Childhood and Education Journey of LeBron James in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of LeBron James. A timeline of key moments.

LeBron James, nicknamed "King James", is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. He holds the title of the NBA's all-time leading scorer and boasts an impressive record of four NBA championships from 10 NBA Finals appearances, including eight consecutive appearances from 2011-2018. James also secured the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers and has won three Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team. Widely regarded as one of basketball's all-time greats, his accomplishments solidify his place among the sport's elite.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

December 30, 1984: LeBron James' Birth

On December 30, 1984, LeBron Raymone James was born. He is an American professional basketball player.

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August 27, 1986: Savannah Brinson's Birthdate

August 27, 1986 marks the birthdate of Savannah Brinson, who would later become Savannah James, LeBron James' wife.

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2003: Custom-Built Mansion in Akron, Ohio in 2003

In 2003, James custom-built a 30,000 square foot mansion in Akron, Ohio, at a cost of $2.1 million.

2005: LJFF Annual Bike-A-Thon

In 2005, The LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) started holding an annual bike-a-thon to raise money for various causes.

2007: Co-hosting the ESPY Awards

In 2007, LeBron James co-hosted the ESPY Awards with comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

June 2008: Donation to Barack Obama's campaign

In June 2008, LeBron James donated $20,000 to a committee supporting Barack Obama for the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

January 2009: Benign Tumor Discovered in James' Jaw

In January 2009, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic discovered a benign tumor in the parotid gland on the right side of James' jaw. The tumor was removed in June of that year.

2009: Release of More Than a Game documentary

In 2009, LeBron James' production company, SpringHill Entertainment, released its first work, the Lions Gate documentary More Than a Game, chronicling James' high school years.

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2012: Investment in Blaze Pizza

In 2012, LeBron James, Maverick Carter, and Paul Wachter invested less than $1 million in the fast-casual chain Blaze Pizza.

September 14, 2013: Marriage to Savannah Brinson

On September 14, 2013, James married his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, in San Diego, California.

2014: Donald Sterling's Racist Comments

In 2014, LeBron James took a public stance on Donald Sterling's racist comments.

November 2015: Purchase of Brentwood Mansion in November 2015

In November 2015, James bought a 9,350 square-foot East Coast-style mansion in Brentwood, Los Angeles, for $21 million.

2015: Partnership with the University of Akron

In 2015, LeBron James announced a partnership with the University of Akron to provide scholarships for up to 2,300 children, beginning in 2021.

2015: Appearance in Trainwreck and Uninterrupted Funding

In 2015, LeBron James played himself in the film Trainwreck, receiving positive reviews, and his digital video company Uninterrupted raised $15.8 million from Warner Bros. Entertainment and Turner Sports.

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November 2016: Campaigning for Hillary Clinton

In November 2016, LeBron James campaigned for Hillary Clinton for the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

2016: CNBC Airs Cleveland Hustles

In 2016, CNBC aired an unscripted series hosted by LeBron James called Cleveland Hustles.

2016: Donation to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

In 2016, LeBron James donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture to support an exhibit on Muhammad Ali.

2016: James Acknowledges Motivation to Surpass Jordan

In a 2016 interview with Sports Illustrated, James acknowledged that his motivation was surpassing Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time.

November 2017: Approval of the I Promise School

In November 2017, the Akron School Board approved the I Promise School, a public elementary school created in partnership with the LJFF.

December 2017: Purchase of Another Home in Brentwood in December 2017

In December 2017, James purchased another home in Brentwood for $23 million.

2017: Investment Growth in Blaze Pizza and Spokesperson Role

By 2017, LeBron James' investment in Blaze Pizza had grown to $25 million. James also became a spokesman for the company after ending his contract with McDonald's.

2017: Executive production of The Carter Effect

In 2017, LeBron James and Maverick Carter executive produced a Vince Carter documentary entitled The Carter Effect.

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2017: Racist Incident and "Make America Great Again" Slogan

In 2017, following a racist incident at his Los Angeles home and in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally, LeBron James commented on the challenges of being black in America and questioned the "Make America Great Again" slogan.

February 2018: Production of House Party Film and "Shut Up and Dribble" Controversy

In February 2018, LeBron James' production company announced it would produce a new film in the House Party series. Later that month, Fox News host Laura Ingraham told James to "shut up and dribble" leading to the creation of his Showtime documentary film series, Shut Up and Dribble.

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February 2018: The Ringer's Week Devoted to James and Jordan

In February 2018, The Ringer spent an entire week devoted to both LeBron James and Michael Jordan, with Bill Simmons ultimately concluding that Jordan was still ahead.

July 30, 2018: Opening of the I Promise School

On July 30, 2018, the I Promise School officially opened, with LeBron James considering it his most important professional accomplishment.

