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By Sawyer G .
By Sawyer G .
There is just over 10 seconds left in the third quarter of the February 7 game between the LA Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Lebron James, number 6 on the Lakers is working to keep defenders off of the current ball holder, Russell Westbrook (Number 0 on the Lakers). Westbrook passes James the ball and runs to support a rebound. Right now, James is a single point behind the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) all-time scoring record and with one more basket, he’ll make history. James presses the defense, trying to get an open shot, fighting the shot clock. If he makes this shot, he’ll change everything by breaking the unbreakable NBA scoring record…
Lebron James wearing his previous jersey, number 23. Lebron James has been playing in the NBA for many years and has played for many teams under many numbers. Shutterstock via Guinness World Records
Lebron Raymone James Sr, nicknamed “King James” or “the Chosen One,” is arguably the greatest professional basketball player in history. He holds various world records relating to basketball such as being the youngest individual to reach 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 25,000, and 30,000 points scored in NBA, as well as being the first player to record a triple-double against every single NBA team, and being the youngest individual to win Most Valuable Player in the All-Star game. James is often compared to Michael Jordan and many people consider him to be one of if not the greatest NBA basketball player ever. And no one can deny his skill on the court and his mastery of the sport.
James was born in the town of Akron, Ohio on December 30, 1984, to a single mother, Gloria Marie James who was sixteen years old at the time of his birth. His father was a criminal and was not a part of James’ life. James was introduced to basketball by his mentor and father figure, Frank Walker, when he was nine years old. James instantly fell in love with the sport and joined organized basketball in the 5th grade. He joined the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and played basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars team which he and his friends led to victory on a national level.
James studied at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School and played on the varsity basketball team, the Fighting Irish, for his entire high school career. In his Freshman and Sophomore years, the Fighting Irish were Ohio state champions and James was named ‘Ohio Mr. Basketball’ during his Sophomore and Junior years. During his Senior year, the Fighting Irish traveled the United States competing on a national level and James won ‘Ohio Mr. Basketball’ for the third time in a row along with many other awards and deals with major companies such as Gatorade and McDonalds.
James was easily eligible for the 2003 NBA draft right out of high school and was the number-one pick for the year. This means that of all the drafts for the NBA, James was so good he was the first person to get picked by a team. In the end, he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With the Cavaliers, James received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in the 2003-2004 season, and he was later selected to the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, a game hosted every February by the NBA made up of the league’s 25 best players. NBA teams from all over took note of the rookie’s skill and potential as he rapidly grew in fame and recognition. “It's weird talking about a 20-year-old kid being a great player, but he is a great player ... He's the exception to almost every rule,” Denver Nuggets Coach, George Karl, told Sports Illustrated. In the 2006 All-Star Game, James lead his team to victory and was awarded the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP). He again won this award in the 2008 All-Star Game.
From 2008 to 2010, James went from talented rookie to superstar, winning MVP awards, playing in All-Star Games, and bringing the Cavaliers success as they’d never seen before. He was undoubtedly an excellent player will a ton of potential, senior columnist for “The Athletic,” John Hollinger wrote that "He's having what is arguably the greatest individual season in history, and it's time we gave him his due for it."
Eventually, James left the Cavaliers and became a free agent despite lots of criticism. During this time as a free agent, he was contacted numerous times by the Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls. Eventually, James announced on the ESPN show, “The Decision” that he would be signing on with the Miami Heat.
This choice was controversial and James received a lot of scrutiny and negative attention during his 2010-2011 season but James didn’t let it stop him as he moved into his 2011-2012 and led the Heat to a championship win. Then in 2013, he did it again, leading Miami to back-to-back championships. In the 2013-2014 season, despite not winning a championship, James did make more history by scoring a record-breaking 61 points in a single game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
In 2014, James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers and brought them even more success, their first championship win in 52 years during the 2015-2016 season! During this season James also became the first NBA player to receive the Finals MVP award with a unanimous vote. Between 2016 and 2018, James experienced multiple injuries and the Cavaliers did not play well for multiple reasons including trading Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics, who requested a trade in part because he no longer wanted to play with James.
James holding the ball during a game in 2009 while he played for the Cavaliers. Though the Cavaliers never won a championship, the team’s success skyrocketed while James was on the team ESPN the Magazine
On June 29, 2018, James left the Cavaliers and on July 9, he officially signed on with the Los Angeles Lakers. James’ agent, Rich Paul noted how “In 2010 when he went to Miami, it was about championships. In 2014, when he went back to Cleveland, it was about delivering on a promise. In 2018, it was just about doing what he wants to do.” James wanted to go to the Lakers and that was what he was going to do no matter what. Fortunately, the reaction to the switch was more positive than his first leave from Cleveland anyway.
Even though the Lakers initially struggled in the 2018-2019 season as they tried to figure out effective line-ups with a multitude of new sign-ons, James played well and once the team got sorted out, the Lakers became one of the best teams in the league. In the 2019-2020 season, James got his fourth championship win, and despite restrictions from Covid-19 during the 2020-2021 season, James played excellently becoming the third NBA player ever to reach 35,000 points. And in the 2021-2022 season, James became the first and only member of the 10k-10k-10k club, meaning he made 10,000 shots, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists.
A poster for Lebron James becoming the first player in NBA history to get 10k rebounds, 1ok assists, and 10k points NBA.com
No one can deny James’ skill and talent; and while much of his success in basketball comes from natural skill and the ideal body composition, a large portion of his success both on the basketball court and off is from multiple secrets and skills that he has shared on multiple occasions. James has said that some of his keys to success include: taking one game at a time, don’t sweat the small stuff, appreciating the moment, and keeping at the main thing. All of these tips point towards the same general idea: take things one step at a time, and focus on the main goal, don’t get caught up in small details.
James has also demonstrated some other keys to success throughout his career: being a leader but also flexible and a team player. This means that if you can lead, do so, and never hesitate to take a leadership role. But also remember to build off of others and use their skills to combine with yours and create a smooth, well-built team or partnership. But also be flexible, while building this team, adapt to others’ strengths and weaknesses, and help each other. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - the previous NBA scoring record holder - said himself that “He has that indefinable essence that they call leadership.”
All of Lebron James’ career history, success, and keys to success have led him to this very moment. From the moment Frank Walker handed him a basketball, to the moment he stepped onto an NBA court. From the moment he won his first championship, to the moment he made history with the 10k-10k-10k club, Lebron James has been building up to this very second in his life.
Lebron James shooting his record-breaking shot, a fadeaway jumper in which the shooter jumps backward right before the shot to make it harder to block Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images
With just over 10 seconds left in the third quarter and the shot clock ticking down, James finds an opening in the defense and prepares for his record-breaking shot. He jumps back and performs a fadeaway jumper 14 feet from the hoop. Silence. Except for a swishing of a net as a basketball goes straight through. The crowd roars. Reporters and journalists storm the court. James runs to his family. He has done it. Lebron Reymone James Sr. has become the all-time highest scorer in NBA history.
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