Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, James gained national attention at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School and was heavily touted as a future NBA superstar for his all-around scoring, passing, athleticism and playmaking abilities.[5] A prep-to-pro, James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft. He won Rookie of the Year and quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier players, leading Cleveland to its first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. After winning back-to-back MVPs in 2009 and 2010, he left the Cavaliers and joined the Miami Heat as a free agent in 2010, a controversial move announced in the nationally televised special titled The Decision.[6]

With the Heat, James won his first two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013, earning MVP and Finals MVP honors both years. After four seasons in Miami, he returned to Cleveland in 2014, leading the Cavaliers to their first-ever championship in 2016 by overcoming a 3–1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors and ending the Cleveland sports curse. He signed with the Lakers in 2018, winning another title in 2020. In 2023, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and in 2024, he and his son Bronny became the first father-son teammates in league history.

Off the court, James has earned further wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts. He is the first player in NBA history to accumulate $1 billion in earnings as an active player.[7] James has been featured in books, documentaries (including winning three Sports Emmy Awards as an executive producer), and television commercials. He was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2005, 2013, 2017, and 2019 – the most selections for a professional athlete. James has won 20 ESPY Awards, hosted Saturday Night Live, and starred in the sports film Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021). He has been a part-owner of Liverpool F.C. since 2011 and leads the LeBron James Family Foundation, which has opened an elementary school, housing complex, retail plaza, and medical center in Akron