2018: Comments on Donald Trump and Sports

During a 2018 interview with CNN, LeBron James accused President Donald Trump of dividing the country with sports and stated he would never sit across from him. Trump responded with a tweet criticizing James and the interviewer, Don Lemon.

2018: James Drinks Wine Every Night for Heart Health

James told ESPN in 2018 that he drinks wine every night, believing it to be good for his heart.

February 2019: Executive Production of 2 Chainz's Album

In February 2019, LeBron James was revealed to be the executive producer of rapper 2 Chainz's new album, Rap or Go to the League, celebrating black excellence and focusing on the power of education and entrepreneurship.

2019: Controversy over Daryl Morey's Tweet

During the 2019 Hong Kong protests, a statement LeBron James made about a tweet by Daryl Morey, expressing support for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, became the subject of controversy.

2019: Trademark application for "Taco Tuesday" denied

In 2019, LeBron James applied for a trademark on "Taco Tuesday" through a shell company for use in various media formats, related to his family's taco dinners posted on Instagram. The United States Patent and Trademark Office rejected the request, citing that "Taco Tuesday" is a common term.

August 19, 2020: Support for Joe Biden's Campaign

On August 19, 2020, LeBron James announced his support for Joe Biden's campaign for the 2020 U.S. presidential election and encouraged African-Americans to vote.

September 2020: Purchase of Beverly Hills Home in September 2020

In September 2020, James purchased a third home in Los Angeles, this one in Beverly Hills, for $36.75 million.

November 2020: Angel Investor in Lobos 1707

In November 2020, James became an angel investor in Lobos 1707, a tequila and mezcal company.

2020: Controversy over Daryl Morey's Tweet

In 2020, during the Hong Kong protests, LeBron James's statement regarding Daryl Morey's tweet supporting the pro-democracy movement was met with controversy and backlash.

March 2021: Assisted Renee Montgomery in buying Atlanta Dream

In March 2021, James assisted Dream player Renee Montgomery in her bid to buy the Atlanta Dream, after being frustrated with comments made by Kelly Loeffler on the Black Lives Matter movement.

2021: Reported $1.5 Million Spent Annually on Body

According to James' business partner Maverick Carter, James was in the habit of spending $1.5 million per year on his body, as reported by Men's Health in 2021.

2021: Jersey Change Delayed

In 2021, James was supposed to switch his jersey back to No. 6 to allow Davis to wear No. 23 but Nike had a surplus of merchandise featuring James with No. 23, and so prevented him from making the switch.

2021: Scholarships for 2,300 children

In 2021, the scholarships for 2,300 children, as part of the partnership with the University of Akron, began.

February 2022: Bill Maher calls James hypocritical

In February 2022, political commentator Bill Maher criticized LeBron James for not being critical of the Chinese government's human rights abuses.

June 2022: Launch of Hana Kuma Media Company

In June 2022, LeBron James announced the launch of a media company in partnership with Naomi Osaka and Maverick Carter, named Hana Kuma.

August 2022: Part Owner of A.C. Milan

In August 2022, LeBron James, along with Drake, became part owners of the Italian football club A.C. Milan.

2022: Crypto.com Super Bowl Advertisement

During Super Bowl LVI in 2022, LeBron James appeared in a Crypto.com advertisement, conversing with a CGI version of his younger self, offering advice about the future. The commercial sparked social media buzz and memes.

2022: James Voices Desire to Play into Forties

In 2022, James voiced his desire to play into his forties, potentially alongside or against his sons Bronny and Bryce.

2022: Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization

In 2022, LeBron James took a public stance on the ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade.

2022: Partnership with Crypto.com

In 2022, LeBron James' charity, the LeBron James Family Foundation, partnered with Crypto.com to educate underserved Akron communities with blockchain-related knowledge and Web3 tools.

October 2023: Support for Israel on Instagram

In October 2023, following the October 7th attacks, LeBron James voiced his support for Israel on Instagram, which drew backlash for its lack of mention of Palestinians affected by the crisis.

2023: Bronny Named McDonald's All-American in 2023

In 2023, James' son, Bronny, a standout high school basketball player, was named as a McDonald's All-American, 20 years after James' selection.

March 2024: Launch of Mind the Game Podcast

In March 2024, LeBron James and JJ Redick launched a podcast called Mind the Game.

June 2024: Suspension of Mind the Game Podcast

In June 2024, the Mind the Game podcast was suspended after JJ Redick was hired as head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.

July 6, 2024: Re-signed with the Lakers

On July 6, 2024, James re-signed with the Lakers on a two-year, $104 million contract which carried a no-trade clause and had a player option in the second year. James' son Bronny had been drafted 55th overall by the Lakers, marking the first father-son duo in NBA history.

October 22, 2024: First Time Sharing the Court with Son Bronny

On October 22, 2024, in the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves, LeBron James and his son Bronny shared the court for the first time, marking a historic moment.