# LeBron James Picture/Video Thread



## Pioneer10

Ok Folks,

Place you're favorited Lebron pictures in this thread


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## remy23

*Round 1*


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## SamTheMan67

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*


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## remy23

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*


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## Cap

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*

One of my favorites:


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## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Round 1*

*Remy you stole all mine!* :biggrin: 










I love this photo, from the game Lebron dropped 56 in against the raptors.










I love this photo too.


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## Like A Breath

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*


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## futuristxen

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*

You can really see in those pics how much Lebron has added to his body. Jeez.


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## remy23

*Round 2*


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## lafever8

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*



futuristxen said:


> You can really see in those pics how much Lebron has added to his body. Jeez.


yeah, hes really gotton stronger since hes high school days.


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## remy23

*Lebron James Mix*

*LeBron James - Taking Away The Spotlight*


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## Rhubarb

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*


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## BenDengGo

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*


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## thekrow34

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/PhAtMAN49/cavsgold.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/PhAtMAN49/cavsblack.jpg


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## remy23

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*

^

Pretty cool. Seeing those pictures make me wonder what if Cleveland made an alternative road/home jersey. Wine, black or even blue. Interesting.


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## spongyfungy

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*



futuristxen said:


> You can really see in those pics how much Lebron has added to his body. Jeez.












yeah I know..


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## het now

*Re: Lebron James Picture Thread*

Yes this is my favorite pick. I remember Shaq staring with his tongue on the ground.lol. great pic


SamTheMan67 said:


>


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## remy23

*Bump!*


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## Petey

*LBJ - MiX (BIG PAT)*

Link 

41MB download; enjoy.

-Petey


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## remy23

*Re: LBJ - MiX (BIG PAT)*

Thanks for posting that. _Changes_ was a good song for this mix.


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## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

Great clip Petey. :cheers: 

I know i've watched way too much Cavs basketball when I can distinctly remember every single game those highlights took place in.. :eek8:


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## James_Posey

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

Those pics are sweet. he has goten more buff. Is he using the juice??.......jk


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## SamTheMan67

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

bron droppin patterson and nailin the trey

http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0V3FU45CR41G00594MI2WRENNJ


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## SamTheMan67

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

the sickest part of that changes video was the luke rid. dunk holy **** he crossed him and LOOKED back at him that **** was great. the passes were insane as well


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## KingoftheCourt23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*


























LeBron was so bored at court. I hope he never falls asleep during a game. LOL. :biggrin:


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## Q8i

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

Nice Pictures..
Petey, Thanks For The MiX!


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## 4BiddenKnight

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

www.realcavsfans.com 

Press on the Monthly Video and check it out. 

PS: If anyone know how to download that clip please tell me thank you.


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## Pnack

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

why is lebron in court...cuz he signed the doucumentary contract but now he doesnt want to do it or wut


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## LakerLunatic

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

I like girls.


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## futuristxen

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



KobeBryant08 said:


> why is lebron in court...cuz he signed the doucumentary contract but now he doesnt want to do it or wut


There's another thread about this on this forum. Lebron's side won.


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## remy23

*Bump!*


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## remy23

*Sports idol growing into excellent man, role model*

For your reading pleasure.



> Beacon Journal | 09/15/2005 | *Sports idol growing into excellent man, role model*
> 
> Diane Evans
> Beacon Journal
> 
> LeBron James, I'm sorry. I never expected to admire you, because the truth of the matter is I grossly underestimated you.
> 
> Not on the basketball court. But in how you'd handle the life that goes with stardom.
> 
> Normal life is challenging enough. But add power and fame and great wealth at a young age, and it can be a recipe for disaster. Big egos, bad relationships, mixed-up priorities. A lot could go wrong.
> 
> Now look at you. You're a philanthropist. And a wonderful role model for kids.
> 
> You wouldn't know me. But I remember once, sitting on a bench a few rows behind you at a St. Vincent-St. Mary High School basketball game. You were a junior, and you played superbly that night, living up to expectations created by the national media, even then.
> 
> Watching you, I saw what seemed to be the typical attitude of someone with uncommon athletic talent. You knew you were headed for early admission into the pros, and so did everyone else in that crowded the gymnasium that night.
> 
> I wondered how you would deal with the wealth and fame that awaited. Would you act like you were better than everybody else? What would you value?
> 
> I didn't hold out a lot of hope for you that night. Nothing personal. I would have felt the same about any high school junior in your shoes.
> 
> *Character earns respect*
> 
> But now you're showing a public character that is matching your spectacular performance in your sport.
> 
> My Dad and I talked about this the other day. My Dad is someone who gets on a soapbox about athletes who behave as if the world owes them special privileges. His favorite figure in sports is probably Joe Paterno, because of Paterno's understated style and genuine interest in his players.
> 
> My Dad respects you, too, LeBron. You came up in our conversation because of the way you went about helping the victims of Katrina. You went beyond simply writing a check. You went to Sam's Club in Fairlawn in person. You shopped for diapers, food and other supplies. Then you helped load up three semi-trucks with the $120,000 worth of goods you purchased. After that, you went to Houston to help distribute the supplies, meet with kids and teenagers and play in a charity game.
> 
> The pattern for this type of philanthropy had been set earlier. You have the James Family Foundation. And last summer, you sponsored a bikeathon to raise money for the Akron Area YMCA and the Akron Urban League. You've also put time and money into local projects to support reading and to rehabilitate city recreation centers.
> 
> Several months ago, my colleague Terry Pluto wrote that the NBA can seem like a league of egomaniacs.
> 
> "How many 20-year-olds with more than $100 million guaranteed in endorsements would be viewed as an island of stability and maturity in the stormy seas of the NBA?'' Pluto asked.
> 
> The same question can be asked another way relative to the larger playing field of life. How many, in your shoes, would seize the opportunity to influence children and teens in a positive way? To show them a real hero?
> 
> *Real heroes rare*
> 
> LeBron, you've been an inspiration, and I hope you keep on going this way. Kids need real heroes.
> 
> There are always heroes in our midst. Lately, we've seen their faces in the volunteers helping the victims of Katrina. We see them on guard in Iraq and Afghanistan. And we see them in our everyday lives -- in those who care for the sick, work the soup kitchens or visit the lonely.
> 
> Yet we live in a mass-media society, where marketers sell image, and the lives of the rich and famous are held out as important.
> 
> Sure, there are many stars who do charitable work. But the dominant message from media influences is that the lush life is an end in of itself.
> 
> By your actions, you are saying otherwise. Thank you.


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## remy23

*Update*

<center>








More From The Plain Dealer | Subscribe To The Plain Dealer</center>



> *Cavaliers*
> *LeBron set to lead charge into playoffs*
> 
> Thursday, September 29, 2005
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The pain of missing the playoffs last season still lingers.
> 
> LeBron James was so distraught with the team's free fall, which included losing 20 of its last 32 games, that he slipped past the waiting media following the last regular-season game and exited the arena without comment.
> 
> James had nothing to say.
> 
> Fast forward five months and with one week before the opening of training camp, James is ready to erase the disappointment of not making the playoffs the past two years. He is focused on taking the Cavaliers to the postseason for the first time since 1998.
> 
> "There shouldn't be any more excuses," James said. "Because on paper, we have one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference if not in the NBA. I'm a veteran now, and I'm more of leader and I know what it takes. We have a great veteran team in Z [Zydrunas Ilgauskas], in Larry [Hughes], in Eric [Snow] and Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall. We have a veteran team now, so we should know what it takes."
> 
> It took a lot of spending for Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager Danny Ferry during the off-season to get to this point. The first big move was signing Washington free-agent guard Larry Hughes, who will be the perfect complement to James. Hughes' game is similar to James' because of his off-the-ball defense (led the league with 2.89 steals a game) and his all-around play.
> 
> The Cavs convinced Ilgauskas to remain with a multiyear contract, and Ferry shored up the backcourt and frontcourt by signing Miami point guard Damon Jones and Toronto forward Donyell Marshall to free-agent deals. Jones and Marshall should boost the Cavs' outside scoring. The team has been at the bottom in 3-point shooting for the past few years, and Jones and Marshall are among the NBA's top 3-point shooters.
> 
> James is pleased by the moves made by the front office. He said it is a huge step in the right direction.
> 
> "Those were excellent moves," James said. "I'm very excited. [The front office] has done a great job and you can only praise people that want to make the team better and it looks like it's headed that way."
> 
> But the free-agent signings do not instantly give the Cavs a free pass to the postseason. Questions still remain. Will Jones or Snow start at point guard? How will Mike Brown deal with his first time as a head coach? And will the Cavs have enough support off the bench?
> 
> James will do his part to make everything work. He has spent much of the off-season improving his game, including working on his outside shot. He also has improved in another area that could make the difference.
> 
> "I feel like a veteran now," said James, going into his third year. "I know some of the ins and outs of the league and I know what it takes [to win and advance to the playoffs]. I know what to expect every night."
> 
> *TV talk:*
> 
> The Cavaliers announced Wednesday that for the second consecutive season, all 82 games will be televised. FSN Ohio will air 40 games and WUAB Channel 43 and the Cavaliers Television Network will air 30 games. The Cavaliers will appear on national television 32 times during the season on ABC (5 games), ESPN (10), NBA TV (9) and TNT (8).
> 
> Former Cavalier Scott Williams will join play-by-play broadcaster Michael Reghi for the FSN games. Reghi and Austin Carr return to broadcast the games on Channel 43.


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## Dynasty Raider

*Thanks Remy ...*

Those last two commentaries were great reading.

As a LeBron fan, living in LA and Clipper fan as well, I don't get to hear all that I want to about LeBron. (I'm hoping that his new management will change that.) It is refreshing to read how adored he is and that he is growing into a an exceptional human being. I am always amazed at his maturity. 

He's something special --- let's all enjoy his presence in our lifetime.


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## JT

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



> He's something special --- let's all enjoy his presence in our lifetime.


he's a great ball player, but i see no deity my friend. stop with the worship. that said, back to the thread; http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3630QHPO. tight lebron mix, from his rookie season.


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## MitchMatch

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

Hold up..I didn't follow Cleveland last year... even though Bron-Bron is the f'in man!! When did they rock thos blue unis? They are fiyah. Is it going to be their alternate?


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## remy23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



MitchMatch said:


> Hold up..I didn't follow Cleveland last year... even though Bron-Bron is the f'in man!! When did they rock thos blue unis? They are fiyah. Is it going to be their alternate?


That was a photoshop job done by a fan. The new jerseys the Cavs will wear next year look a lot better than that. Check the attachment below.


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## varejao da beast

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

lebron is gonna be real good wit assists this year


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## MitchMatch

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



SamTheMan67 said:


> bron droppin patterson and nailin the trey
> 
> http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0V3FU45CR41G00594MI2WRENNJ


Can you re-post this video? the time on it expired... as well with the luke ridenour video you talk about.


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## Dynasty Raider

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



sherako said:


> he's a great ball player, but i see no deity my friend. stop with the worship. that said, back to the thread;...


Rest assured, kid. He's closer to deity than either of YOUR favorite players. Now, carry on with posting for this thread.

It only takes one guess to know who one of them is, and since he is so threatened by LeBron, your comment is understandable.


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## MitchMatch

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



remy23 said:


> That was a photoshop job done by a fan. The new jerseys the Cavs will wear next year look a lot better than that. Check the attachment below.


Hey, is that from PS2 version of Live? Cause My version doesn't have that alternate Cavs jersey, nor those new Pacer jerseys. Can you help me out as to where that pic is from, and how you got those jerseys?


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## remy23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



> *James shoots down never-ending rumors*
> 
> CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James appears to have worked on his defense this summer. He's even swatting away rumors.
> 
> Like the one about him demanding a trade to New York so he can save the Knicks and light up Broadway. Or the one where he's bolting for Los Angeles to join the Lakers and sign a movie deal. And the piece of gossip about him leaving for Miami to hook up with Shaq and open a nightclub on South Beach.
> 
> Heck, he's been linked to everyone but Paris Hilton.
> 
> James, though, insists none of them are true. And on Monday, while being bombarded with questions at the Cavaliers' media day, the All-Star forward addressed his future before it was even brought up.
> 
> *“For the record,''* James said, slamming his hand on the table. *“For the record, I am not going anywhere. I keep hearing these stories about LeBron James is not happy in Cleveland. I don't understand where these keep coming from.
> 
> “I'm very happy in the Cavaliers' uniform and I'm going to be wearing this uniform for a long time, OK?''*
> 
> That issue temporarily out of the way, James spent the majority of his group interview session praising Cleveland's front office for spending millions this summer on a supporting cast that should help him and the Cavaliers get to the NBA playoffs after narrowly missing them last season.
> 
> The Cavs, who collapsed down the stretch and finished 42-40 -- losing a tiebreaker for the No. 8 spot to New Jersey -- after leading the Central Division for a chunk of the season, signed free agent guards Larry Hughes and Damon Jones, forward Donyell Marshall and re-signed center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
> 
> “It's going to be unbelievable what this team can do,'' James said, cracking a smile. “It's like high school for me again. Now that I got a guy like Larry Hughes, who can break down a defense as well as I can, and a guy like Damon Jones who can shoot it from halfcourt, and a guy like Donyell Marshall, who can play the three, four or five and rebound the ball. ... It's unbelievable what our potential can be.
> “There should be no excuses for us not to get to the playoffs with the guys that we've added.''
> 
> While the Cavaliers were disintegrating late last season, James, who is under contract for at least three more seasons in Cleveland, showed signs of frustration as his first trip to the playoffs slipped away. He criticized teammates, and stormed off the floor in Detroit bare-chested, ripping off his jersey after a tough loss.
> 
> Ilgauskas didn't blame James for being upset.
> 
> “I knew that LeBron needed to get to the playoffs,'' the 7-foot-3 center said. “I wanted him to get that taste. He did everything he could and we let him down.''
> 
> Ilgauskas has played with James for two seasons, long enough to appreciate the 20-year-old's competitiveness. Although they haven't spoken much about the future beyond this season, Ilgauskas is confident James will stay in Cleveland as long as it takes to win an NBA championship.
> 
> *“From what I've seen, he loves being here,''* Ilgauskas said. *”I don't know what's going to happen in the future. But all of us would like to see No. 23 hanging in the rafters, and I think we'll see that.''*
> 
> Before being taken away for numerous photo shoots, James said the never-ending guessing game about where he'll play has become annoying.
> 
> *“It bothers me, of course,''* he said. *“I never gave any indication of leaving Cleveland. I've been in Akron my whole life. My family loves to come see me play 41 games. It bothers me a little bit, but I'm here. I'm wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey and I'm having fun.*
> 
> “I can't predict the future. I don't know what's going to happen before I sign my next contract. But now my focus is on being a Cavalier.''


