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 a highly decorated American professional basketball player currently with the Los Angeles Lakers. He holds the record for the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has won four NBA championships across ten NBA Finals appearances, including eight consecutive from 2011-2018. He led the Lakers to victory in the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023. James has also achieved significant international success, winning three Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team.

Sections (6)

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

December 30, 1984: LeBron James Born

On December 30, 1984, LeBron Raymone James Sr. was born. He is now a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA.

Others born on this day/year

2001: Featured in Slam Magazine and Sports Illustrated

In 2001, during the summer before his junior year, LeBron James was lauded as possibly the best high school basketball player in America by Ryan Jones in Slam magazine and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, becoming the first high school basketball underclassman to do so.

December 12, 2002: Nationally Televised Game on ESPN2

On December 12, 2002, LeBron James and St. Vincent-St. Mary played against Oak Hill Academy in a game that was nationally televised on ESPN2, highlighting his growing popularity and national attention.

May 2003: Nike Endorsement Deal

In May 2003, James signed a seven-year endorsement deal with Nike for approximately $90 million, amidst a bidding war with Reebok and Adidas.

2003: Custom Built Akron Mansion

In 2003, LeBron James custom built a 30,000 square foot mansion in Akron, Ohio on his property and spent $2.1 million on it.

2003: Enters 2003 NBA Draft

In 2003, LeBron James participated in three year-end high school basketball all-star games, foregoing his National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility and making it official that he would enter the 2003 NBA draft.

2005: Left Aaron Goodwin as agent

In 2005, LeBron James left his first agent, Aaron Goodwin, and switched to Leon Rose.

2005: LeBron James Family Foundation Annual Bike-a-thon

In 2005, the LeBron James Family Foundation held its annual bike-a-thon to raise money for various causes.

2006: Negotiated three-year contract extension

In 2006, LeBron James and the Cavaliers negotiated a three-year, $60 million contract extension, allowing him to seek a new contract after the 2010 season.

2007: Co-hosted ESPY Awards

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

2007: Leon Rose joined CAA

In 2007, Leon Rose joined Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and worked with Henry Thomas to bring James to Miami in 2010.

March 2008: Vogue Cover Appearance

In March 2008, LeBron James became the first black man to appear on the cover of Vogue, posing with Gisele Bündchen. The cover received criticism for its perceived racial undertones.

June 2008: Donation to Barack Obama Campaign

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

January 2009: Discovery of Jaw Growth

In January 2009, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic discovered a growth in the right side of LeBron James's jaw.

2009: Release of More Than a Game

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

July 1, 2010: James Becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent

On July 1, 2010, LeBron James became an unrestricted free agent at 12:01 a.m. EDT, leading to contact from several teams. This marked a pivotal moment in his career as he weighed his options for the future.

July 10, 2010: Signing with the Miami Heat

On July 10, 2010, LeBron James officially signed a 6-year, $110 million contract with the Miami Heat, creating the 'Big Three' with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. This event was marked by a rock concert-like welcome party at the American Airlines Arena.

2010: Option to seek new contract

Following the 2010 season, LeBron James had the option of seeking a new contract as an unrestricted free agent, eventually leading to his move to the Heat with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

2010: Move to Miami orchestrated by CAA

In 2010, CAA agents Leon Rose and Henry Thomas worked together to facilitate LeBron James's move to Miami, along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

2011: Football contract offers during NBA lockout

During the 2011 NBA lockout, LeBron James received contract offers from the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks to play professional football, which he seriously considered.

2011: Partnership with Fenway Sports Group

In 2011, Fenway Sports Group became the sole global marketer of James' rights, granting him a minority stake in the English Premier League football club Liverpool.

2011: Improving Post Up Game

In 2011, during the NBA lockout, LeBron James worked with Hakeem Olajuwon to improve his post up game, inspired by the Heat's loss to the Mavericks.

2011: Part-Owner of Liverpool F.C.

Since 2011, LeBron James has been a part-owner of Liverpool F.C., demonstrating his interest and investment in sports beyond basketball.

2012: Left CAA for Rich Paul

In 2012, LeBron James left Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and began to be represented by Rich Paul.

2012: Investment in Blaze Pizza

In 2012, LeBron James, along with Carter and Paul Wachter, invested less than $1 million in Blaze Pizza, a fast-casual chain based in Pasadena.

September 14, 2013: Marriage to Savannah James

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

2013: Highest Paid Basketball Player

In 2013, James surpassed Bryant as the highest paid basketball player in the world, with earnings of $56.5 million.

June 25, 2014: Opted out of Heat contract

On June 25, 2014, LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Heat, officially becoming an unrestricted free agent.

2014: Dealing with Cramps

In 2014, James partnered with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2018 to found Ladder, a company that developed nutritional supplements to help athletes with severe cramps after dealing with that issue during the 2014 Finals.

2014: Donald Sterling's Racist Comments

In 2014, James publicly addressed the racist comments made by then-NBA owner Donald Sterling, marking one of his public stances on controversial issues.

2014: Profit from Apple's Acquisition of Beats Electronics

In 2014, James realized a profit of more than $30 million as part of Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics due to a small stake he had in the company in exchange for promoting its headphones.

2014: Left Knee and Lower Back Strains

In January 2014, LeBron James missed two weeks due to left knee and lower back strains, marking the longest stretch of missed games in his career at that time.

November 2015: Purchase of Brentwood Mansion

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

2015: Partnership with the University of Akron

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

2015: Appearance in Trainwreck and Investment in Uninterrupted

In 2015, James played himself in the film "Trainwreck" and his digital video company Uninterrupted raised $15.8 million to expand athlete-created content.

2015: Sixth Highest Earning Sportsperson

In 2015, James was ranked the sixth highest earning sportsperson in the world.

