15 things you didn’t know about NBA legend LeBron James

'King James'
(1) Milestones
(2) Broken wrist changed everything
(3) Two coaches saved him
(4) First black man on Vogue
(5) He is left-handed
(6) He's an author
(7) Favourite movie
(8) 'I Promise'
(9) Boston Red Sox
(10) Group of friends
(11) First televised high school game
(12) High school tattoo policy
(13) Producing movies
(14) Unique record with MJ
(15) Not getting paid enough?
'King James'

LeBron James is one of the most famous athletes to ever live. Due to his dominance and consistency on the basketball court, he has been in the media spotlight for over 25 years. Here are some things you may not know about 'King James.'

(1) Milestones

According to Statmuse, LeBron James is the youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 points, a true sign of his remarkable scoring ability.

(2) Broken wrist changed everything

During his time at St Vincent St Mary's High School in Akron, James was an avid football and basketball player. However, a broken wrist in an AAU football game forced him to pick a sport, and he needed two months to recover. He ultimately chose basketball, which didn't seem like a bad decision.

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(3) Two coaches saved him

James grew up without a father and was born to a 16-year-old mother with no parents of her own. After years of apartment hopping in the projects, he eventually met Bruce Kelker, who offered him stability on the football team. He eventually moved in with Kelker and later with another coach named Frank Walker.

(4) First black man on Vogue

In 2008, James became the first black man to be on the cover of Vogue Magazine, joining Richard Gere and George Clooney as the first men to be on the cover. The cover caused controversy because it resembled racist US Army imagery from World War One.

(5) He is left-handed

James shoots and dribbles with his right while playing in the NBA, but he's left-handed. According to Sports Illustrated, James dedicated himself to playing with his right hand by watching his idols, Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway play with their right.

(6) He's an author

James is the author of several books inspired by his lifestyle. These include guidebooks for young readers, children's books, and novels for readers ages 8 to 12. His books include 'I Promise,' 'We Are Family,' and 'I Am More Than.'

(7) Favourite movie

According to Grailify, LeBron James's favourite movie is Al Pacino's 'Scarface,' released in 1983. He even has a pair of Nike LeBron 9s inspired by the movie's cover.

(8) 'I Promise'

In 2018, he committed $41 million to create the 'I Promise' school in Akron. The program helps disadvantaged children transition from school to college and the world of work.

(9) Boston Red Sox

In 2016, James joined the Boston Red Sox management group as an advisor. He helped the team defend its title as World Series champions.

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(10) Group of friends

It's widely known in the NBA that James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Paul have been friends since the early 2000s. Did you know they were called 'The Banana Boat Crew'?

(11) First televised high school game

Before being drafted out of high school in 2003, James had some extreme hype around his talent while playing for St Vincent St Mary. The nation wanted to see what he could do, and on December 22nd, 2002, his high school game was broadcast on ESPN. It was the first-ever high school game to be shown on TV.

(12) High school tattoo policy

Due to St Vincent St Mary being a catholic school run by priests and nuns, James was forced to cover his tattoos up with tape. The school prohibited tattooed players on their campus.

(13) Producing movies

According to Sportskeeda, James owns a production company called 'Springhill Entertainment'. The company produces movies like 'Hustle,' starring Adam Sandler, and 'House Party'. It also produced 'Space Jam: A New Legacy,' in which he starred as the main character.

(14) Unique record with MJ

Michael Jordan and LeBron James have been compared for over twenty years but share something quite interesting. Precisely twenty years apart, the pair won an Olympic gold medal, an NBA Championship, the NBA MVP, and the Finals MVP (Jordan 1992 and James 2012).

(15) Not getting paid enough?

James recently became the first active billionaire athlete, but wasn't the highest-paid player on any team until he turned 31! In his first stint in Cleveland, he was surrounded by veterans like Shaquille O'Neal, and when he went to Miami, he took a pay cut to form a super team with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

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