Few players have caused more of a storm in basketball’s history than James, and he’s still going strong.
Trying to summarize his career based on stats alone is nearly impossible. This is why we’ve decided to showcase his legacy through his many legendary sporting milestones and key moments. Here, we look at some of the most notable to date.
1. Putting the Cavs back in the Playoffs
The Cavaliers were 50-32 and back in the playoffs. This was two years after LeBron James was drafted onto the team. What did this mean for them? It brought their unfortunate seven-year playoff drought to an end.
When playing against the Washington Wizards, LeBron scored an impressive triple-double in his playoff. For three years consecutively, James continued to overrule the Wizards in the first round of the playoffs.
2. Rookie of the Year
In his NBA debut, Lebron notched nine assists and scored a whopping 25 points. This scoring frenzy occurred on October 29, 2003, against the Sacramento Kings.
In his rookie years, he averaged an impressive 5.5 rebounds, 20.9 points, and 5.9 assists per game. He took the Cavaliers’ overall win from 17 the previous year to a massive 35. This prompted a Rookie of the Year win!
In the season of 2007-8, LeBron was the big-time scorer. Each game, he posted an impressive, league-leading 30 points. This achievement was to become his first solo scoring title.
3. First of many MVPs and a Leading Scorer
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Continuing to carry the team, averaging a score of 7.6 rebounds, 28.4 points, and 7.2 assists per game, in 2009, LeBron was gearing towards his first MVP award.
Taking out the late Kobe Bryant, The Los Angeles Lakers legend, this was to be his first league MVP, of which he bagged four in total. The next three came in 2010, 2012, and 2013.
Every year, LeBron has climbed the all-time scoring list, overtaking legend after legend. On February 7, 2023, he overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, an NBA legend, taking the title of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
This is one of the most celebrated records in the sport. To break the world record, he hit 38 points in Oklahoma City. With an impressive set of points and a strong career, James will likely take his total even higher!
4. The Redeem team
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In 2004, the United States Olympic Basketball team took the title of bronze. Although still a win, this was a hugely disappointing finish for the U.S., as it was the only time in the 21st century they’ve left the Olympics with anything other than a gold medal.
For the Summer Olympics of 2006, with sights set on changing this luck, LeBron teamed up with a team of some of the most renowned players in basketball, including big names such as Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Jason Kidd, and Carmelo Anthony.
These players were christened ‘The Redeem Team’. Why? True to their word, they went undefeated, bagging the gold medal. This was such a monumental moment in sports a Netflix documentary was created, exploring how these NBA stars helped provide comfort for a team and country in turmoil.
These players made up one of the best basketball teams in history. The only other team to come close? The 1992 ‘Dream Team.’
5. Off the Court
Deemed one of the most influential people, James has numerous career achievements off the court as well as on. From starring in movies, ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ and ‘Trainwreck’ being two of the notable titles to hosting “Saturday Night Live” in 2007, he’s a basketball player with many ventures.
In addition to pop culture, he’s a businessman and investor. He co-founded the celebrated production and entertainment ‘SpringHill,’ and is a Fenway Sports Group partner. His dream? To invest in his own Las Vegas NBA team.
Then there is his charitable side. Building the I Promise School, James gave back to Akron, his hometown – just one of his charitable ventures. In 2017, LeBron was bestowed the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, the NBA’s service award.
The Bottom Line
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LeBron is none other than the 21st Century’s GOAT. No basketball player has achieved more than he has, on and off the court. The minute this man stepped foot onto St. Mary-St. Vincent High School’s hardwood floor was when his career took off, leading them to three division titles in just four years.
Witnessing his talents, word quickly spread, with James soon filling arenas whenever he was due on the court.
Despite being under immense pressure from a young age, James put on for Ohio, Akron, and outside of Cleveland. NBA teams were said to be mesmerized by his highlight reel, with numerous teams wanting to draft him.
Today, he’s not showing any signs of slowing down and will likely add several more momentous moments to his hall-of-fame career list. After all, he is one of the most influential people on planet Earth.