November 2016: Endorsement and Campaigning for Hillary Clinton

In November 2016, James endorsed and campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

2016: CNBC's Cleveland Hustles

In 2016, CNBC aired an unscripted series hosted by James called "Cleveland Hustles", where entrepreneurs were financed to revitalize a neighborhood in Cleveland.

2016: Donation to Smithsonian National Museum

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

2016: Third Highest Earning Sportsperson

In 2016, James was ranked the third highest earning sportsperson in the world, after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

2016: Signed three-year deal with Cavaliers

In 2016, LeBron James signed a three-year deal with the Cavaliers, becoming the highest-paid player in the league for the first time in his career.

2016: Desire to Surpass Jordan

In a 2016 interview with Sports Illustrated, LeBron 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 to help struggling elementary school students.

December 2017: Purchase of Brentwood Home

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

2017: Blaze Pizza investment growth

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

2017: Executive Production of The Carter Effect

In 2017, James executive produced the Vince Carter documentary "The Carter Effect", which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

2017: Response to Racist Incident and Unite the Right Rally

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

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

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

February 2018: Announcement of House Party Film and "Shut Up and Dribble" Documentary

In February 2018, it was announced that James' production company would produce a new "House Party" film. Following Laura Ingraham's criticism, James created the documentary series "Shut Up and Dribble."

June 29, 2018: Opted out of Contract with Cavaliers

On June 29, 2018, LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers and became an unrestricted free agent.

July 30, 2018: Opening of the I Promise School

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

2018: Feud with President Trump

In 2018, during an interview with CNN, James accused President Donald Trump of trying to divide the country through sports, which led to a public exchange between them.

February 2019: Executive Producer of 2 Chainz Album

In February 2019, James was revealed to be the executive producer of 2 Chainz's album "Rap or Go to the League", which aimed to celebrate black excellence and focus on education and entrepreneurship.

2019: Controversy over Daryl Morey Tweet

In 2019, James faced controversy after commenting on a since-deleted tweet by Daryl Morey expressing support for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, with James stating Morey was "misinformed".

2019: Trademark request for "Taco Tuesday"

In 2019, LeBron James filed a trademark request for the term "Taco Tuesday" through a shell company, intended for use in audio/visual works, podcasts, social media, online marketing, and entertainment services. The request was later denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

July 2020: Rookie Card Sold for $1.8 Million

In July 2020, one of LeBron James' rookie cards briefly held the record for the most expensive modern-day sports card when it sold for $1.8 million at auction.

August 19, 2020: Support for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

On August 19, 2020, James announced his support for the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign and Kamala Harris. He also supported the More Than a Vote movement and encouraged African-American community to vote.

August 27, 2020: Boycott of 2020 NBA Playoffs

On August 27, 2020, James and his Lakers teammates, along with the Bucks, began boycotting the 2020 NBA playoffs to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake. Subsequently, James sought counsel from Barack Obama, who advised continuing the season.

September 2020: Purchase of Beverly Hills Home

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

2020: Hong Kong Protests Controversy

In 2020, during the Hong Kong protests, James' statement about Daryl Morey's tweet supporting the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong became controversial, drawing backlash and racist comments against him.

March 2021: Assisted Renee Montgomery in buying the Atlanta Dream

In March 2021, LeBron James assisted Dream player Renee Montgomery in her bid to buy the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, after expressing frustration with comments made by Kelly Loeffler. That same year, James joined Fenway Sports Group as a partner.

2021: Stars in Space Jam: A New Legacy

In 2021, LeBron James starred in the sports film "Space Jam: A New Legacy", expanding his presence in entertainment.

2021: Scholarship Program Begins

In 2021, the scholarship program announced in 2015 with the University of Akron to provide scholarships for as many as 2,300 children began.

February 2022: Bill Maher Criticism

In February 2022, political commentator Bill Maher criticized James for his perceived hypocrisy in not taking a stronger stance against the Chinese government's human rights abuses.

June 2022: Launch of Hana Kuma Media Company

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

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 Ad

During Super Bowl LVI in 2022, James appeared in a Crypto.com advertisement, conversing with a CGI version of his younger self, which sparked social media buzz and inspired memes.

2022: Crypto.com NFT Airdrop and Partnership

In 2022, Crypto.com launched an NFT airdrop featuring James. Also in 2022, the LeBron James Family Foundation partnered with Crypto.com to educate Akron communities on blockchain technology and Web3 tools.

2022: Reaction to Dobbs v. Jackson Ruling

In 2022, James voiced his opinion on the ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade, as part of his public stances on controversial issues.

2022: Desire to Play Into Forties

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

April 11, 2023: Publication of LeBron Biography

On April 11, 2023, Jeff Benedict's biography of James, titled "LeBron", was published, based on three years of research and over 250 interviews.

May 2023: Becomes a Billionaire

According to Forbes, in May 2023, James became the first active NBA player to achieve billionaire status, making him one of the richest celebrities.

June 2023: Most Followed Basketball Player on Instagram

As of June 2023, James is the most followed basketball player on Instagram, with over 155 million followers.

October 2023: Support for Israel in 2023 Israel-Hamas war

In October 2023, James voiced his support for Israel on Instagram in response to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, which drew backlash for omitting the Palestinians affected by the crisis.

2023: Bronny Named McDonald's All-American

In 2023, Bronny James was named a McDonald's All-American, 20 years after his father's selection.

March 2024: Launch of Mind the Game Podcast

In March 2024, James and JJ Redick launched a podcast called "Mind the Game", featuring conversations about basketball.

June 2024: Suspension of Mind the Game Podcast

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

October 22, 2024: First Game Sharing the Court with Bronny

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