After enough rumors were spewed by the media, LeBron James enters the fray to set the story straight.


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## Cap

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

edited


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## remy23

*New article*












> *Cavaliers*
> *LeBron’s MVP push relies on his mates*
> 
> Tuesday, October 04, 2005
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> LeBron James had one of the NBA's most remarkable individual seasons last year, when he became only the fifth player to average at least 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game.
> 
> James certainly proved himself worthy of many honors in his second NBA season. James finished with four triple doubles and 24 double doubles. He set the Cavaliers' single-season record for points (2,175), was the youngest player to score 56 points in a game and finished third in scoring (27.2 points per game), third in steals (2.21) and sixth in assists (7.2).
> 
> Despite that, James' numbers were not good enough to earn the Most Valuable Player award or first-team All-NBA. That could all change this coming season.
> 
> James' chances of winning the award will not only depend on him, but on how much help he'll receive from his teammates.
> 
> "LeBron has everything in place for him to take over the NBA," said analyst and Hall of Famer Bill Walton. "He has the experience now. LeBron's success will be determined on how good these other guys are."
> 
> Those other guys are the best collection of talent the Cavs have had in years. Training camp opens today with new acquisitions in guard Larry Hughes, forward Donyell Marshall and point guard Damon Jones and the re-signing of center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Those additions have made the Cavs favorites to make the playoffs and a potential challenger for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.
> 
> That could make the difference in James' MVP run.
> 
> "To be the MVP, you have to win all of the games," Walton said. "That's what Magic Johnson did, that's what Michael Jordan did and that's what Kevin Garnett did. All of those guys had great talent, but at the end of the day, it all came down to who won the game."
> 
> That's how Allen Iverson won the 2001 MVP with the Philadelphia 76ers. Iverson was considered one of the best players in the league but never received elite status until that season.
> 
> "If you're not winning, you have to be way better than everyone else," said Cavs guard Eric Snow, who played on that 76ers team that lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals. "It's not too early to start talking about LeBron winning the MVP, but we have to finish in the top four in the conference. If we finish that high and he has the same numbers as he did last year, he'll receive great consideration."
> 
> During the Cavs' media day at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday, he said such recognition was not that far off. He is aware the team must produce for him to earn any individual hardware.
> 
> "Sometimes you go out and you know you have to play well for your team to have a chance and I don't have to do that this year," James said. "All of these veterans will make me a better player because they've been to the playoffs."
> 
> Shaquille O'Neal was the 2000 MVP and finished second behind Steve Nash last season. Jones was a teammate of O'Neal's and got a close look at how such a player can make a difference. He sees the same thing in James.
> 
> “LeBron is definitely a candidate," Jones said. "You have to have the ability to will your team to win and LeBron has that. But every MVP we've had in this league, the team has been successful. We know LeBron's going to do his thing, so it's up to us as a unit to help him out."
> 
> *Staying home:*
> 
> Rumors abound that James will bolt from the Cavs once he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2007-08 season. James is tired of the rumors.
> 
> "I've never given any indication that I'm leaving Cleveland," James said. "I've been in Akron my whole life and my family loves to come see me play in all 41 home games. I'm here wearing a Cavaliers jersey and I'm happy."
> 
> James, however, is a close friend of hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, who also has part ownership in the New Jersey Nets.
> 
> "I can't predict the future and I don't know what might happen between now and when I sign my next contract," James said. "Something might come up and some things might not. My focus right now is being a Cavalier and that's all I'm worried about."


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## remy23

*Cavaliers TV*

*One-on-One with LeBron* 

Joe Gabriele and LeBron had a quick chat. So here is a summary of the discussion:

* LeBron is very excited about this upcoming season

* James said he voiced his opinion about the guys he wanted to join the team and the management were able to bring those guys in.

* Said the Nike Tour was his first trip to Asia. LeBron said seeing basketball in other parts of the world was great. He said it was a great opportunity.

* LeBron loves the new locker room. He joked that he likes it so much, he doesn’t want to go home. He likes the changes at the Arena, saying it makes it exciting to go there.

* LeBron said he writes left-handed, plays tennis left and right-handed, plays golf right-handed, eats left-handed, rolls dice left-handed and answered other random questions from Joe about being ambidextrous. It seems that LeBron truly may be ambidextrous because he isn’t biased about which hand to use when doing various things.


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## remy23

*Nice*










After seeing a picture of James in the alternate blue jersey, I would like to see what a home white and away red jersey would look like using the same template/style as these away blue jerseys. I bet using this style would make jerseys at least the equal, if not the superior, to the current home white and away red jerseys.


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## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

^That jersey looks sweet! I didn't like it all that much at first glance, but if that is the final style it's definitely better than our current home/away jerseys.


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## Cap

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

remy, that's an awesome picture of LeBron. Where'd you get it?


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## remy23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

^ From the main site forums.


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## remy23

*Slam Magazine*

























> *LeBron: Crown Royal*
> 
> It’s come to this: We have to wait for Oprah. It’s not a problem—and even if it was, it’s not like we could do a damn thing about it—but in making our request to get at LeBron James before the start of the new NBA season, we find ourselves second in line. Behind Oprah.
> 
> So it is, when we arrive in Cleveland on this mid-September morning, LeBron and his crew are just 24 hours removed from a quick trip to Chicago, where Bron taped a segment with Ms. Winfrey.
> 
> Confident that we won’t be covering much of the same ground in our own interview, we set up on the event level of what most NBA fans still think of as Gund Arena. As of now, it’s Quicken Loans Arena, aka The Q, and the name isn’t the only thing that’s new. Think Extreme Makeover, NBA Edition. New Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has gone straight Cuban, renovating the home locker room and pulling out each of the arena’s 20,000-plus blue seats and replacing them with cushy, burgundy-colored chairs.
> 
> n our arrival, The Q is humming: cranes stand at what would be center court if the hardwood were in place, hanging a state- of-the-art scoreboard from the rafters. Construction workers amble through on foot and in forklifts, and most are busy enough not to gawk when LeBron rolls in. Freshly showered after a 90-minute run on the team’s practice court, he’s showcasing more new fashion than a Paris runway show: namely, the Cavs’ brand-new navy blue alternate uniform and a pair of white and gold Zoom LeBron 3s, all of which he’s wearing for the first time.
> 
> Of the jersey—literally the first time he’s even seen the new colorway up close—Bron is enamored: “Oh, man, the blue joints is off the chain.” Referencing his signature shoes, he switches from admiring to straight bragging. “You know me,” he says. “You know I got the best kicks in the League.”
> 
> The preceding serves as a completely unnecessary reminder that LeBron James is not a young man who lacks confidence. This is good, since we’re about to ask him to put on a crown and a robe and hold up a sword for our camera. It’s also worth keeping in mind when you look back on the past six months of his life. It hasn’t exactly been traumatic—maybe “trying” is the right word. Halfway through last season, the Cavs were rolling toward a playoff berth, and their leader was hearing legitimate MVP talk; by the time it was over, they’d lost their coach, GM and owner, not to mention most of their games down the stretch. Then came the “off” season, which, for LeBron, was anything but. He dealt with legal drama that could’ve cost him millions, switched up his personal and professional management, and then watched his franchise remake itself as a hopeful contender— something Cleveland fans are counting on, lest their young hero relocate to some major market before he’s even hit his prime.
> 
> Between the Cavs’ late-season collapse and all the offseason clutter, you almost forget what LeBron did last year. Giving his numbers no more or less weight than they deserve, we simply remind you of the facts: 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists, his per-game averages for the ’04-05 season and a 25-7-7 plateau reached by only four other players in NBA history. All of those players are in the Hall of Fame. LeBron, in case you forgot, is 20 years old.
> 
> Point being, there is plenty to talk about, on and off the court. We start with hoops, where LeBron has prominent new teammates (Donyell Marshall, Larry Hughes, Damon Jones) a new coach (former Pacers top assistant Mike Brown) and strict playoffs-or-bust expectations. Grabbing a couple of folding chairs and setting up safely out of the path of the marauding forklifts, we get to it.
> 
> *SLAM:* Looking back on how last season ended, how do you explain it?
> 
> *LEBRON:* We just lost focus. Teams started to pick it up, and we couldn’t handle the pressure. That’s all it was. We seen New Jersey started to creep up on us, a lot of teams start to creep up on us, and we focused on the teams that was gainin’ on us more than ourselves.
> 
> *SLAM:* Is that something you guys can correct?
> 
> *LEBRON:* Oh, yeah—it will be corrected this year, because I can’t…I can’t afford not to be in the postseason again. I can’t. I just…I won’t do it.
> 
> *SLAM:* Is there anything more that you felt you personally could’ve done that could’ve made a difference?
> 
> *LEBRON:* I think there’s always something I can do better. Not making the postseason, there’s always room for improvement. I blame myself, because I’m the leader of our team.
> 
> *SLAM:* So what specifically have you been working on? Two years in, you’ve set the bar pretty high for yourself.
> 
> *LEBRON:* Conditioning, shooting the ball, and just becoming a real team-oriented leader. I think me getting better during the offseason is gonna improve my leadership. If you see me, I’m working hard, I have to work hard, because I feel like if I don’t, my team’s not gonna work hard. So me doing that, I think, my team is gonna follow me.
> 
> *SLAM:* Looking at the players the Cavs have added this summer—on paper, like you said, this really has to be a playoff team.
> 
> *LEBRON:* Right—I mean, on paper, it looks good. It looks great. I’m very excited about the guys that we have. But we have to show it on the court now. We go out, play our game, we should be successful.
> 
> *SLAM:* Looking at the Cavs as a franchise, a lot has changed since last year. The new ownership came in and, at least initially, it wasn’t a good reception, and there was a sense that you weren’t happy.
> 
> *LEBRON:* Honestly, I never gave an indication that I wasn’t happy-—
> 
> *SLAM:* But people—the media, whoever—put that on you.
> 
> *LEBRON:* Of course, of course. Any time you have changes, it’s always gonna be, “Well, how do the players feel? He doesn’t feel happy.” There was never an indication of me feeling unhappy. I was never unhappy about the changes. The ownership, they’ve shown nothing but improvement, and that’s all I ask. You know, there’s gonna be improvement, and they’ve shown that.
> 
> *SLAM:* And not just on the court—you’ve got all this construction going on, the new locker room. Are those good signs for you?
> 
> *LEBRON:* Of course. When you see that as a GM and coaches, and now players, we have a commitment. It brings a smile to my face. I’m very excited about it.
> 
> *SLAM:* For you, averaging a triple-double—you’ve never really shied away from that talk. You’re not there, but you’re kinda closer than anyone right now. It’s a long way, that three and three every night—
> 
> *LEBRON:* Yeah, yeah, those three assists and three rebounds is a long way.
> 
> *SLAM:* But you’re only two years in. Do you think, in a few years, it could still happen?
> 
> *LEBRON:* You know me, being a team-oriented guy, I’m happy when my teammates are happy. If I have to go out and average a triple-double ...but I don’t buy into it, people saying I could average a triple-double. I just play my game.
> 
> *SLAM:* Yeah, but you were pretty happy when you finally got the first one last year.
> 
> *LEBRON:* Oh, yeah, I was. Oh, man, there was games when I had like 20-plus, nine rebounds and 10 assists, then 12 rebounds, nine assists. It kept happening to me.
> 
> *SLAM:* Two years in, I think most people would see you as a top-five guy in the League. Do you take pride in that?
> 
> *LEBRON:* I take pride in knowing that any time I go on the court, I have respect, and that’s one thing that I wanted when I entered this League, respect from other players. And I’ve earned that, and I have to live up to it. That’s one of my goals, and I live up to my goals.
> 
> *SLAM:* Along those lines, you have a chance in another few years to be the guy who’s seen as the best player in the League, night in and night out. Is that important to you?
> 
> *LEBRON:* Of course. That’s my goal. When I step on the court, I always want to be the best. And if you don’t feel that way as a player—I don’t have nothin’ to strive for. It doesn’t matter who’s on the court. If Jesus came on the court, I still wanna be better than him. That’s just my mind frame. That’s why I’ve gotten to this position I’m at now.


----------



## KingoftheCourt23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

I'm gonna buy me one of those jerseys. Love the blue and cant wait to see them play in em.


----------



## remy23

*New LeBron Ad*

The shoes themselves look a little eh, but the content of what the ad itself says is very nice. Check the attachments below.



