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 distinction of being the NBA's all-time leading scorer. James has won four NBA championships across 10 NBA Finals appearances, including eight consecutive appearances from 2011 to 2018. He secured the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers. Furthermore, he has earned three Olympic gold medals as part of the U.S. national team, solidifying his status as one of the sport's most accomplished players.

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 would later be nicknamed "King James" and become the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

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2001: Featured in Slam Magazine and Sports Illustrated

In 2001, LeBron James was featured in Slam magazine and on the cover of Sports Illustrated, becoming the first high school basketball underclassman to do so. He was lauded as "[possibly] the best high school basketball player in America right now".

December 12, 2002: Game televised on ESPN2

On December 12, 2002, a game featuring LeBron James and St. Vincent–St. Mary against Oak Hill Academy was nationally televised on ESPN2.

2002: Petition to Enter NBA Draft

In 2002, LeBron James unsuccessfully petitioned for a change to the NBA's draft eligibility rules in an attempt to enter the 2002 NBA draft.

May 2003: James signs with Nike

In May 2003, LeBron James signed a seven-year deal with Nike for approximately $90 million.

2003: Custom Built Akron Mansion in 2003

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

2003: Enters NBA Draft

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

2005: LJFF holds annual bike-a-thon

Since 2005, the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) has held an annual bike-a-thon to raise money for various causes.

December 11, 2007: First Time Coming Off the Bench

On December 11, 2007, LeBron James came off the bench for the first time in his career to support teammate Anderson Varejão during a pay dispute.

2007: Co-hosting the 2007 ESPY Awards

In 2007, LeBron James co-hosted the ESPY Awards alongside comedian Jimmy Kimmel, marking an early foray into comedic and hosting roles.

March 2008: James appears on the cover of Vogue

In March 2008, LeBron James became the first black man, as well as the third man overall after Richard Gere and George Clooney, to appear on the cover of Vogue.

June 2008: James donates to Obama campaign

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

January 2009: Growth discovered in James' jaw

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

2009: Release of "More Than a Game" Documentary

In 2009, SpringHill Entertainment, owned by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, released its first work, the Lions Gate documentary "More Than a Game", chronicling James's high school basketball years.

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2010: Joins Miami Heat

In 2010, LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers and joined the Miami Heat as a free agent. This decision was announced in a nationally televised special titled "The Decision".

2011: Football Contract Offers During NBA Lockout

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

2011: Fenway Sports Group becomes global marketer

In 2011, Fenway Sports Group became the sole global marketer of LeBron James's rights, and as part of the deal, James was granted a minority stake in the English Premier League football club Liverpool.

2011: Part-owner of Liverpool F.C.

Since 2011, LeBron James has been a part-owner of Liverpool F.C.

2012: Investment in Blaze Pizza

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

September 14, 2013: Marriage to Savannah James on September 14, 2013

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

2014: Experiencing Cramps and Founding Ladder

In 2014, LeBron James experienced severe cramps during the NBA Finals. Later, in 2018, James partnered with Arnold Schwarzenegger to found Ladder, a company that developed nutritional supplements to help athletes with severe cramps.

2014: James realizes profit from Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics

In 2014, LeBron James realized a profit of more than $30 million as part of Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics; he had originally struck a deal to get a small stake in the company at its inception in exchange for promoting its headphones.

2014: Returns to Cleveland Cavaliers

In 2014, LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers after four seasons with the Miami Heat.

2014: James speaks out against Donald Sterling's racist comments

In 2014, LeBron James took a public stance against the now-former NBA owner Donald Sterling's racist comments.

November 2015: Purchase of Brentwood Mansion in November 2015

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 University of Akron announced

In 2015, LeBron 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 Uninterrupted Funding

In 2015, LeBron James appeared as himself in the film "Trainwreck", receiving positive reviews. Also in 2015, his digital video company Uninterrupted secured $15.8 million in funding from Warner Bros. Entertainment and Turner Sports to expand its athlete-created content platform.

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November 2016: James endorses Hillary Clinton

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

2016: CNBC Airs "Cleveland Hustles"

In 2016, CNBC aired "Cleveland Hustles", an unscripted series hosted by James. The show focuses on financing Northern Ohio entrepreneurs under the condition they revitalize a Cleveland neighborhood.

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2016: James donates $2.5 million to museum for Muhammad Ali exhibit

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.

November 2017: Akron School Board approves I Promise School

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

December 2017: Purchase of Another Brentwood Home in December 2017

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

2017: Blaze Pizza Investment Growth

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

2017: James comments on racist incident and "Make America Great Again" slogan

Following a racist incident at his Los Angeles home in 2017, LeBron James expressed that "being black in America is tough". Later that year, in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally, James questioned the "Make America Great Again" slogan.

2017: James receives J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

In 2017, LeBron James received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award from the NBA for his outstanding service and dedication to the community.

