When was lebron james discovered

A kid from Akron has inspired kids and people from around the world with his relentless commitment to pushing for more, to striving for greatness.

Central to that pursuit is his commitment to the youth coming after him in his hometown of Akron and across the globe — made visible by the I PROMISE bands they wear on the wrist daily. In the LeBron James Store, you can be a part of that commitment to being best with various versions of the bands LeBron wears each and every day as a reminder of this shared promise to lift each other up.

Founded by LeBron and Maverick in , SpringHill Entertainment develops creative content across a variety of platforms including digital, documentary and feature films, and scripted and unscripted TV.

Named after the public housing complex where James grew up in Akron, Ohio, SpringHill Entertainment prides itself on incubating, developing, and producing work that speaks to a cross-cultural audience. LeBron hosts his first annual Bike-a-thon, a family-friendly event bringing the city and its youth together for a day of fun.

LeBron's Bike-A-Thon was one of many "one-and-done" events the Foundation sponsored for several years to creative positive experiences for families in Akron. But LeBron always knew he could do more. And so he went to work Taking on a new class of Akron Public School 3rd graders each year LeBron hosts his first "We Are Family Reunion" that gathers all of his program's students and their families to kick off a brand new school year.

In , LeBron takes it a step further. The announcement immediately changes the dreams and long-term plans of families across Akron. Educators, civic leaders, academic experts, community members, parents and students immediately get to work on the creation of the curriculum, innovative school year, and wrap-around supports IPS will provide. This is because his childhood was, to put it mildly, difficult. To put it more accurately, The Guardian actually uses the word "hellish.

James' father, Anthony McClelland, had a long criminal record and wasn't really present in his child's life. As a result, his mother, Gloria, had to look after James and two other kids in difficult conditions. For instance, he's said that while growing up, he witnessed killings, and he's mentioned that his family once had to move houses no less than six times in just one year, which sounds like an absolute nightmare. It's always kind of awkward when your friend tries to come up with a nickname for themselves.

It's even worse when the name they pick is so absurdly over the top that no one outside professional wrestling could ever get away with it. But while you may be able to sit down with Steve and tell him that the whole "Stephen the Golden Pirate Ghost" thing isn't exactly taking off, actual superstars in the making tend to have a lot more yes men and a lot less common sense around them.

Back in his high school years, when the hype really started to catch on, he started referring to himself as "the Chosen One. In , he commented on the moniker in his book, Shooting Stars , while also pointing out that the world was offering him ample opportunities to start getting a little big-headed.

Besides, these days he has tons of better nicknames. LeBron James' star was already shining bright in high school, where ESPN tells us he was considered the "the nation's top high school player. That year saw young LeBron in hot water because he accepted a luxurious Hummer as a present, which some suspected to violate Ohio's state amateur bylaws. However, it turned out that the vehicle was actually a gift from James' mother, Gloria, and a two-week investigation ultimately cleared his name.

Unfortunately, his season later ended prematurely because mere days after the Hummer investigation finalized, it turned out he'd also accepted some sports jerseys as a gift. As The New York Times writes, the problem with the whole "accepting presents" thing is that it means he capitalized on his athletic ability, and he was therefore technically ineligible as an amateur. As a result, his high school basketball career was shortened by a couple games, and he voluntarily returned the jerseys.

He compares the whole gift jersey situation to a "witch hunt" led by Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner Clair Muscaro, and he appears to remain quite bitter about the Hummer investigation and the way the media treated his mother because of it. After all, his mom had dared to borrow some money and buy an expensive birthday present to her virtually-guaranteed future superstar son while they were still receiving rental assistance.

Imagine being a teenager who suddenly becomes one of the most famous people in the world. Combine this with future prospects that are filled with even more celebrity, downright ridiculous amounts of money, and constant adulation from the media and public alike. In the summer of '93, they were about to be kicked out again from a friend's two-bedroom place in a faded-brick housing project downtown when Bruce Kelker pulled into the project's parking lot looking for 8- and 9-year-old football players to join his rec team.

Kelker noticed Gloria first, sitting on the steps outside the apartment. She was 5'5" and stunning -- "Loud, proud and beautiful," Kelker says -- and as he walked over to her, he saw LeBron, lean and lanky, already as tall as his mother, playing tag with a few neighborhood kids. Kelker was, in truth, more interested in scoping out football players than women, so he walked past Gloria toward LeBron. Kelker was about to begin his first full season as a coach of the East Dragons, a youth team limited to boys under age 10 who weighed less than pounds.

The team's motto was "Teaching boys sportsmanship and teamwork," but Kelker wanted to win badly enough that he had assembled a depth chart and a page playbook. He had been a great high school cornerback before wasting a decade "drinking and getting high," he says.

Now he was sober, and he thought coaching a championship team might help redeem his reputation. He needed a star. Kelker asked James and his friends to line up for a footrace, yards across the parking lot. James won by 15 yards. Kelker told him where to meet for the team's first practice, he says, but Gloria interrupted him. She said she couldn't afford to pay for her son's equipment. She had no car and no way to take him to practice.

After that, the pieces of LeBron's chaotic life slowly began to congeal. His mother began rearranging her weekends around his football games. Teammates warmed to LeBron, gravitating to talent, even when it emerged in a boy who could still be "awkward and shy," Kelker says.

Kelker became the most reliable adult in James' life: He stored the boy's football equipment in the back of his car and arrived to pick him up every afternoon at , sometimes only to discover James had moved again.

Two weeks into the season, Kelker invited his new star player to live with him. He wanted more stability for James, and he also wanted to make sure his best player continued to show up for games.

When Gloria said she felt uncomfortable having her son move in with a virtual stranger, Kelker invited her to come too. He already had a live-in girlfriend, Kelker said; he promised Gloria that his only interest was in helping take care of her son. Gloria promised to cook Hamburger Helper twice each week and chip in some of her welfare payments for rent. So began their life as an unconventional family. Filmography by Job Trailers and Videos. Best New and Upcoming Netflix Releases. Share this page:.

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