> ASK ME TO PLAY, I’LL PLAY.
> ASK ME TO SHOOT, I’LL SHOOT.
> ASK ME TO PASS, I’LL PASS.
> ASK ME TO STEAL, BLOCK OUT,
> SACRIFICE, LEAD, DOMINATE.
> ANYTHING.
> 
> BUT IT’S NOT WHAT YOU ASK OF ME.
> IT’S WHAT I ASK OF MYSELF.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: New LeBron Ad*

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/chris_mannix/10/19/perfect2/index.html



> How do you build a perfect team? Good question. It's not like a fantasy team, because if it was, every couch potato in America would be qualified to work as an NBA general manager. And it's not as simple as picking a guy whose strengths complement another player's weaknesses. There are other factors to consider, such as team chemistry (see 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers), salary (unless you're working for Paul Allen or James Dolan, you can't push past the $61.7 million luxury tax threshold), and most important, feasibility. Can this team you so desire be put together with some creative thinking and shrewd cap management?
> 
> We all would love a roster filled with Tim Duncans, Kevin Garnetts and anyone named O'Neal (Jermaine or Shaquille) but no one can really have it. We would also love to have that team in San Antonio, which is as perfect as any team can get and whose players, for the purposes of this exercise, I have excluded from consideration. To build a perfect team, in my humble opinion, you have to build a squad like the 1990s Bulls. Start with a superstar (Michael Jordan) and his running buddy (Scottie Pippen), surround them with a host of interchangeable parts and you've got yourself a winner. And let's not forget, you're not just building a team for one season. The NBA is a marathon, not a sprint. History won't remember a one-time champion -- win three or four, and they will give you your own chapter in the record books.
> 
> So, after an exhaustive review of rosters, stat sheets and salary databases, I present the perfect team, or at least one I would go to war with any day of the week.
> The starters
> 
> SF -- LeBron James (Salary: $4.6 million)
> 
> LeBron James
> LeBron James
> 
> Championship teams begin and end with a superstar, and James is as close to a sure thing as you can get. Despite the presence of more seasoned stars such as Duncan and Garnett, James is the best choice thanks to his versatility and selfless nature. He's just as happy making the extra pass as he is finishing with a thundering slam. And at 6-foot-8, 240 pounds and 20 years of age, nagging injuries are highly unlikely.


----------



## remy23

*Proof Rosen was a naysayer from Day 1*



> *East lowdown: Motown magic*
> *By Charley Rosen*
> Page 2 columnist
> 
> *Cleveland Cavaliers*
> 
> The Cavs are a horrible team that should only be a bad team. The Big Z can score but can't move. Chris Mihm and Darius Miles are Mister Softees. Ricky Davis is a talented yet extremely selfish scorer. Ditto for the undersized Dajuan Wagner, whose idea of team basketball is playing 2-on-2. Plus there isn't an NBA-quality point guard in sight. (Why didn't they keep Anthony "No Neck" Johnson?)
> 
> On the plus side, Carlos Boozer is a definite comer and will be given all the playing time he can handle. And Jumaine Jones can hit open jumpers. Period.
> 
> *A note to long-suffering Cavaliers' fans: Don't get caught in the LeBron James pipe dream. The best King James can ever be is an average NBA player.*


This is an old article but it shows from the beginning, Rosen had a vendetta against James or was seriously biased against him. Rosen has written other mindlessly bashing, easily forgettable articles over the years; reiterating this point and expanding to other, equally negative ideas. 

Charley Rosen is a loser.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Proof Rosen was a naysayer from Day 1*



remy23 said:


> This is an old article but it shows from the beginning, Rosen had a vendetta against James or was seriously biased against him. Rosen has written other mindlessly bashing, easily forgettable articles over the years; reiterating this point and expanding to other, equally negative ideas.
> 
> Charley Rosen is a loser.



Nice find. I bet it must have drove Rosen crazy when Lebron improved so much last season, so much for being "at best" an average player. What a hack.


----------



## remy23

*Unsettling thought: James settling for 3s*









_While LeBron James has improved his perimeter shooting, driving to the hoop and posting up to exploit mismatches are even greater strengths._



> *»* More From The Plain Dealer
> 
> * Bud Shaw*
> 
> *Unsettling thought: James settling for 3s*
> 
> Friday, November 04, 2005
> 
> *Brad Shaw
> Plain Dealer Columnist*
> 
> Before the 1992 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan kept hearing that Clyde Drexler was the better long-range shooter. The notion amused him to no end.
> 
> "Clyde is a better 3-point shooter than I choose to be," said Jordan, who then torched Portland in Game 1 by swishing six threes in a 35-point first half.
> 
> After the sixth, he looked over at Magic Johnson sitting courtside and gave him a what-can-I-say shrug that became part of the Jordan legend.
> 
> Hope that LeBron James chooses as wisely.
> 
> The 3-point shot is not only a fickle temptress, it's exactly what every NBA team would prefer James do on most nights, just as every team preferred Jordan shoot instead of driving the lane or posting up.
> 
> "Jordan used the outside shot more as he got older," Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry said Thursday. "But it was always a small part of his game. Ultimately, for a great player to rely too much on a 3-point shot takes away from his strength."
> 
> Minus the shrug, James was Jordan Wednesday night when he drained threes as if he were playing an arcade game of Pop-a-Shot.
> 
> He was Jordan right down to the premeditation, revealing a daily off-season commitment to improving his shot from 3-point range.
> 
> The difference? Jordan scored just four more points in a 122-89 rout in that Game 1 against Portland. He spent the second half finding the open man, rebounding and ambushing passing lanes.
> 
> Wednesday, James finished with three rebounds and four assists.
> 
> An abundance of off-season workshops are ahead of him at his age. When he spends as much time improving his low post game as he did working on his 3-point shot, the Cavaliers will benefit even more.
> 
> He'll be absolutely unstoppable then, prone only to the occasional bout of flu.
> 
> "It's an area of his game where he can become dominant," said Ferry. "I think he's good at it now. But that'd be a case where you'd see the biggest matchup problems he can possibly create. He's so strong, powerful and quick. He'd get fouled or score every time."
> 
> Ferry knows. As a player, his range grew out of necessity and in direct proportion to the challenge of getting his shot off inside.
> 
> James seems to have spent inordinate time on his 3-point shot, trying to make between 200 to 250 a session. The Cavs signed Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones to shoot the three.
> 
> But the Cavaliers say that's not all James worked on. Head coach Mike Brown tells of his young star rising at 6 a.m. and "riding bikes for miles up and down hills," making a Tim Duncan-sized commitment to conditioning.
> 
> Brown loved Wednesday's shooting display because James was making them. The head coach called a few isolations for James expressly because he saw James' temperature rising.
> 
> "I'm not a big isolation guy, either," Brown said.
> 
> He's also not a huge proponent of slinging 3-point tries, damn the torpedoes. Obviously, James was feeling it Wednesday, so Brown couldn't resist feeding him. That's won't always be the case, though Brown wants his players to have the freedom to pull up and shoot when it feels right.
> 
> "If he misses two in a row, I'd rather see him drive the ball to the basket," said Brown. "If he misses three, we'll probably have a discussion."
> 
> James can score any way he wants. The how and when will determine the timing and regularity of appearances in the kind of playoff games where Magic Johnson watches from courtside.


----------



## bballgirl6

*Re: Unsettling thought: James settling for 3s*

I love Lebron but he takes to many pictures with his serious(constipated) face. He does look really good in the white and green running suit.


----------



## remy23

*The Morning Journal | News | 11/10/2005 | LeBron larger than life in Cleveland*











> *LeBron larger than life in Cleveland*
> 
> *CLEVELAND - LeBron James hasn’t seen it.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But his chef has.
> 
> Nike unveiled a 120 feet tall by 200 feet wide billboard of the Cavaliers forward on a downtown building.
> 
> ''My chef told me about it,'' he said. ''I haven't seen it.''
> 
> Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said he hasn't seen it either. But he said James would handle the notoriety the right way.
> 
> ''He is not Tim Duncan,'' Brown said. ''He is not Michael (Jordan). He is LeBron James. I see a lot of similarities (to Duncan) in terms of character, mannerisms and how he treats people.''
> 
> The Cavaliers also gave away a James bobblehead doll to fans at last night's game.
> 
> ''It's a lot better than last year's,'' he said. ''It didn't look like me at all.''
> 
> *No Spree*
> 
> The rumor mill said the Cavaliers were close to signing veteran swingman Latrell Sprewell.
> 
> Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said that was false.
> 
> ''At this time, no contact has been made,'' he said.
> 
> Sprewell's agent, Bob Gist, said he hasn't talked to the Cavaliers.
> 
> ''I can't verify their interest,'' Gist said. ''We've had no dialogue with the principals of that team. A number of other teams have shown interest, though.''
> 
> Gist said he's not close to signing with any team.
> 
> *Allen tantalizing*
> 
> The Cavaliers insist Larry Hughes was their No. 1 priority in free agency. But Brown said he did talk to the SuperSonics shooting guard.
> 
> ''I talked to him on the phone for an extended period,'' Brown said. ''That was a feeling-out process. We had a chance to visit with Larry Hughes at his home. He's a special human. The character he has is off the charts. Listening to him talk about how much he wanted to win gave me the chills.''
> 
> He came into the Cleveland game averaging 26 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
> 
> ''I think he's a great player,'' Brown said. ''He's won a lot of ball games in this league. His ability to shoot the basketball from anywhere makes him hard to guard.''
> 
> James said Allen was one player he didn't try to recruit.
> 
> ''He's one guy I didn't make contact with,'' he said. ''There wasn't any communication between us. He signed early on in the free-agent process.
> 
> ''He's one of the top 2 guards in the league. We just want to contain him and stop the rest of their role players.''


----------



## futuristxen

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

So Lebron's not a big Ray Allen friend eh?

And has anyone noticed that the last two games Lebron has been getting to the basket a ton? I don't think I've seen him in the paint this much before. Posting up, driving to the basket. It's pretty unstoppable.


----------



## remy23

*Billboard pictures*

I don't think it's so much about LeBron not wanting Ray as much as it's that LeBron really wanted to play with Larry. Towards the end of last season, Larry said that LeBron was like, "Come and play with me" but Larry thought he was staying with Washington, so he said "Nah, I'm okay here." LeBron's evidently a huge fan of Hughes and Coach Brown became sold on Hughes really quickly too. 

I like seeing James in the post more too. With his improved jumper, going into the post is a nice change of pace because you can't play LeBron like he's a shooter or he'll drive and post on you.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 11/13/2005 | James' game changes stats*











> *Windhorst on the Cavaliers*
> 
> *James' game changes stats*
> 
> *However, numbers go in different way than expected*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> 
> When the Cavaliers signed a bunch of offensive weapons in the offseason, the dream of LeBron James averaging a triple-double seemed somewhat more realistic.
> 
> It seemed logical that James' point average would take a dip, but that his assists and rebounds would increase with guys like Donyell Marshall, Larry Hughes and Damon Jones around him. It is still a small sampling, but through the first six games of the season, the exact opposite is happening.
> 
> James' point average has remained steady, just below 27 points per game after averaging 27.2 last season, and he's averaging nearly four assists and three rebounds less than a year ago. Last season, he became just the fifth player in history to average 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game. So far, he's not on that course.
> 
> Everyone knows Mark Twain's legendary line about lies and statistics, so this is will be the end of them. The point is that James' game is changing under first-year coach Mike Brown, and it is showing up on the stat sheet.
> 
> Unlike last season, the offense doesn't run through James on an overwhelming majority of possessions. All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas' touches have gone down as well. With the new weapons in the offense, Brown's sets have included more options.
> 
> Indeed, James does lead the team in touches, and it isn't rare to see the ball stop when it gets to James. There are times when he still freelances, for which he sometimes can be criticized, but with his skills taking the ball to the basket, you won't hear any grumbling.
> 
> When the Cavs set up their basic offense, the design is for the ball to go to either wing, which means Hughes is just as involved. Additionally, in transition, the point guard or either wing player has the option of starting the offense. In fact, Hughes, James and starting point guard Eric Snow all have about the same number of assists.
> 
> Brown also has added a new wrinkle to the offense, which is posting James up more in the lane. The design is to get him the ball in scoring position, rather than on the perimeter where he generated most of his assists last season. All-in-all, it has been working.
> 
> Across the board, the Cavs' scoring is up dramatically. Six players are averaging nine points or more, and three players are averaging nine rebounds, one of the reasons that James' rebounding numbers are down.
> 
> Also, James is averaging almost eight minutes less per game than last year, when he led the league in total minutes, which has contributed to the statistics drop.
> 
> *Dribbles*
> 
> • One stat that has increased for James this season has been his free-throw percentage. It is up more than 10 points to 89 percent. He and Hughes, who is shooting 88 percent, are the biggest reasons that the Cavs lead the league in free-throw shooting.
> 
> • If the Seattle SuperSonics and their talent-laden roster continue to struggle and the rumors of coach Bob Weiss' early demise come to fruition, don't be surprised if former Cavs coach Paul Silas emerges as a potential replacement. Silas, a well-liked former Sonics player, had some contact with the Sonics when they were looking for a replacement for Nate McMillan last summer.
> 
> If Weiss, whose players are already challenging him through the media, can't get control of the former 50-win outfit currently getting blasted nightly, Silas might fit the remedy role that he's taken in his past two head coaching jobs. Silas, a studio analyst for ESPN, is being paid $8 million by the Cavs over this season and next.
> 
> • Denver Nuggets guard Earl Watson has told some in the media that it was hard to turn down interest from the Cavs last summer. He got a richer and longer contract with the Nuggets (five years, $29 million) than the Cavs could offer but has played just six minutes in the first six games.
> 
> • It seems only a matter of time before an official deems Damon Jones' scissor-kick, which he uses to draw attention and keep opposing players off him when he dribbles up the floor, an offensive foul, because it has the same effect as a clearing elbow. Jones' argument is that Magic Johnson used the same trick for years.
> 
> • Luke Jackson has the third most steals in the University of Oregon's history, but it took him 15 games to get his first in the NBA. He's trying to make up for lost time -- he has five in the past two games.
> 
> • Brown has requested that the Cavs' game operations crew cease and desist with the fireballs they shoot into the air during player introductions near the team bench. Smoke has been getting into the eyes of players, requiring treatment just before tip-off. The team already discontinued using a smoke machine around the bench.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Beacon Journal | 11/13/2005 | James' game changes stats*

The FT shooting is huge IMO. James for some reason last year wasn't our best foul shooter yet Silas still had him take them. He missed an inordinate amount of them which hurt us.


