LEBRON JAMES NBA CHAMPION LeBron's basketball skills were clear even as a high school student Here he takes control of the ball for St Vincent St Mary High School in
Early Life in Ohio Focusing His Energy on Sports In school LeBron put his energy into football and basketball Through sports he found confidence and friends In fourth grade he met Frankie Walker Jr Sian Cotton Dru Joyce III and Willie McGee who all became his lifelong friends These relationships QUICK FACT taught LeBron that loyalty to and from friends and family is one of the keys to LeBron played wide receiver in happiness and success peewee football He scored nineteen touchdowns in his first LeBron was always faster and season with his team stronger than other kids which made him stand out in football and basketball His friend Frankie's father Frankie Sr saw his talent and knew he missed a lot of school He asked Gloria if LeBron could live with him and his wife Pam for a short time so they could help give him a more stable life Gloria worried about this but she agreed because she wanted LeBron to have what he needed to do well in life LeBron moved in with the Walkers in fifth grade His stable home was now shaped by Frankie Sr and Pam as well as his friend Frankie and Frankie s sisters Chanelle and Tanesha The kids had chores and their homework was checked LeBron's attendance and grades at school improved The next year he moved back with his mom but he still spent a lot of time with the Walkers Frankie Sr also taught LeBron about basketball LeBron and his four friends joined an Amateur Athletic QUICK FACT Union AAU team while in middle school The Fab Five as they called LeBron had a B average in high themselves traveled to tournaments and school His favorite class was had fun playing the game they loved as earth science part of the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars They also won big racking up more than 200 wins
LEBRON JAMES NBA CHAMPION IATER DES Aid LeBron makes a layup to bring his high school team closer to victory at the Dream Classic championship game versus a Los Angeles team in 2003 a 10
Early Life in Ohio LeBron was always strong in sports but he became a star player after he learned about team work at home and in the game When it came time to choose a high school LeBron and his friends decided to stick together so they could play on the same team They chose St Vincent St Mary High School in Akron In their freshman season they led the boys basketball team to a 27 0 record and the Division III state title LeBron averaged 18 points and six rebounds per game Sophomore year was also a success As a forward LeBron led his team to a 26 1 record and another Division IIl title He averaged 25 2 points 7 2 rebounds 5 8 assists and 3 8 steals that season The team placed fifth in USA Today s Super 25 high school rankings LeBron became the youngest player ever to be chosen for the newspaper s Al USA First Team of all stars and a local newspaper nicknamed the sixteen year old ing James LeBron stayed humble and focused QUICK FACT on his role within a great team It didn't LeBron told Sports Illustrated he matter if the opposing started checking out library team was bigger than I books about famous athletes in us or taller than us elementary school How amaz he told Sports ing would it be if I made it into Illustrated We knew one of these he wondered we had the ability to go out and win every night because we played as a team In his junior year LeBron led his team to a 23 4 record That season 2001 2002 brought a few more losses than previous years but he averaged 29
