LeBron Raymone James Sr.

 (/ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American

professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball
Association (NBA). Widely considered one of the greatest NBA players in history, James is
frequently compared to Michael Jordan in debates over the greatest basketball player of all time.
[1]
 Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, James is the only player
in NBA history to have won NBA championships with three franchises as Finals MVP.[2] He has
competed in ten NBA Finals, including eight consecutive with the Heat and Cavaliers from 2011
through 2018. His accomplishments include four NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable
Player (MVP) Awards, four Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals. During his 17-year
career, James holds the record for all-time playoffs points, is third in all-time points, and eighth
in career assists. James has been selected to the All-NBA First Team a record 13 times, made
the All-Defensive First Team five times, and has played in 16 All-Star Games, in which he was
selected All-Star MVP three times.
James played basketball for St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio,
where he was heavily touted by the national media as a future NBA superstar. A prep-to-pro, he was
selected by Cleveland with the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft. Named the 2003–04 NBA
Rookie of the Year, he soon established himself as one of the league's premier players, winning the
NBA MVP Award in 2009 and 2010. After failing to win a championship with Cleveland, James left in
2010 to sign as a free agent with Miami. This move was announced in an ESPN special titled The
Decision, and is one of the most controversial free agent decisions in sports history.
James won his first two NBA championships while playing for the Heat in 2012 and 2013; in both of
these years, he also earned league MVP and Finals MVP. After his fourth season with the Heat in
2014, James opted out of his contract to re-sign with the Cavaliers. In 2016, he led the Cavaliers to
victory over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals by coming back from a 3–1 deficit,
delivering the franchise's first championship and ending Cleveland's 52-year professional sports title
drought. In 2018, James opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers to sign with the Lakers, where
he won the 2020 championship and was awarded his fourth Finals MVP.
Off the court, James has accumulated additional wealth and fame from numerous endorsement
contracts. He has been featured in books, documentaries, television commercials, and has hosted
the ESPY Awards (including winning 19 ESPY Awards in his own right) and Saturday Night Live. In
2015, he appeared in the film Trainwreck. As a part-owner of Liverpool F.C. (since 2011), James has
a Premier League championship to his credit, with the club having won the 2020 title. He is an
activist for various causes, including fighting for racial equality, improving the lives of African-
American communities, and improving education for students. The LeBron James Family
Foundation charity builds upon his vision to improve education for students in Akron, Ohio.