----------



## KingoftheCourt23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

I like how LeBron has played so far but sometimes I just want him to attack instead of settle for pull ups or midrangd jumpers. His shot is very much improved but his strength is getting to the hoop and with his good free throw percentage he should get 10 points a night just at the line. I hope he continues to play well and also steps up his D a little bit.


----------



## Larry Hughes for Retirement

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

If were playing like this and lebron doesnt need to rebound. We are killing the boards, right now. If bron wants to rebound he could, we have a huge backcourt, and a frontcourt that love to rebound. 

Also on the assist part, you see most of the offense run through Larry Hughes, he will start the offense and bron will come off screens and or post up. So i dont have a problem with him not getting as many assist. Its DJ/Hughes out there now, now Snow/Newble... lebron can finally go spot up or cut/post up move without the basketball and not have to worry.


----------



## KingoftheCourt23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

LeBron became the fastest player to 4,000 points in tonight's game. He seems to be the fastest to pretty much everything.


----------



## Kunlun

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



KingoftheCourt23 said:


> LeBron became the fastest player to 4,000 points in tonight's game. He seems to be the fastest to pretty much everything.


Was he the fastest? I thought he was the youngest.


----------



## remy23

*James, Brand Named NBA Players of the Week*




> *James, Brand Named NBA Players of the Week*
> 
> *NEW YORK, Nov. 21 –* The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Los Angles Clippers’ Elton Brand today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 14 through Sunday, Nov. 20.
> 
> James posted his fifth career triple-double with 36 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high 10 assists on Nov. 19 in a 123-120 victory over the Sixers. He increased his season stats, averaging 29.7 points, hitting 54.7 percent of his shots, grabbing nine boards and dishing six assists per game for the week, leading the team to a 3-0 record.
> 
> Brand averaged 25 points, 11.7 rebounds and shot 57.1 percent, while leading the Clippers to a 3-0 record to extend the Clippers overall record to a franchise-best start of 8-2. Brand recorded a double-double in all three games including 32 points, which tied a season high, to go along with 11 boards in a 113-101 victory over the Warriors.
> 
> Here is a closer look at the week for James and Brand:
> 
> *LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers*
> Nov. 15 vs. Washington: In a 114-99 victory James scored 37 points, grabbed 10 boards and added two blocks.
> Nov. 18 vs. Orlando: Recorded two steals, 16 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 102-84 win over the visiting Magic.
> Nov. 19 vs. Philadelphia: Posted a triple double with 36 points, 11 boards and 10 assists in a 123-120 victory in Philadelphia.
> 
> *Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers*
> Nov. 15 vs. Milwaukee: Recorded a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds in a 109-85 victory.
> Nov. 18 at L.A. Lakers: Pulled down 14 boards and blocked five shots to go along with 23 points in a 97-91 win against the Lakers.
> Nov. 20 vs. Golden State: Exploded for 32 points and added 10 rebounds in a 113-101 victory over the visiting Warriors.
> 
> Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Cleveland’s Larry Hughes, Denver’s Marcus Camby, New Orleans/Oklahoma City’s David West, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Toronto’s Chris Bosh, Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson, Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Orlando’s Dwight Howard.


----------



## KingoftheCourt23

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



Kunlun said:


> Was he the fastest? I thought he was the youngest.


I meant fastest in years but as for the fastest in games I do not know if he was or not. I wasnt clear what I meant but I did mean the fastest as in age.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron's rarefied air leaves the rest dizzy*











> *»* More From The Plain Dealer
> *Bill Livingston*
> 
> *LeBron's rarefied air leaves the rest dizzy*
> 
> Wednesday, November 23, 2005
> 
> *Bill Livingston
> Plain Dealer Columnist*
> 
> When he is done, which will be after a cavalcade of highlights the likes of which have not been seen before in Cleveland basketball, the last words on LeBron James will be: "What hype?"
> 
> Tuesday night, the world's most publicized basketball player of the last three years, dating back to his senior year in high school, showed again that he is everything he was projected to be and more. He also showed that even with a more stout supporting cast, he sometimes must play at the tip of the mountaintop.
> 
> This is what happened in the third quarter at The Q, when the Boston Celtics closed to a 74-72 deficit. James then scored the last 10 points for the Cavaliers, pushing the lead out to 11, and putting the game away.
> 
> He did it any way he needed to. That included at the line, where he was 9-for-11; in the lane, where he backed down Paul Pierce, his defender in a matchup of top NBA small forwards, and shot over him; at the rim, where he went through the Celtics like a knife through a Thanksgiving turkey; or, most devastatingly, at the 3-point arc, where he beat the clock when Justin Reed backed off him and Dan Dickau arrived too late to help.
> 
> He can play small forward, shooting guard or point guard, which are, respectively, 3, 2, 1 in playbook terminology. The blast-off came with James handling the ball at the point, which is getting to be something of a habit.
> 
> In Saturday's epic comeback at Philadelphia, James was also running the offense when it counted most. He scored 36 points on only 20 shots against the Celtics, just failing to match the 37 with which he began a triple double against the Sixers. But it is safe to say few players anywhere are better right now. James, of course, will get even better since he is still not 21 years old.
> 
> "It was time to start attacking and get some defensive stops," James said. "It doesn't matter where I play. I can bring the ball up or make plays in the halfcourt."
> 
> Maybe his best play wasn't even in that sequence, instead occurring midway through the second quarter. James batted Pierce's pass, then went racing off with Eric Snow's feed to wrestle in a layup as Pierce tried to bear-hug him. There has never been such a combination of power and explosiveness, for the 6-8, 240-pound James creates all these plays with a classic power forward's body.
> 
> Larry Hughes was not shooting well. Damon Jones turned an ankle. Zydrunas Ilgauskas had a tough night defending Mark Blount in the paint. Donyell Marshall was not a big factor. Still, the Cavs won, 115-93, as the Celtics went smash in the late third and early fourth quarters, because James would not let them lose.
> 
> The Celtics were actually led by "Wrong Rim" Ricky Davis, the former Cav who was never quite Scottie Pippen to James' Michael Jordan, but more like Hatfield to LeBron's McCoy. Davis scored 27 points on 23 shots.
> 
> While he played well Tuesday, he has actually taken more shots (182-175) than Pierce. Pierce had 52 more free throws, so presumably he was fouled while hoisting one and got to the line several times that way. Davis, now a starter, plays more minutes now, but his integration into the offense remains a sometimes thing.
> 
> Davis once dribbled off in the last seconds toward his own defensive basket when he was with the Cavs and lobbed up a shot, trying to pad his statistics with a rebound for a triple-double. One only regrets that the coach of that night's opponent, Utah's Jerry Sloan, could not have gotten to Davis, preferably while wearing one of his beloved John Deere caps and while seated at the controls of a dangerous piece of farm equipment - a knucklehead harvester, perhaps.
> 
> That was then. Now, the Cavs are simply cultivating memories that will remain with anyone who saw the team's undisputed leader play.


----------



## remy23

*AP Interview: LeBron James Beyond His Age*











> Dec. 9, 2:20 PM EST
> 
> *AP Interview: LeBron James Beyond His Age*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By TOM WITHERS
> AP Sports Writer
> 
> *CLEVELAND (AP) --* For an instant, LeBron James again sees life through the frightened eyes of a fatherless 8-year-old boy.
> 
> Sitting in the basement conference room of Antioch Baptist Church, James has just finished handing out Thanksgiving groceries to families as needy as his own once was.
> 
> A few weeks shy of his 21st birthday, the Cavaliers' superstar is allowing a rare glimpse into his well-guarded privacy during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. He's upbeat while openly discussing fatherhood, wanting to win an NBA championship in Cleveland, his upcoming contract extension, personal goals and dreams - but then a question about his past seems to awaken painful memories.
> Leaning back in his chair, a flashback momentarily walks James back in time.
> 
> An only child - and not yet a basketball prodigy - James is being raised in Akron by a strong single mother who has nurtured her son with love but little else. She preaches to him to be fiercely independent, respectful and kind. She tells him to fear no one.
> 
> Most importantly, Gloria James teaches young LeBron how to be a man.
> 
> Money is tight so the pair move frequently, fleeing tough neighborhoods around the Rubber City where he is exposed to the harsh realities of America's urban decay.
> 
> On a chilly November day years later, he remembers it all.
> 
> "I've seen a lot of stuff that kids my age just don't see," James says, hinting at a darkness he would prefer stay hidden. "That's where the knowledge comes from. I don't want to go back to what I've seen when I was 7, 8, 9 years old."
> 
> Asked for an example, James pauses and shifts in his seat. Staring at the floor, he's unsure how to respond.
> 
> Things on the street?
> 
> "Everything," he says. "Everything that's not right. I think that's where I got my knowledge."
> 
> ---
> 
> It has happened in the blink of an eye, much faster than anyone thought possible.
> 
> In two NBA seasons, James has blossomed into one of the league's premier players - and perhaps its signature star. Last season, he became the fifth player to average 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for a season, adding his name to the hoops pantheon of Robertson, Havlicek, Bird and Jordan.
> 
> At 20.
> 
> On a rebuilt and improving Cleveland team, his game has matured. Through this season's first 17 games, he averaged a career-high 28.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists.
> 
> "The difference now is that he keeps his teammates involved," Boston coach Doc Rivers said after James dropped 36 on the Celtics. "He scored 36 in the flow. The guy's in the third year of his career. To understand the game the way he does, he should coach."
> 
> As he approaches his Dec. 30 birthday - a date he shares with Tiger Woods - James seems to have exceeded all the impossible expectations that accompanied his leap from high school.
> 
> Nothing fits him any longer. Not the gloomy predictions, not the endless skepticism, not any of the labels slapped on him.
> 
> He is better than advertised. From day one, James has gone beyond the boundaries.
> 
> "You pay for a ticket to see LeBron perform and it's like getting a present," says Minnesota's Kevin Garnett. "I just hope the people of Cleveland understand, realize, what they have. He's like the Beatles."
> 
> James has handled his rise to iconic superstardom with grace and a rare ease for someone so young, rich and talented. As the whirlpool of his A-list celebrity life swirls around him, James manages the pressure. He's always in complete control.
> 
> "To this day, I don't feel it," he says, asked to recall when he knew greatness was destined. "I hear my friends and my mom tell me I'm special, but honestly, I still don't get it. I just want to be levelheaded about things. I think about the times I had before and I don't want to go back to those times."
> 
> Under fame's blinding spotlight, James has matured from teenage talent to proven professional, from playful kid to doting parent, from Nike salesman to corporate heavyweight.
> 
> At an age when most people his age are handling adulthood's responsibilities for the first time, James has embraced them with a wisdom beyond his years.
> 
> "I don't know where I got it," he says. "I don't read books much. I don't read newspapers that much. It's everything that I went through in my itty bitty life, my little bitty 20 years of life, I've been through so much."
> 
> ---
> 
> An hour before tipoff against the Timberwolves, kids wearing No. 23 jerseys in a rainbow of colors stream into Quicken Loans Arena. Across the street, a larger-than-life billboard of James with the message - WE ARE ALL WITNESSES - towers over downtown.
> 
> Once inside, Cavs fans of every age jockey for position in an area designated for autographs.
> 
> Clutching scraps of paper, magazines, almost anything with James' likeness on it, the youngsters holler for attention. So close to game time, they settle for a wave as James glides by.
> 
> One boy, though, gets special attention.
> 
> During warmups, 14-month-old LeBron James Jr. is gently handed to his daddy, who cradles the child and kisses his forehead. James and his girlfriend, Savannah, are raising the baby together.
> 
> Being a father has enlightened him like nothing before.
> 
> "It's great," he says. "Sometimes in the past when I played something might make me lose focus, or I would go home after a game where I thought I could have played better and I would let it hang over my head for a long time when it shouldn't.
> 
> "But now, being a parent, I go home and see my son and I forget about any mistake I ever made or the reason I'm upset. I get home and my son is smiling or he comes running to me. It has just made me grow as an individual and grow as a man."
> 
> James' father wasn't involved in his upbringing. James has had male role models such as Frank Walker, an Akron man who first put a basketball in his hands, and Eddie Jackson, once his mom's boyfriend who has remained close.
> 
> There have been others. But Gloria James, who had LeBron when she was 16, remains the light of his life.
> 
> "My role model and inspiration has always been my mom and continues to be to this day," he says. "I want to be the best father I can to my son and teach him everything my mom taught me.
> 
> "Now that I have a son, I have no idea how she did it by herself because I couldn't do it by myself," he says. "She taught me through all the trials and tribulations. She's by far my greatest influence.
> 
> "She gets all the credit. I don't know how, but she did it."
> 
> ---
> 
> The move was unexpected, like one of the eye-popping spins he makes in the foul lane, but James says he knew exactly what he was doing.
> 
> Not long after the Cavs failed to make the playoffs last season, James fired his agent, Aaron Goodwin, and turned over his personal and business management to three friends, Maverick Carter, Randy Mims and Rich Paul. With James as their CEO, they formed Four Horsemen Management.
> 
> The decision to drop Goodwin was seen in some circles as a sign of trouble. To James, it was essential to his growth.
> 
> "I realized that it was time for me to become a man," he says. "I wanted to be like I've always been, the head of everything that I've done. When you're young and the leader of a basketball team, you don't realize someday you're going to be the head of a corporation or the head of your own business."
> 
> LeBron James Inc. is booming. Since the summer, James has contributed more than $200,000 worth of relief supplies to Hurricane Katrina victims across the Gulf Coast. He and his team are exploring new endorsement deals, trying to build a sponsorship portfolio rivaling any athlete's.
> 
> "In the next 15 or 20 years, I hope I'll be the richest man in the world," James says. "That's one of my goals. I want to be a billionaire. I want to get to a position where generation on generation don't have to worry about nothing. I don't want family members from my kids to my son's kids to never have to worry. And I can't do that now just playing basketball."
> 
> James has an upcoming business decision that will shape his career and legacy, and the Cavaliers' future. Next summer, the club will have its first opportunity to offer James a maximum contract extension.
> 
> Since the night he was drafted, promising to "light Cleveland up like Las Vegas," speculation has centered on when he'll leave for a larger market. James has expressed his desire to stay, but Cavaliers fans won't believe that until he signs a new deal.
> 
> "At this time, I'm very, very happy," James says. "Besides having a son, the Cavs are the thing that I'm closest to. One thing I will not do because I'm a business man, I will not put all the eggs in one basket. It's not fair to me. But I will give the Cavaliers the most opportunities for LeBron James.
> 
> "That's just being real. I'm a business man, the Cavs are running a business, too. For my teammates and for the city of Cleveland, I won't make promises because I don't know what might happen the rest of this season."
> 
> ---
> 
> He can be more than Mike.
> 
> On a promotional trip to China this summer, James was welcomed like a conquering hero by a nation that has fallen in love with the NBA. After Yao Ming, he is perhaps Asia's most popular player. And, like his experience playing for the U.S. Olympic team, the overseas visit broadened James' world view and his place in it.
> 
> James has a chance to do more as a global ambassador than Jordan or Woods.
> 
> "It's not that I want to do it because M.J. wasn't able to do it or Tiger didn't. I don't base myself off what other people do," he says. "I've always been a people person, I hate being by myself.
> 
> "I've moved in my life and my first day in a new school I was always able to make new friends. That's difficult for some people. So someday being an ambassador to the world and not just the NBA would be great. I want to be the face of a lot of things."
> 
> Although his duties now include team leader, father and entrepreneur, James also understands his obligation as role model to a new generation. It's not something he takes lightly.
> 
> "I went to Nike and I saw that old Charles Barkley commercial where he said, 'I'm not a role model. If you want to have a role model look up to your parents.' It kind of startled me because kids look up to me.
> 
> "Once you become a professional athlete or once you do anything well, then you're automatically a role model. So, I didn't say I'm not going to be a role model. That's ridiculous. I have no problem being a role model. I love it. I have kids looking up to me and hopefully I inspire these kids to do good things.
> 
> "The younger guys who come into this league, hopefully I inspire them to do the right thing. I've told younger guys already, even though I'm young, I give them tips on what they can do better on and off the court because it's very important. Kids are our future."
> 
> From where he's been, James would know.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron leads East All-Star voting*












