-Time Leader in Assists for the Cleveland Cavaliers
(7.2), 10th in total (Mark Price 4206)
assists (539) and steals Led league in scoring for 2007-2008 season
per game (1.84) and All-NBA Defensive 1st team: 2008-2009
19th in double-doubles NBA MVP: 2008-2009
(31)…averaged a
league-best 8.6 points
in the fourth quarter…one of just two players to average when he posted 37 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists
at least 27.0 points per game in each of the past four versus Toronto on Nov. 24 and followed that up with 30
seasons (Kobe Bryant)…one of just three players in the points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Nov. 25 at
past 20 seasons to lead the league in scoring and average Indiana…became the first player since Magic Johnson
seven or more assists (Michael Jordan, 1988-89 and during the 1988 season to post triple-doubles in
Allen Iverson, 04-05)…posted 50 points, 10 assists and consecutive days twice in the same season when he
eight rebounds at New York on March 5 (first since recorded triple-doubles on Feb. 19 versus Houston (26
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Jan. 19, 1975 to have at least points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) and on Feb. 20 at Indiana
50 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in a game and (31 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists) and Nov. 24 and
became just the third player since 1992 (Michael Jordan 25…tied his own franchise record for points in a quarter
and Stephon Marbury) with at least 50 points and 10 with 24 in the first at Chicago on April 11; finished with
assists in a game…set a franchise-record with 24 points 34 points and six rebounds…scored 20 or more points