LeBron JAMES (2024)

LeBron JAMES

TeamUnited States of America

Basketball

Olympic Medals

Games Participations3

First Olympic GamesAthens 2004

Year of Birth1984

Social Media

Biography

'King James' continues to build his legacy as one of basketball's all-time greats.

Drafted in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers - just 50km from where he was born - James subsequently won the NBA Rookie of the Year award to earn selection for his first Olympic Games as a teenager in 2004.

He was restricted to cameos off the bench with Richard Jefferson in the starting role at small forward, although he did play most of USA's final group win over Angola.

James played just three minutes in their stunning semi-final defeat to eventual winners Argentina, and seven minutes in the bronze medal playoff win over Lithuania.

After Athens, he soon established himself as one of the leading players of his generation.

In 2007, James led the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Detroit Pistons for their first ever Eastern Conference title before they were swept in the NBA Finals by the San Antonio Spurs whose head coach, Gregg Popovich, was a Team USA assistant in Athens.

Before Beijing, he became the Cavs' all-time leading scorer and won the NBA scoring title ahead of MVP Kobe Bryant.

He played a key role in the USA's 'Redeem Team' in China, averaging 15.5 points - scoring double figures each time - 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

James became a free agent in 2010 and, during a special TV show called 'The Decision' announced he was joining the Miami Heat who also brought in Beijing teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

After defeat in the 2011 NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat went one better the following year before James claimed his second Olympic gold.

He started again in London, averaging 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and a team-high 5.6 assists, as USA swept aside the opposition to retain their crown.

The Heat also successfully defended their NBA title in 2013 before coming up just short of a three-peat in 2014 as Popovich and the Spurs avenged their seven-game Finals defeat of 12 months hence.

He returned to Cleveland to secure them a first NBA Championship in 2016 before winning a fourth title with a third different team - the LA Lakers - in the pandemic-affected 2020 season.

In 2022, James made his 18th All-Star Game appearance putting him level with Bryant and one behind the record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He is currently second on the all-time points list with, again, only Abdul-Jabbar ahead of him.

As his star has risen on the court, he has also become a vocal advocate for social justice and funds public and charitable initiatives in his birthplace of Akron, Ohio - including the I Promise School - through his LeBron James Family Foundation.