> *CAVALIERS INSIDER*
> *LeBron leads East All-Star voting*
> 
> *Friday, December 16, 2005*
> 
> The first results of NBA All-Star voting were released Thursday, and Cavaliers forward LeBron James is the leading vote-getter in the Eastern Conference with 665,849 votes.
> 
> "This is exciting," said James, about the early results. "I thank all of the fans that have voted for me. It shows all the hard work I've put into it, and I've got the respect of people who like the way I play the game and the way I approach the game. I thank them for voting me in during the early stages and hopefully they'll keep voting for me."
> 
> James is second overall, behind Houston center Yao Ming who leads all vote-getters with 729,178. Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is third overall with 664,744. Miami center Shaquille O'Neal is second in East voting with 646,085. Jermaine O'Neal of Indiana is second among Eastern Conference forwards with 387,893 votes.
> 
> *MORE IN URL*


----------



## futuristxen

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

Just as a person Lebron is so wise. He's younger than me, and there's no way I could be the person he is. His concern for his fellow man is amazing. Especially for kids. It seems like he's going to try and do some wonderful things in his time on this earth, and basketball will only be a small percentage of it.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



futuristxen said:


> Just as a person Lebron is so wise. He's younger than me, and there's no way I could be the person he is. His concern for his fellow man is amazing. Especially for kids. It seems like he's going to try and do some wonderful things in his time on this earth, and basketball will only be a small percentage of it.


I agree with this, his maturity is phenomenal. Think of what most 20 year old college kids are doing relative to the pressure and fame Lebron plays under.

Along with his commitment to the community, he is an amazing dude. 

Nice to see him as the leading East vote getter for the ASG as well :cheers:


----------



## remy23

*Minute man*












> *Click Me!*
> 
> *Minute man:*
> 
> James led the NBA in average minutes played last season - 42.1 - and Brown was hoping to cut into that this season. Through the first six games, when James averaged 34.8 minutes, Brown did.
> 
> Not so in the past 16, when James averaged 44.6.
> 
> The bottom line: The Cavaliers are not the same team when James is out, and Brown is finding it tough getting him down time.


As much as we’d like to rest LeBron, it’s fairly obvious what happens when he leaves the game. Even if we’re holding onto large leads, it all but evaporates the second he leaves.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 12/22/2005 | James thinking about Olympics*












> *James thinking about Olympics*
> *Cavaliers star ready to talk to Team USA head Colangelo about future*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* Within the next few weeks, LeBron James should have a better feeling on where he stands with USA Basketball.
> 
> James said Wednesday that he has been in contact with Phoenix Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo, who is USA Basketball's managing director, and is trying to set up a meeting with him soon. Colangelo has contacted about 40 players and is holding meetings with potential members of next summer's World Championship team and 2008's Olympic team.
> 
> After becoming frustrated with playing time and coach Larry Brown during the 2004 Athens Olympics, James was lukewarm at best when considering rejoining USA Basketball. He hopes the meeting with Colangelo will rekindle his interest.
> 
> "I want to get a feel for him, and I'm sure he wants to get a good feel for me,'' James said after practice Wednesday where the Cavaliers were preparing to face the Chicago Bulls tonight. "Then I'll be able to give a better answer.''
> 
> Colangelo, the man tasked with rebuilding USA's battered basketball image after a sixth-place finish at the 2002 World Championships and a bronze at the '04 Olympics, is looking for a three-year commitment from players. It includes this summer's World Championships in Japan, along with next summer and Beijing in 2008. The purpose is to foster chemistry and togetherness.
> 
> He has plans to conduct a training camp in July, where a roster would be formed from 20 or so players trying to make the team. Colangelo told the Tacoma News Tribune on Tuesday that he'd already received commitments from eight players to try out.
> 
> There has been some concern that requiring the three-year commitment and having to make a cut would drive away some stars, many of whom already passed on the last Olympics. James said he's thought about it and is willing.
> 
> "I've made it known I didn't like the circumstances in the Olympics. I didn't like what happened,'' James said. "But if I think it is going to be better, I would make a three-year commitment.''
> 
> Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will head up the team in Japan and in Beijing with high-profile assistants Mike D'Antoni from the Phoenix Suns, Nate McMillan from the Portland Trail Blazers, and Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. James, who was soured by his dealings with Brown, said he'd be glad to give Krzyzewski a chance.
> 
> "I've only met him once; I don't know his system; I don't know his style,'' James said. "I'd have to spend some time with him.''
> 
> *MORE IN URL*


----------



## futuristxen

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

Looks like Lebron was justified in his upsetness with Brown. Look at how long it is taking Brown to get the Knicks playing the "right way". There's just no time for Larry Brown's style of coaching in 6 weeks. Lebron, and everyone watching the team, knew that he should have been getting more minutes than Richard Jefferson. But once Larry made his decision, he stuck with it too stubbornly.

I'm not sure though that I want Lebron to do this. He plays so many minutes in the regular season, he needs time to retool. And 3 straight years of not having your summer off--I think we're just asking for an injury. Plus the whole tryout thing...


----------



## Whack Arnolds

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*



Benedict_Boozer said:


> I agree with this, his maturity is phenomenal. Think of what most 20 year old college kids are doing relative to the pressure and fame Lebron plays under.
> 
> Along with his commitment to the community, he is an amazing dude.
> 
> Nice to see him as the leading East vote getter for the ASG as well :cheers:


It's all relative though. He was branded and eased into the situation since he was a phenom as a 7th grader. He has been preparing for this for years. Im 20, and I know I could handle myself in a similar manner. It would be amplified because most players in the league act like idiots.


----------



## Whack Arnolds

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

I hope Bron - Bron gets onto the Olympic squad. I said it myself that with a combo of the players they had, with the notoriously stubborn Larry Brown that it wasn't going to work out. With the right situation, and the introduction of good role players onto the Olympic squad, with maybe 2-3 actual stars (LeBron included if he makes the cut) then I believe the USA could once again achieve that dominance they had over other countries.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron's favorite time of year*












> *LeBron’s time of year*
> 
> Marty Burns, SI.com
> 
> LeBron James was sitting at his locker before a game last week when a reporter began grilling him about his favorite Christmas gifts. Like a 6-foot-8 kid sitting on Santa's lap, the Cavs superstar patiently went along. He listed his favorite as a child ("probably a Little Tikes basketball hoop"), his favorites since joining the NBA ("video games"), the biggest toy he's ever bought himself ("my Hummer"), and the smallest ("cell phones, iPods").
> 
> James also admitted he likes to keep his cell phones pretty basic. "I don't deal with all the features," he said. "I just press down. I don't deal with ring tones, wall papering. I don't take pictures."
> 
> James didn't say it, but No. 1 on his Christmas wish list this season was probably for his team to continue its strong play. Cleveland has now won six in a row to improve to 17-9, fourth best in the NBA. That's a major turnaround from a few weeks ago, when they endured a 7-9 stretch to fall back in the middle of the pack in the East.
> 
> "We're becoming a great team," James said. "Right now we're a good team and we feel like we're getting there. We're not there yet but we're working on it."
> 
> James has been a big part of the Cavs' recent surge. He is averaging 32.7 points in 12 games during December. He scored 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter Monday night to lead Cleveland over Chicago, and has now scored 30 or more points nine times this month.
> 
> The big difference for the Cavs, however, has been on the defensive end. For much of this season Cleveland's players might as well have been taking pictures with their cell phones as foes blew past them on the way to the hoop. While the Cavs ranked third in the NBA in scoring (102.2 points per game) as of last week, they were 19th in points allowed (97.8) and a woeful 27th in field-goal percentage allowed (46.6).
> 
> Lately, the Cavs have shown more pride in stopping people. All the new faces finally seem to be catching on to the team concept. They have held four of their last six foes under 92 points. Monday night, the Cavs blocked nine shots, had eight steals and limited the Bulls to 42 percent shooting. They also held the Pacers to 42 percent shooting in Friday's victory at Indiana.
> 
> It's enough to make James think they can join the Pistons and Heat in the race for the Eastern Conference crown this season.
> 
> "I just think when we all become one [on defense]," he said, when asked what it would take for the Cavs to get to that level. "When we all move at the same time, kind of like puppets, where we move at the same time, we move on a string, no breakdowns and things like that."
> 
> Puppets over cell phones? Maybe not for a Christmas gift, but definitely the way to go for an NBA defense.


