LeBron Raymone James is turning 30 today. It is hard to believe that it’s been nearly 12 years since arguably the most hyped high school prospect of all time entered the NBA Draft and was picked ahead of a freshman college superstar named Carmelo Anthony from a big-time school (Syracuse) who won a national championship in his only collegiate season.
LeBron’s career has been full of ups and downs, great successes and very public falls. Let’s rank the most important moments so far for King James—both good and bad.
LeBron James Is Drafted By The Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James, the hometown hero from Akron, Ohio, is drafted by the Cavaliers and immediately saddled with being the savior for a floundering Cleveland franchise. LeBron’s arrival gave the Cavs instant notoriety and popularity, and he proved he was for real right away. LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists in his first season.
LeBron Scores 29 of Cleveland’s 30 Points In Game 5 Of The 2007 Eastern Conference Finals
LeBron delivers one of the virtuoso performances of his career, hanging 48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland won the series in six games, and LeBron was on his way to the NBA Finals for the first time in his young career. His Cavs would be schooled by the Spurs on the big stage, but reaching the Finals elevated him from star to transcendent.
LeBron Opens 2009 Eastern Conference Finals With 49 Points In Loss, Cavaliers Lose To Orlando Magic In 6
LeBron endured a period of personal success that was marred by team failures. This was never more evident than a 49-point performance in Game 1 of the 2009 East Finals against Dwight Howard’s Orlando Magic. LeBron shot 66 percent from the field in Game 1, but lost. He won Game 2 with a miraculous game-winner.
The Cavs lost this series in six games, despite LeBron averaging 35 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists, furthering his reputation for not being a winner.
LeBron Scores 45, Cavaliers Lose To Celtics In Game 7 Of 2008 Eastern Conference Semis
LeBron entered a rough phase of his career when his ability to “win” and his “failures” in the clutch became magnified. His Cavaliers fell to a deep, veteran-laden Boston Celtics group in Game 7 of the East semifinals despite a 45-point effort by LeBron. He was done in by 41 points by Paul Pierce, with whom he would go on to have a long, storied rivalry with that lasts to this day.
LeBron Falls Apart In Game 5 Of 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Celtics
This game is pointed to as the reason LeBron left Cleveland. He struggled to a 15-point, seven-assist line in a 32-point shellacking at the hands of the hated Celtics, and heard boos as he left the court.
In Game 6 of this series LeBron rebounded with a startling triple-double. He scored 27 points, pulled down 19 boards and handed out 10 assists but it was all for naught. Cleveland was once again eliminated.
LeBron James Falls To Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks In First Year Of Miami Heat Big 3
After a tumultuous offseason in which his move to Miami was ridiculed because of the media hype surrounding it, LeBron and his new running mates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh fell in Year 1 of their partnership to Dirk Nowitzki. He averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists in the series, but left town without a ring for the seventh straight season.
LeBron Wins Second Title, Avenges Humiliation At Hands Of Spurs
LeBron avenged a sweep at the hands of Gregg Popovich and the Spurs back in his Cleveland days with a dominant performance in which he averaged a double-double over seven games.
The series is best known for Ray Allen’s clutch 3-pointer in Game 6 that sent it to overtime, but LeBron’s 25 points and 11 rebounds a game were a major part of it as well.
The second straight title cinched LeBron’s place alongside the legends of the sport, and cast aside any talk that his previous title was a fluke. LeBron proved the Heat were his team, and not Dwyane Wade’s.
LeBron James Returns To Cleveland
This is skipping ahead in the timeline, but after great success in Miami, LeBron returned to the city that reviled him, and burned his jerseys upon his departure. He created much media hype and discussion once again with his free agency, but eschewed the spectacle. Instead he announced his decision via a heartfelt letter published by Sports Illustrated. He also orchestrated a trade for Kevin Love, who joined Kyrie Irving to form a new “Big 3.” This time, Love and Irving are the superstars branded as failures for not ever reaching the playoffs, while LeBron is the shepherd expected to lead them to the promised land.
The Decision
After dragging out his free agency and holding up almost the entire league while he decided, LeBron James had an entire ESPN special dedicated to him deciding where he’d play basketball in 2010.
He was ripped not only for the self-promotion and lack of humility of the ordeal, but also for crushing the hopes of his hometown fans so publicly. He was among the most reviled athletes in the world for a time until…
LeBron Wins His First NBA Title
LeBron finally shed his “loser” label by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, and his main foil Kevin Durant. LeBron got the championship monkey off his back, and was freed to join the discussion of the NBA’s all-time greats.
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