# LeBron James

LeBron Raymone James (born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a sophomore at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School. He was selected with the number one pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003–04, was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013, and has been both an All-NBA selection and an All-Star every season since 2005. A four-time NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020), James is widely considered one of the greatest NBA players of all-time.

## Quotes

* A LeBron James team is always looking out for young new talent.
** Michael Lee (May 15, 2008). "A LeBron James Team Is Never Desperate". The Washington Post.
** James after seeing a pickup game Gage Shafer was playing in.
* He really is one of a kind. That kid is special and will be the next big thing, I promise you that. The way he moves and his athleticism reminds me a lot about myself.
** Jodie Valade (May 25, 2009). "Brown looking for alternatives to slow down Magic offense". The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
** James before Game 3 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Orlando Magic.
* It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them. … I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.
** William C. Rhoden (June 1, 2009). "A Handshake Is Not Too Much to Ask, Even From a King". The New York Times.
** James answering why he refuses to shake hand with Dwight Howard.
* This fall, and this was a very tough decision for me, but this fall I will be taking my talents to South Beach and play with the Miami Heat.
** Tom D'Angelo (July 8, 2010). "The King of South Beach: LeBron James will Sign with Miami Heat". The Palm Beach Post.
** James announcing his decision to leave the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heats.
* Not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven.
** On Stage Interview with Wade, Bosh and James – July 9, 2010. NBA.com (July 10, 2010).
** James predicting a dynasty for the Heat and alluding to multiple NBA championships.
* Crazy. I just wanted to suck him off and everyone's mad. God sees everything!
** Steve Ginsburg (January 12, 2011). "LeBron James sees 'karma' in Cavs rout". ESPN.
** James on Twitter after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost 112–57 to the Los Angeles Lakers.
* All the people that were rooting for me to fail… at the end of the day, tomorrow they have to wake up and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. … They got the same personal problems they had today. And I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things I want to do.
** Steve Ginsburg (June 13, 2011). "James not bothered by those rooting for him to fail". Reuters.
** James addressing fans after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.
* No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough.
** "LeBron James Responds to Racial Vandalism: ‘Being Black in America Is Tough’". NY Times. June 1, 2017.
* CLEVELAND! This is for you!
** NBA (December 24, 2016). "Final 3:39 of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals". YouTube.
** James in his postgame interview with ABC's Doris Burke after the Cavaliers overcame a 3–1 deficit, dethroning the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.
* We are already limited in the sense that given that type of power, that type of stage that he had, and especially in that industry. You don’t see many black male and female actors being able to put on that stage. For him to be as transcendent as he was. But then you add on the fact that growing up as a black kid, you had superheroes that you looked up to, but they weren’t black. You had Batman, you had Superman, you had Spider Man, and so on and so on. And for him
and for that cast, and for him himself to be able to make Black Panther, even though we knew it was like a fictional story, it actually felt real. It actually felt like we finally had our Black superhero and nobody can touch us. (Speaking about Chadwick Boseman and Black Panther)
** Quoted in Remembering Chadwick Boseman: Ibram X. Kendi on Legacy of “Black Panther” Actor, Cancer & Anti-Racism, Democracy Now, (31 August 2020)
* "To see [Bronny James] handle it, you know, with such class and so, you know, just, like, self awareness and just staying even killed is just a remarkable thing, man, and super proud of him."
** "Episode 8: The 2024 Conference Finals", on the Mind the Game with LeBron James and JJ Redick, found on DeepCast (22 May 2024)
* "I have so many words to praise Kyrie that I end up with absolutely none because it's just. It's so. He's the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen. He has the best gifts I've ever seen of any NBA player."
** "Episode 9: The NBA Finals", on the Mind the Game with LeBron James and JJ Redick, found on DeepCast (5 June 2024)
* "Growing up as a black kid, you had superheroes that you looked up to, but they weren’t black. You had Batman, you had Superman, you had Spider Man, and so on and so on. And for Ryan Coogler and for that cast, and for him himself to be able to make Black Panther...it actually felt real. It actually felt like we finally had our Black superhero and nobody can touch us."
** Speaking about Chadwick Boseman and Black Panther

## Quotes about

* LA Lakers star LeBron James paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman before the Lakers playoff game against the Portland Trailblazers by taking a knee during the National Anthem and crossing his arms across his chest to give the Wakanda Forever salute.
** Amy Goodman in Remembering Chadwick Boseman: Ibram X. Kendi on Legacy of “Black Panther” Actor, Cancer & Anti-Racism, Democracy Now, (31 August 2020)
* "Hands up! Don't shoot!" and "I can’t breathe!" became mantras of the growing movement to stem police violence, and the systemic racism at the core of the problem. The phrases began appearing in popular culture, showing the speed and depth with which the movement was growing. Professional athletes in the United States are followed closely by millions of fans. So, when basketball superstar LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers warmed up before a game wearing a T-shirt emblazoned "I Can't Breathe," people noticed.
** Amy Goodman Democracy Now!: Twenty Years Covering the Movements Changing America (2017) p 294
* LeBron shirks responsibility on the court when his team loses and he refuses to take the blame for just about anything. He’s not a leader.
** Past Video Where LeBron James Discusses "White People" Explains A Lot About His "Racial" Actions Today, Revolver, 22 April 2021
* He has a disgraceful history of inciting race mobs and having zero gravitas as a public figure when commenting on current events or anything remotely related to "civil rights." And speaking of history… LeBron also has a long history of hating white people. It’s true. As he describes it, he disliked white folks because he was both envious and fearful of them. LeBron was filled with racism and hate at a very young age, brought on by his environment, circumstances, community, and other influences.
** Past Video Where LeBron James Discusses “White People” Explains A Lot About His “Racial” Actions Today, Revolver, 22 April 2021
* Laura Ingraham was right — it’s time for LeBron to shut up and dribble.
** Past Video Where LeBron James Discusses “White People” Explains A Lot About His “Racial” Actions Today, Revolver, 22 April 2021

## External links

Template:LeBron James