----------



## remy23

*ESPN | NBA | Down The Road*












> *LeBron takes a drive down Glory Road*
> 
> _*Editor's note:* When the Cavs' history buff said he wanted to see Glory Road, the soon-to-be-released Disney movie about the 1966 NCAA championship run by Texas Western's all-black starting five, the Mag pulled some strings with its parent company to get him a private screening and a sit-down with several players from the game. We took the opportunity to get LeBron to talk about his game, too._
> 
> I think it's important to know the history of the game. That comes from knowing that I'm not going to help its evolution just by playing. You can't be successful in this game if you don't know who got you to this point. Unfortunately, a lot of people my age and younger don't know the history of basketball. If a kid comes up to me and asks me a question about it, I want to be prepared to answer with some knowledge. I want to be able to tie together the past, present and future. That's why I was interested in the Texas Western team. I knew about their story long before I watched Glory Road.
> 
> I'll admit that watching that film and seeing the importance of winning the NCAA Tournament makes me wander off sometimes and think of what it would have been like if I had gone to college. But I don't have any regrets. I know I made the right decision. In fact, Jerry Bruckheimer told me one of the things he hoped to accomplish with the movie was to get guys to understand the abuse those Texas Western players fought through to blaze a trail for guys in the NBA today. He understands they made it possible for more guys to play professionally instead of just on the playground. He said Pat Riley told him Magic Johnson once said, "If David Lattin hadn't dunked on you, I wouldn't be standing here running your offense." It's funny, but there's some truth to that. So I realize the guys on that team are the reason I'm where I am today.
> 
> I get to do things like help create commercials. I love my new Nike commercials; my favorite is the one about the quadruple-double. I had a lot of input into The LeBrons. I wanted to show more of my personality, and those are the four ways I act: the player, the kid, the businessman and the wise old man. I act like him a lot when I'm home. I just kind of ad-libbed everything. The acting was fun. And for the record, that is me dancing.
> 
> But to see all the things I get to do and the recognition I get because of basketball, and to know that those guys had to wait 40 years for people to notice them, is just crazy. It's almost like some people didn't know black people were on the face of the earth. It's disappointing that they had to wait 40 years to be recognized, but I guess better late than never. To see the way they approached the game and the way they were able to carry themselves through terrible times definitely affects the way I carry myself. I take the game seriously because I'm trying to carry on the legacy that great players before me left.
> 
> I don't try to pattern my game after anybody's, but if I had to talk about similarities, I'd look at Penny Hardaway when he was in Orlando. He was a 6'7" point guard. He had flair, he could pass, he'd dunk on you and he could shoot jumpers. Then, I'd look at Oscar Robertson and Magic and the way they were able to dominate games. I don't say I'm going to try to be those guys, but I can see a little bit of my game in each of them. And I'm not really concerned about surpassing them in history. I just hope that one day people will think I was one of the best players to ever play in this league. Ever.
> 
> I know that'll take titles, though. When I think about the best players in the league, I think of the guys who've won championships, guys like Tim Duncan, Kobe and Shaq. Of all of them, I like Kobe. His knowledge of the game and his killer instinct are what make him so tough. He's great with the ball and without the ball, and the things he can do offensively are kind of unbelievable. I don't think I have an instinct like Kobe, where I just want to kill everybody. But I do want to be the best player on the court every time I step out there.
> 
> It's all about competing, about trying to be the best. It's also important to me to make the team I'm on now the best. I don't want to go ring-chasing, as I call it; you know, going to a team that's already pretty established and trying to win a ring with them. I want to stay with the Cavs and build a champion. And I feel like we're on our way.
> 
> Part of being considered the best is having rivalries. I don't have any at this point. Rivalries start in the playoffs. I tell you what, I'll be happy for it to start. I haven't been a part of the playoffs yet, but I will be this year. Then we'll see if a rivalry develops. People try to make rivals out of me and Dwyane Wade, but D-Wade is one of my best friends in the league. I've got the utmost respect for the way he handles himself, the way he plays and the way he's become a leader for his franchise.
> 
> Right now it's important I establish my credentials as our leader. When you come into the league, you think it's all basketball, but basketball is only about 10 percent to 20 percent of what it takes to be in the NBA. You've got the off-the-court obligations and distractions, you've got the on-the-court things, you've got the media. Now that I understand that, I'm 10 times the leader I was the past two seasons. I'm the type who can lead by example and I can also lead by speaking up. When I need to get vocal, I get vocal. I have no problem speaking up and letting my teammates know what the deal is.
> 
> But for them to listen, I can't just talk. I have to show them I'm dedicated to improving as a player. I feel like if I improve certain aspects of my game, our team automatically will improve, so I was extremely motivated last summer to get better. I knew I couldn't come back the same player I was last year, and I put in a ton of time on my outside shooting. Last year, I felt defenders were slacking off me too much, just playing me to drive. I shot jumpers over the summer until my shoulders started to hurt. Now my jump shot's a lot better. I also worked on my lateral quickness to help my D.
> 
> Missing the playoffs the past two seasons was the motivation. I've been used to being an automatic winner, just going onto the court knowing no team could beat us. But my first year in the league, I didn't feel that way. Now I'm at a point where I feel like every time we play, we're going to win. I'm not saying I know we're going to win a championship this year. That takes time. It took Jordan seven years, Shaq eight. If we keep getting better, I don't think I'll have to wait eight years.
> 
> It's funny: the years fly by so fast that you can get to Year 3 and be like, wow, it seems like my rookie year. But you know what they say: great things come to those who are patient.
> 
> _Chris Broussard covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine and writes an NBA Blog for ESPN.com. Visit Chris' Blog archive for more of his NBA reporting._


----------



## remy23

*James is going on the offensive*












> *James is going on the offensive*
> *Production up since Hughes went down*
> 
> Tuesday, January 10, 2006
> 
> *Burt Graeff
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> LeBron James without high-scoring sidekick Larry Hughes on the court should be easier for opposing teams to defend.
> 
> Maybe so in theory, but not in reality.
> 
> The NBA's great players find ways to overcome tricked-up defenses, and James is no different. Three games into Hughes' eight-week absence while recovering from surgery to repair a broken finger, James' production has increased.
> 
> James averaged 30.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists and shot .497 (294-of-591) from the field - including .352 (43-of-122) from 3-point range - in the first 28 games with Hughes healthy.
> 
> In three games since Hughes went down, James is averaging 34.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists while shooting .557 (39-of-70) from the field - including .363 (8-of-22) from 3-point range.
> 
> James has not wavered, despite the increased attention he's received.
> 
> "You can't stop [James]," said Cavaliers teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas. "It doesn't matter if you double-team, triple-team him or do whatever to him, he is going to find ways to produce."
> 
> Hughes was capable of breaking down defenses off the dribble. With this threat gone, opposing teams are popping one, sometimes two, additional players at James in his cuts across the lane.
> 
> "It's a good strategy," said Cavaliers point guard Eric Snow, "and I'd do the same thing. The problem is that it doesn't always work.
> 
> "LeBron is just so quick and so strong. I am very glad he's on my team."
> 
> Strength and quickness were displayed Saturday night, when James scored 35 points in the Cavaliers' 96-88 victory over Milwaukee at The Q. Posting up as much as he has all season, eight of James' 14 field goals came on shots of 4 feet or less.
> 
> He drew eight fouls, but squandered a 40-point game by missing 5-of-9 free-throw attempts.
> 
> "I thought that was LeBron's best game in terms of being aggressive," said Cavaliers coach Mike Brown. "He posted up players and I was excited about that.
> 
> "At times, he posted up when plays were called for him. At other times, he did it on his own."
> 
> James downplayed getting increased attention with Hughes and his 16.2-point average gone.
> 
> "I have seen every defense imaginable in my short NBA career," James said. "Defenses change game to game and I adjust to them during games."
> 
> With Hughes out, the Cavaliers' point production has dipped from 101.5 a game in the first 28 to 89.5 in the last three. When scoring drops, overall defense must pick up, and it has in winning two of three - both over Milwaukee.
> 
> In last Wednesday's 91-84 victory, the Bucks were held to 37 percent (31-of-83) shooting. On Saturday night at The Q, Milwaukee shot 42 percent (34-of-82) from the field.
> 
> "That's been the name of our game lately," James said. "We have been getting defensive stops, getting out on runs and creating offensive problems for the other team.
> 
> "Any time we get a chance to get defensive stops and get run-outs, we are a great team."


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 01/14/2006 | Too much taking about comparisons*












> *Too much talking about comparisons*
> *Cavs' loss to Lakers brings plenty of discussion about James, Bryant*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *PHOENIX -* LeBron James has always been one to do his real talking on the basketball court.
> 
> Kill them with kindness to the microphones, kill them with your game to the cameras. He acquiesces, talks in cliches and praises his competition at every juncture.
> 
> He might wish he hadn't compared his competitive drive to Kobe Bryant's in a recent ESPN the Magazine interview, one that has come back to bite his usually untarnished image.
> 
> There were a number of reasons the Cavaliers lost 99-98 to the L.A. Lakers on Thursday. Poor free-throw shooting, loose and unforced turnovers, especially in the second half, and even a crucial foul or two. Violet Palmer's questionable whistle on Zydrunas Ilgauskas with 30 seconds left in the first half as he was fighting for position with Chris Mihm, for example, ended up having a large impact on Ilgauskas' availability for the rest of the game.
> 
> Yet the world audience and highlight shows, those the kindest to James over the years, only showed Bryant making the clutch shot and James missing the potential game-winning retort at the buzzer.
> 
> Then came the commentary, how James has never made a game-winning shot in high school or the NBA, and Bryant has a long resume. Then that pesky ESPN quote, where James said Bryant has a greater "killer instinct'' than himself was repeated over and over after it was so ironically personified on a grand stage.
> 
> "In the last couple of minutes we saw what separates Kobe from LeBron... LeBron's not at the point yet in his career where he can make (the game-winning) play,'' TNT analyst Steve Kerr said.
> 
> "That's what separates Bryant and James. Bryant's will to win is stronger... I'm not sure that's something James can acquire. He can learn to read situations more easily, to create the best shots in the most important opportunities. But I'm not sure if anyone ever discovers a way to plunge a dagger into someone's heart,'' J.A. Adande wrote in the L.A. Times.
> 
> In truth, behind the guard, James compares himself to no one. He considers his drive second to no one. He doesn't see himself as trying to follow in any footsteps, but to create his own.
> 
> Which is why in the raw moments after a fun, yet bitter defeat in Staples Center, James told it like it was. Not for the pre-game montage on TNT, not for a SportsCenter commercial or even for a praise-deflecting magazine article.
> 
> "I've made plays like that before, I've made shots in key situations,'' James said. "It's going to take time to win a championship. I'm not trying to get to Kobe Bryant's level. I'm trying to be the best player I can be. If me peaking at the right point is not Kobe Bryant's level then I don't care. I'm LeBron James and being LeBron James is all I can ask of myself.''
> 
> It was a moment of clarity, a moment of frustration, a moment of honesty. James had cooled by Friday afternoon, when he and the Cavs practiced at the U.S. Airways Center in advance of tonight's game with the Phoenix Suns. It was another game to focus on against another star, Thursday's game just one to forget and perhaps learn from.
> 
> "You win some and you lose some,'' James said. "When I get that chance again, I'm still going to take that shot.''
> 
> *Starting lineup stays*
> 
> Cavs coach Mike Brown said Friday he'll stick with Damon Jones in the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Suns. Jones played just 17 minutes and took just one shot against the Lakers. Many of his minutes have been going to Luke Jackson, who had 11 points Thursday, Mike Wilks and Sasha Pavlovic, now that he's returned after missing six weeks with an ankle injury.


----------



## remy23

*James to discuss Olympics plan*












> *James to discuss Olympics plan*
> 
> Saturday, January 14, 2006
> 
> *Los Angeles --* LeBron James will meet with Jerry Colangelo while the Cavs are in Phoenix to discuss possible plans to play on the U.S. team at the 2006 World Championships and 2008 Beijing Olympics.
> 
> Colangelo, the Suns' chairman and chief executive, is the man in charge of final selections for Team USA.
> 
> "It looks positive at this point," said James during practice Friday. "I haven't talked with Mr. Colangelo, but we should be making this announcement within a week or so."


----------



## remy23

*Include LeBron in MVP talk*












> *Include LeBron in MVP talk*
> 
> Friday, January 13, 2006
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> *Los Angeles -* Much of the early discussion about the Most Valuable Player award has focused on Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand and even New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter.
> 
> Somehow, LeBron James has slipped through the cracks. At this stage, James should be considered among the top three MVP candidates.
> 
> "He has the kind of numbers and his team is having the kind of season that an MVP candidate has," said Cavs guard Eric Snow. "No one else has his numbers, which means he's more than just a candidate. He's a strong candidate."
> 
> On Tuesday, James became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1966 to get at least have 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists in seven consecutive games. James came into Thursday's game against the Lakers averaging 30.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
> 
> TNT analyst Steve Kerr said he is also surprised James has not been mentioned enough as an MVP candidate.
> 
> "He's in the top three or four," Kerr said. "I would think other people would agree, too. LeBron's in that elite group. It's incredible and stunning how good he is and how fast he's developing. It's scary where he might be in his prime."
> 
> *Next move:*
> 
> The Cavs have felt the void left by the injured Larry Hughes. Not only did the Cavs lose their second-leading scorer in Hughes, but they also lost a player who provided strong defense. His penetration opened up shots from the outside .
> 
> The Cavs may consider signing a player to a 10-day contract, making a trade or consider signing a free agent like Latrell Sprewell or Ron Mercer.
> 
> No matter what the Cavs decide to do, they cannot stand still.
> 
> "They have to give [a trade or a free-agent signing] some thought," Kerr said. "Look at Houston last year. They picked up Mike James and he made a huge difference for them. I know Danny [Ferry], and he wants to be patient. I could see something happen if things start not to go well."
> 
> *Layups:*
> 
> Expect James to announce his decision this weekend on playing for USA Basketball in the World Championships and 2008 Olympics. James planned to meet with USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo in Phoenix. The Cavs play the Suns on Saturday. Colangelo is also the chairman and CEO of the Suns.


----------



## futuristxen

*Re: Lebron James Picture/Video Thread*

Yeah James is nice on the mic. But this is afterall a guy who grew up in the streets and has "Chosen One" tatooed on his back. It's somebody who couldn't shoot a lick when he came in, but now is a fifty percent shooter and close to automatic from 3. Anyone that questions his competitive desire is wearing beer goggles. There's a definite fire there.