2017: Executive Production of "The Carter Effect"

In 2017, at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Vince Carter documentary "The Carter Effect" was executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Drake, and Future the Prince.

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February 2018: House Party Film Production and Laura Ingraham Controversy

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

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July 30, 2018: I Promise School officially opens

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

2018: James criticizes Trump in CNN interview

During a 2018 interview with CNN journalist Don Lemon, LeBron James accused President Donald Trump of attempting to divide the country with sports, and declared that he would never sit across from him.

2018: Signs with the Lakers

In 2018, LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

February 2019: Executive Production of 2 Chainz's Album "Rap or Go to the League"

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". The album's intent is to promote black excellence, education, and entrepreneurship.

2019: James statement about Daryl Morey tweet sparks controversy

During the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, a statement LeBron James made about a since-deleted tweet by Daryl Morey, in which Morey expressed support for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, became the subject of controversy.

2019: Attempted Trademark of "Taco Tuesday"

In 2019, LeBron James filed for a trademark on the term "Taco Tuesday" for use in various media and entertainment services, related to his family's use of the term on Instagram. The request was denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

August 19, 2020: James announces support for Biden-Harris campaign

On August 19, 2020, LeBron James announced his intentions to support the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign and that of his running-mate Kamala Harris in advance of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

August 27, 2020: James and Lakers boycott NBA playoffs

On August 27, 2020, LeBron James and his Lakers teammates, as well as the Bucks, began boycotting the 2020 NBA playoffs to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake.

September 2020: Purchase of Beverly Hills Home in September 2020

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

November 2020: Angel Investment in Lobos 1707

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

2020: James' statement on Morey tweet is controversial

In 2020, LeBron James' statement about a since-deleted tweet by Daryl Morey, in which Morey expressed support for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, became the subject of controversy. James said Morey was "misinformed".

March 2021: Assisted in Atlanta Dream Purchase and Joined Fenway Sports Group

In March 2021, LeBron James assisted Renee Montgomery in her successful bid to buy the WNBA's Atlanta Dream. Also in March 2021, James joined Fenway Sports Group as a partner, becoming a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox, New England Sports Network, RFK Racing, and Liverpool F.C.

2021: Stars in Space Jam: A New Legacy

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

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2021: Scholarships provided for children

In 2021, scholarships were provided for as many as 2,300 children via a partnership between LeBron James and the University of Akron.

February 2022: James called hypocritical for stance on China

In February 2022, political commentator Bill Maher called LeBron James hypocritical for not taking a critical stance towards 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 new media company named Hana Kuma, in partnership with tennis player Naomi Osaka and Maverick Carter. Hana Kuma means "flower bear" in Japanese.

August 2022: Part Ownership of A.C. Milan

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

2022: James appears in Crypto.com Super Bowl advertisement

During Super Bowl LVI in 2022, LeBron James appeared in a Crypto.com advertisement, where he conversed with a CGI version of his younger self, offering advice about the future.

2022: James mentions feeling of obligation to effect change using his status

In 2022, LeBron James spoke out about the ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade, as one of many instances where he has taken public stances on controversial issues, and has mentioned a feeling of obligation to effect change using his status.

2022: Desire to Play into Forties in 2022

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

April 11, 2023: LeBron biography published

LeBron James' biography LeBron was published on April 11, 2023, by Jeff Benedict.

LeBron

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October 2023: James voices support for Israel

In October 2023, in response to the October 7th attacks, LeBron James voiced his support for Israel on Instagram. His statement drew backlash for its omission of the Palestinians affected by the crisis the attacks provoked.

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

In 2023, LeBron James's son, Bronny, was named as a McDonald's All-American, 20 years after James's own selection.

March 2024: Launch of "Mind the Game" Podcast

In March 2024, LeBron James and JJ Redick launched a podcast called "Mind the Game," focusing on basketball discussions.

June 2024: "Mind the Game" Podcast Suspension

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

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

On October 22, 2024, LeBron James shared the court with his son Bronny for the first time in the NBA, during the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

October 31, 2024: James supports Kamala Harris 2024 campaign

On October 31, 2024, LeBron James announced his support for the Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign in the 2024 U.S. presidential election in a video posted on social media.

2024: First father-son teammates in league history

In 2024, LeBron James and his son Bronny James became the first father-son teammates in NBA league history.

March 2025: "Mind the Game" Second Season Announcement

In March 2025, a second season of the "Mind the Game" podcast was announced, with Steve Nash replacing JJ Redick as James's co-host.

March 2025: James denies spending $1.5 million on health

In a March 2025 interview, LeBron James denied spending $1.5 million a year on his health, claiming he did not know where that number came from.

2025: James added to Barbie roster as a Ken doll

In 2025, Mattel announced that it was adding LeBron James to the Barbie roster, making him the first professional male athlete to be honoured as a Ken doll.