----------



## remy23

*AP Wire | 01/15/2006 | LeBron James commits to playing for U.S. team*



> *LeBron James commits to playing for U.S. team*
> 
> BOB BAUM
> Associated Press
> 
> *PHOENIX -* LeBron James has committed to playing for the U.S. team at this year's world championships and the 2008 Olympics.
> 
> "It's officially official in his case and I know he's excited about it," said Jerry Colangelo, managing director of USA Basketball. "He's obviously one of the core guys you want because of his talent, his age, his maturity at a very young age."
> 
> Colangelo met with James before the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Phoenix Suns, but thought the 21-year-old Cavs' star already had committed in a meeting in Chicago on Dec. 22. However, James was quoted as saying he still had to talk to Colangelo before making any commitment.
> 
> "So I visited with him about a half-hour ago to confirm that everything's OK and absolutely it is," Colangelo said. "He said `Well, what should I tell the media?' and I said `Tell them you're in, because that's what I'm going to tell them.'"
> 
> James said after the game that his talk with Colangelo eased any qualms he had about being involved.
> 
> "I just wanted a more clear vision of what I was getting myself into this time around," he said. "I kind of had a vision but really didn't the last time, and I suffered because of it. But he came to me, gave me a great explanation. We sat down and we talked and came up with some great things and I feel comfortable about it."
> 
> He was part of the U.S. team that struggled to win a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004, but saw limited playing time for coach Larry Brown's team. He played in eight games, averaging 5.4 points and 11.4 minutes per contest.
> 
> "He had a bad experience, you know, in Athens," Colangelo said. "He wasn't happy about how things turned out there, the outcome and his own personal experience there. He sees this as an opportunity and he buys into representing your country and winning a gold medal, and doing it the appropriate way. He wants to be a part of that."
> 
> Colangelo was named the sole head of the U.S. basketball federation last year and given the responsibility for restoring the national team to the greatness it once enjoyed. He will select 20 players and has already picked Duke's Mike Krzyzewski to coach the team.
> 
> "It looks pretty good," James said. "He's getting a good group of guys together that want to win, that want revenge for what happened two summers ago."
> 
> A training camp will be held in Las Vegas, to begin around July 18, to choose the 14 or so players who will participate in the world championships later this year in Japan.
> 
> Next year, the group will gather for a week and a half of training and maybe an exhibition game, then will reconvene again in 2008 to prepare for the Olympics.
> 
> Colangelo plans to announce the participants four at a time in a series of news conferences after the NBA All-Star break in mid-February. Those players undecided about a commitment, including Shaquille O'Neal, have until the All-Star break to make up their minds, Colangelo said.
> 
> He said two players, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, have informed him through their agents that they won't be a part of the U.S. team. However, Colangelo said he still planned to ask Garnett to meet with him when the Minnesota Timberwolves come to Phoenix on Feb. 6.


The Return of the King. May this time around prove more rewarding than the last.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 01/15/2006 | James agrees to play for U.S.*












> *James agrees to play for U.S.*
> *Cavs star one of core players for next three summers, Olympics*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *PHOENIX -* Count LeBron James as part of the effort to restore the reputation of American basketball.
> 
> James will be a part of the U.S. Olympic basketball team this summer at the World Championships in Japan and at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.
> 
> USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo confirmed James' inclusion before the Cavaliers took on the Phoenix Suns Saturday night, calling James one of the team's "core'' players.
> 
> James and Colangelo, who is also the Suns' chairman, met Saturday but it was really just a formality. In reality, James had given him his commitment nearly a month ago when they met in Chicago, but the two sides had kept it quiet in an effort to dodge media attention.
> 
> "I have great respect for what he's already accomplished,'' Colangelo said. "I've been very impressed with how he's handled everything.''
> 
> Colangelo has requested the players make a commitment for the next three summers. This summer it is the World Championships along with a training camp and exhibition tour in China and Korea. Next summer it is the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and then 2008's main event.
> 
> There was some question whether James would be involved in the Olympics after a bad experience in 2004 in Athens, Greece. The U.S. struggled to a bronze medal, and James didn't get much playing time, sometimes not even playing in the second half. He was frustrated by it and and later called it "one of the toughest things I've ever gone through.''
> 
> James has been reassured that things will be different this time around.
> 
> "Maybe it was too much too early in Athens,'' Colangelo said. "That experience only will make him that much better prepared for this go around. I felt like he definitely wanted to be in. He's going to be an integral part of this effort.''
> 
> Colangelo and Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski will release a list of players invited to the team's training camp next month at the NBA All-Star Game in Houston. That list that already includes stars like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson and many of the NBA's best, some of whom skipped the Athens Olympics due to security concerns.
> 
> Though 18-20 players are expected to take part in the training camp and compete for one of the 12 spots on the team, James appears to have solidified his position.
> 
> "Knowing how Coach K and I have talked about our talent level, we have a pretty good idea at this stage,'' Colangelo said. "It is the same for everyone but there are three or four guys who would end up being the core players and LeBron is one of them.''


----------



## remy23

*Video of LeBron's dunk from the Lakers game*

*Highlight - Lebron Dunk On Brian Cook*


----------



## remy23

*Greats: James will learn lesson*












> *Greats: James will learn lesson*
> 
> Saturday, January 21, 2006
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> *Oakland, Calif. -* LeBron James has received criticism - both locally and nationally - during the Cavaliers' trip by failing to either hit the winning shot in the final moments or passing to a less-heralded teammate.
> 
> Two men who know what it is to fail - and succeed - in those situations are Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Rick Barry. They made a living making crucial shots and plays, and expect James will soon become more successful.
> 
> In Denver, James turned down an open 3-pointer and passed off to Sasha Pavlovic, who turned the ball over. James got another chance to tie the score, but split a pair of free throws with 0.6 left.
> 
> n Los Angeles, he missed a last-second shot. In Portland, James passed up two shots near the end.
> 
> James said he has to make the adjustment to become more selfish late in games. Barry, however, said it is not about being selfish.
> 
> "It's about being smart," said Barry, who was the only man to lead the NCAA, NBA and old ABA in scoring. "It's about being smart enough to take the open shot and only passing if your man is open for a layup. It's about being smart enough to go to the hole and possibly drawing the foul and working on your free throws. I can help him with that by showing him how to do it underhanded."
> 
> Robertson, the only man to average a triple double for an entire NBA season, said the game-winning shots will come. Learning how to play during those crucial seconds takes time.
> 
> "It's something you have to learn," Robertson said. "You can't worry about missing a shot or a free throw because it's going to happen.
> 
> "The criticism he's receiving comes with being a great player . . . Cleveland has not won in a long time and if [the fans] think one player is going to take them to the promised land, they're mistaken. You need complementary players and a bench. They're not there yet."
> 
> *Tuning in:*
> 
> One of the best things to happen for many players is the NBA's contract with DirecTV. The purchase of the NBA League Pass means viewers can watch every game.
> 
> Cavs guard Larry Hughes is an enthusiastic subscriber.
> 
> "I watch games from 7 until 1 in the morning," Hughes said "I'm scouting and learning. I've been on a few different teams and I'm watching to see how some former teammates are playing and how other teams are doing. The League Pass is great for me."
> 
> Watching is more than just enjoying the games for Hughes, who is out until March with a broken finger.
> 
> "I watch guys and I'll record them doing certain things and I'll add it to some of the things I do," Hughes said. "I've always watched guys on how they catch the ball and what they do with their feet and how they get away with traveling."
> 
> *All-Star dreams:*
> 
> Cavs guard Damon Jones has hopes of participating in the 3-point shootout during All-Star weekend in Houston.
> 
> Jones attended the University of Houston and was born in nearby Galveston. Last year, Jones was shooting over 40 percent and he was not invited to participate. This year he's shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Jones said he still deserves an invitation.
> 
> "Of course I should," Jones said. "I should've been there last year and I wasn't for whatever reason. . . . All good shooters come out of slumps. You want to put the best 3-point shooters in the contest and I'm still the best 3-point shooter in the world, period. If I'm selected, I'll win it."
> 
> *Signing:*
> 
> Center Zendon Hamilton signed his second 10-day contract. Hamilton has played in 11 games for the Cavs, averaging 2.3 points and a rebound in 4.2 minutes per game. He was waived on Jan. 5 and signed to a 10-day contract on Jan. 10.
> 
> *Special prices:*
> 
> Selected games between Tuesday and March 22 are priced $15 for college students and those in the military. Proper ID is required. The special discount offer (one ticket per ID) is good only on the night of the game after 5 p.m. at The Q box office. Seating is based on availability.
> 
> Those games are Tuesday vs. Indiana, Feb. 1 vs. New Jersey, Feb. 6 vs. Milwaukee, March 1 vs. Sacramento, March 7 vs. Toronto and March 22 vs. Charlotte.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 01/24/2006 | MRI confirms James' injury*












> *MRI confirms James' injury*
> *No serious damage, just painful bruise to star's right knee. Pacers behind Cavaliers by a game*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* It had to be the tights.
> 
> LeBron James skipped Cavaliers practice Monday and had a precautionary MRI at the Cleveland Clinic to make sure there was no damage to his right knee that he banged last Friday in a loss at Golden State.
> 
> The results confirmed what doctors in Oakland and Salt Lake City had diagnosed -- it is simply a painful and slightly swollen bruise.
> 
> Any fears that James was more seriously hurt, which grew Saturday morning when he awoke to pain, tightness and limited range of motion, were mostly allayed when he put up 51 points in a victory over the Utah Jazz.
> 
> He did it wearing black tights, a look that might return when the Cavs host the Indiana Pacers at 7 tonight.
> 
> It is the first home game in nearly two weeks for the Cavs after a rocky 1-5 trip. Enduring their toughest stretch in the schedule, the Cavs have lost six of of their past seven games. They've already played seven road games this month and leave on another trip to Atlanta and Indianapolis after tonight's game.
> 
> Their next three home games are against some of the NBA elite -- the Pacers, Phoenix Suns and New Jersey Nets.
> 
> So the stretch won't be getting any easier.
> 
> The Pacers haven't exactly been living up to their potential.
> 
> They are 9-11 in the 20 games since star Ron Artest was put on the inactive list while waiting to be traded.
> 
> But with the Cavs sliding recently, the Pacers have gotten to within a game of the Cavs for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
> 
> *Kobe impresses*
> 
> Count the Cavs in the masses shocked by Kobe Bryant's 81-point performance in a win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. They felt pretty good to be a part of James' 51-point effort Saturday. Bryant had 55 points after halftime.
> 
> "Hats off, he's the best,'' Eric Snow said. "It's hard to get 50 in a game. He did it in a half. It takes a tough player who works really hard. I think he's one of the best ever.''
> 
> The scoring stat was so maddening, it led to some comedic scenarios.
> 
> "I think I can hold him under 80, but I'd foul out before I did that,'' Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. "By yourself in the gym it would take you 20 minutes.''
> 
> Said coach Mike Brown: "Even playing a pickup game that lasts three hours, it's tough to score 30.''
> 
> Some, like former Raptor Donyell Marshall had a different take: "I'm happy because it happened against Toronto.''
> 
> *Dribbles*
> 
> Monday was Larry Hughes' 27th birthday and the Cavs gave him a cake. It had been tradition for rookie Martynas Andriuskevicius to sing Happy Birthday to players and coaches but Andriuskevicius has been assigned to the Arkansas RimRockers of the NBADL and will play his first game Thursday.... James became the youngest to reach 5,000 points Saturday, but also the youngest to score 50 points in a winning effort, besting Jamal Mashburn.


----------



## remy23

*NBA.com | James, Brand Named NBA Players of the Week*



> *James, Brand Named NBA Players of the Week*
> 
> 
> 
> *NEW YORK, Jan. 30 --* The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Elton Brand today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 29.
> 
> James averaged 33.8 points on .475 shooting, 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.25 steals to lead the Cavaliers to a 4-0 week. James posted 44 points, including 32 in the second half, 11 rebounds and seven assists to help the Cavaliers recover from an 18-point deficit and beat the Suns 113-106 last night. The last player to record at least 44 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a game was Hakeem Olajuwon on March 23, 1996.
> 
> Brand averaged 24.3 points on .549 shooting, 8.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 blocks to lead the Clippers to a 4-0 week, extending the team’s winning steak to a season-high five games. Brand, one of four players averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds (Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Shawn Marion), recorded his 25th double-double of the season with 33 points and 10 rebounds in a 105-87 victory over the Nuggets on Jan. 27.
> 
> Here is a closer look at the week for James and Brand:
> 
> LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
> *Jan. 24 vs. Indiana:* Posted 23 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals in a 96-66 win over the Pacers.
> *Jan. 25 at Atlanta:* Recorded 38 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals as the Cavs defeated the Hawks 106-97.
> *Jan. 27 at Indiana:* Had 30 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and three steals in a 93-89 win over the Pacers.
> *Jan. 29 vs. Phoenix:* Tallied 44 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Cavs over the Suns 113-106.
> 
> Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers
> *Jan. 23 at Golden State:* Scored 28 points on 11-of-18 from the field, while posting nine rebounds and two blocks to beat the Warriors 96-93.
> *Jan. 25 vs. New Jersey:* Had 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks in a 90-77 win over the Nets.
> *Jan. 7 at Denver:* Scored the Clippers first 14 points on his way to recording a game-high 33 points, while adding 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 105-87 win over the Nuggets.
> *Jan. 28 vs. Denver:* Had 17 points, eight rebounds and a season-high eight assists in 32 minutes to defeat the Nuggets 112-79.
> 
> Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, Houston’s Tracy McGrady, Miami’s Shaquille O'Neal, Milwaukee’s Michael Redd, Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson and Seattle’s Ray Allen.


:clap:


----------



## remy23

*LeBron Passes on All-Star Dunk Contest | Newsday.com*












> *LeBron Passes on All-Star Dunk Contest*
> 
> *By Associated Press*
> 
> January 30, 2006, 7:08 PM EST
> 
> *CHARLOTTE, N.C. --* The NBA asked, and LeBron James said no.
> 
> James said Monday he declined the NBA's request that he participate in the all-star dunk contest. He will, however, be in the skills challenge.
> 
> "They didn't beg or plead, I just declined," he said before the Cavaliers' game against the Charlotte Bobcats. "They asked me to do something else, so I said yes."
> 
> Cleveland's All-Star forward has declined to participate in the dunk contest in all three of his seasons. He did, however, play on the sophomore team in last year's Rookie Challenge and was a starter for the East in the All-Star Game.
> 
> He skipped the dunk contest his rookie year, partially because he was upset at not being picked as a reserve for the Eastern Conference's All-Star team.
> 
> Meanwhile, James was named the Eastern Conference's player of the week on Monday after leading Cleveland to a 4-0 record since Jan. 24. He averaged 33.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.3 steals in the four victories.
> 
> It's the second time this season and fifth time in his career that James has won the conference's weekly honor. He was voted the East's top player in November.
> 
> The Cavaliers have won five straight since losing five in a row on a West Coast road trip. They entered Monday's game at Charlotte in second place in the Central Division.


----------



## CHKNWANG321

*Re: LeBron Passes on All-Star Dunk Contest | Newsday.com*

man, why dont the best players ever want to go to the dunk contest anymore??

I think kobe should do it, it would be a good oppurtunity to get more press and coverage for him.


----------



## KingoftheCourt23

I will give u the reason he wont do the dunk contest. He doesnt think he can win. Do you remember the high school one that he one. All he did was jump really really high and throw it down hard. It takes more creativity than that. I would like to see him try it at least but I dont think he wants to do it and lose. That dunk he had tonite verses Charlotte probably would have scored pretty nice though.


----------



## CHKNWANG321

Yah, I remember that McDonalds dunk contest. He didnt even have the best dunk. I dont remember his name, but some guys with a (sweet) jerry curl should have one. But it was Lebron James soo w.e.


----------



## futuristxen

Shannon Brown had the best dunk in that comp, he did like a statue of liberty 360 from near the free throw line. He didn't make all of his dunks though, and Lebron did.

I kind of like how LEbron demphasises the dunk. Doing the Skills challenge instead is a good message to young kids out there. If they got Kobe to do the skills challenge too, then that would be the marquee event I would think. Three MVP candidates pitting their skills against one another. Who wouldn't want to see that?


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

I'm indifferent towards him being in the dunk contest. It's obvious he didn't want to do it the last few years.

It's for the fans but he can just put on a show in the all-star game just the same. His last few dunks have been nasty though, that reverse against Indy and the one against Charlotte would have scored nicely. Especially when you consider how hype the crowd would be when he got out there.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron on why he declined*



> *Click Me!*
> 
> James, who will compete in the All-Star skills challenge, said he's not a good enough dunker to put on a show.
> 
> "I don't predetermine what I'm going to do," he said. "That's why I'm not a good dunk participant. I don't know what I'm going to do until I jump."


Interesting.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: LeBron on why he declined*



remy23 said:


> Interesting.


That is interesting... Not really a good excuse though to be honest, how hard is it plan out a couple dunks in advance.


----------



## remy23

*Re: LeBron on why he declined*

^ Good question. Since the dunk contest even has a round where you *must* use a prop (jump over a person, ball rack or whatever), you are essentially *forced* to think of your dunks prior to the competition. Because even if you are a total freestyler like LeBron James, having the prop round would at the very least, require you to plan ahead for that part of the contest. And while you're at it, you could easily think up, draft and polish some other dunks for the other parts of the contest.

Bah! I'm probably just thinking too much.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 01/31/2006 | Skills contest drawks James*












> _Cavaliers notebook_
> *Skills contest draws James*
> *Cavs star passes on dunking competition to pass, dribble, shoot against clock at All-Star Saturday*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CHARLOTTE, N.C. -* LeBron James has perhaps never gotten so much credit for a non-dunk highlight as he did in the wake of his circus-like block of the Phoenix Suns' Leandro Barbosa on Sunday.
> 
> The campaign to showcase the rest of his skills is about to continue.
> 
> James has committed to taking part in the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 18 in Houston's Toyota Center. For the third consecutive year, James passed on an invitation to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest, but he'll be part of the evening's most star-studded event.
> 
> “I don't know if I have skills, we'll find out that night,'' James said before the Cavs took on the Charlotte Bobcats. “They didn't beg or plead, I just declined (the slam dunk contest) and they asked me to do something else. Part of the reason it is kind of in the rules under the new collective bargaining agreement, you've got to follow the rules.''
> 
> The competition requires players to go through a course and execute dribbling, passing and shooting exercises. The fastest time wins.
> 
> It used to be for guards only, but has been expanded. League Most Valuable Player Steve Nash won the event in a record 28.7 seconds last season and also has committed to defending his crown.
> 
> The league has been eager to get James involved on All-Star Saturday since he was a rookie, but he's declined after having to take part in the Rookie Challenge in each of the past two years.
> 
> *Another honor*
> 
> James was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, the fifth time in his career and second time this season that he has won the award. He averaged 33.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.3 steals as the Cavs went 4-0 last week.
> 
> James, the L.A. Clippers' Elton Brand, the L.A. Lakers' Kobe Bryant, the Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson, Nash and the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade are the only players to have won the award more than once this season.
> 
> He will also be nominated for the Player of the Month Award, which he has won three times in his career, including in November.
> 
> “It's an honor,'' James said. “I can only thank my teammates.''
> 
> *Jones hurting*
> 
> Damon Jones debated playing against the Bobcats after suffering a left thigh bruise in the second half of the Cavs' win over the Suns. He was listed as a game-time decision but decided to play. He was limping on it during the second half but declined when coach Mike Brown tried to remove him from the game.
> 
> “I got kneed trying to get over a screen by Kurt Thomas,'' Jones said. “I'm trying to fight through it.''


----------



## remy23

*Sizzling LeBron is East's best, again*












> *Sizzling LeBron is East’s best, again*
> 
> Tuesday, January 31, 2006
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> *Charlotte, N.C. -* For the fifth time in his career, LeBron James was named the NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
> 
> In four games between Jan. 23-29, James led the Cavs to four wins by averaging 33.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.3 steals. James capped the week with his sensational game Sunday against Phoenix, posting 44 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the comeback victory over the Suns.
> 
> The last player to post at least 44 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a game was Hakeem Olajuwon in 1996. Against Atlanta on Jan. 25, James scored 38 points, had nine rebounds and six assists. He has had at least 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists in each game during the week.
> 
> "I'm not surprised at all," said Cavs coach Mike Brown. "Going 4-0 helps out a lot, but with the numbers he put up, he definitely deserves it."
> 
> This is the second time this season James has won the award. James joins Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash and Dwyane Wade as multiple winners this season. James also was named the NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Month in November.
> 
> Brand was named Western Conference Player of the Week.
> 
> *No dunk, but skills:*
> 
> For the third consecutive year, James declined the NBA's request to compete in the All-Star Game's dunk contest, but he agreed to participate in the skills challenge on Feb. 18.
> 
> The skills challenge highlights shooting, dribbling and passing skills on a timed course. Nash is the event's defending champion.
> 
> "They didn't beg or plead, I just declined," James said Monday. "They asked me to do something else, so I said yes.
> 
> "I don't know if I have skills, but we'll find out that night."


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 02/01/2006 | James has no desire to dunk*












> *James has no desire to dunk*
> *Cavs star doesn’t think he will ever participate*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* The NBA can keep renewing its request year after year, but the answer always will be the same from LeBron James.
> 
> James said Tuesday that he doesn't ever plan on taking part in the annual Slam Dunk Contest, despite pleas from the league, fans and sponsors. Simply put, he says it isn't his style.
> 
> “I don't want to be defined as being in the Slam Dunk Contest, it's not me,'' James said. “When I dunk I'm trying to get two points. For the most part I don't predetermine what I do.''
> 
> James said he doesn't know what he's going to do when he gets in the air. Take the break-away dunk in the Cavs' 103-91 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats in the third quarter Monday, for example. He said the reverse two-handed slam came to him at the last second.
> 
> “I do dunks in the spur of the moment,'' he said. “I can't think of a dunk and, then, go do it. So we'll leave it at that.''
> 
> During his first two seasons, the Cavs star delayed his answer to the league's dunk r
> request for several weeks each time before officially turning it down.
> 
> One of James' major sponsors, Sprite, has its name on the contest. Adding the ratings James' inclusion would've meant made it seem like a perfect marriage. Yet, James was never too interested.
> 
> This time around when the NBA called dunking during All-Star Weekend, James turned it down flat, though he did agree to take part in the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday on Feb. 18 in Houston.
> 
> In truth, the glamour has been off the dunk contest for more than a decade as the league's top stars have routinely skipped it. That might have played into James' decision as much as any creative issues.
> 
> This year's participants, announced Tuesday, are Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks, Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks, Hakim Warrick of the Memphis Grizzlies and Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers. None comes close to James' star power, even when he was a rookie.
> 
> “I'll leave it up to the guys who don't play as many minutes as I do,'' James said. “Those guys can throw it between their legs and stuff like that.''
> 
> *Net losses*
> 
> The Cavs host the Nets tonight, a team that has given them more trouble than any other over the past two seasons. The Nets already are 2-0 against the Cavs this season after sweeping last season's series 3-0 and taking the tiebreaker they cashed in when the teams tied for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
> 
> They are the only team with a record better than .500 that has beaten the Cavs at Quicken Loans Arena this season. They have been struggling of late, losing seven of their past 10 games and four in a row heading into Tuesday night's game against the Detroit Pistons.
> 
> “We match up fairly well with those guys,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “They just have our number right now.''
> 
> *Newble ill*
> 
> Cavs guard Ira Newble missed Monday's game with what the team called a migraine headache. Newble felt too sick to join the team on the bench in the second half.
> 
> Tuesday he was treated at the Cleveland Clinic for a facial abscess, which the Cavs said was not related to the migraine from the night before. He's listed as doubtful for tonight's game.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 02/03/2006 | All-Star James appreciates fans*












> _Cavaliers notebook_
> *All-Star James appreciates fans*
> *Forward beats out Shaq for most votes in East*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *MIAMI -* Incoming accolades have become routine for LeBron James, but he hasn't yet numbed to all of them.
> 
> Especially Thursday's announcement, which appears to be in line to be an annual event, as James was named a starter on the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the second consecutive season.
> 
> There was no surprise. After being voted in as a guard last year, James was picked at forward in resounding fashion. He ended up edging Shaquille O'Neal for the most votes among Eastern Conference players with 2,207,697 and will be one of the featured players on Feb. 19 in Houston.
> 
> James ended up getting the sixth-most votes in history and is the first player in Cavaliers history to be named as a starter twice, much less in consecutive seasons.
> 
> He'll be joined on the East team by Shaq, fellow Heat Dwyane Wade, the Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson and the Indiana Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal, who likely will be replaced due to injury.
> 
> The Houston Rockets' Yao Ming and the L.A. Lakers' Kobe Bryant slightly beat out James in the overall voting to earn spots on the Western Conference team. Yao's teammate, Tracy McGrady; the San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan and the Phoenix Suns' reigning Most Valuable Player, Steve Nash, round out the West team.
> 
> It was just two years ago that James fumed when he wasn't selected to the All-Star team as a rookie, the only time in his career he really has shown much immaturity. He was so frustrated that he said he wouldn't even accept an invitation as an injury replacement.
> 
> That perspective has allowed him to continue to take enjoyment from the enormous fan support he now has earned.
> 
> “That really motivated me. Not making it in my rookie year was something that happened for a reason and I'll always look at it that way,'' James said before he took on his future All-Star teammates on the Heat on Thursday. “It has been a long journey and I'm happy with the way I'm playing.''
> 
> James scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had six assists in his first All-Star Game in Denver last season and figures to see extended playing time again this year.
> 
> “Sometimes you take him for granted because it is so natural for him,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “It's an honor to work with him and he deserves it.''
> 
> Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a two-time All-Star and a candidate for being selected as a reserve by the league's coaches, finished third among East centers with 244,322 votes.
> 
> *Newble still hospitalized*
> 
> Cavs guard Ira Newble remained in the Cleveland Clinic for a third night on Thursday as he continued to battle an infection in his face. The Cavs have been describing it as a facial abscess; more specifically it is an infected hair inside his nose that has caused him the trouble. He's also being bothered by a bad tooth.
> 
> Newble has been monitored and run through numerous tests to ensure nothing else is wrong.
> 
> “He's remained in the hospital to get intravenous antibiotics; he's gradually improving and that's the best thing for him,'' trainer Max Benton said.
> 
> *Dribbles*
> 
> Iverson is questionable for Saturday's game in Cleveland with a sprained left ankle.... Former Cav Zendon Hamilton will be returning to Quicken Loans Arena quickly: He signed a 10-day contract with the 76ers.


----------



## remy23

*Ballots show James is top baller*












> *ALL-STAR VOTING*
> *Ballots show James is top baller*
> *Cavs star leads all starters for Eastern Conference*
> 
> Friday, February 03, 2006
> 
> *Plain Dealer Reporter
> Branson Wright*
> 
> *Miami -* Cavaliers star LeBron James will play in his second straight All-Star Game as a starter on Feb. 19 in Houston.
> 
> James led all vote-getters in the Eastern Conference with 2,207,697, followed by Miami's Shaquille O'Neal with 2,192,542.
> 
> Two years ago, during his rookie year, James did not make the team but did play in the rookie game.
> 
> "That motivated me to come out and play even harder the next year," James said. "I've always felt that happened for a reason. It's put me into this position now where I'm playing great basketball at a high level and my fans are respecting that."
> 
> The East starters include James, O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal, Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade. Jermaine O'Neal will not play because of an injury; his replacement will be named later along with the rest of the reserves.
> 
> James getting the nod from voters did not surprise Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
> 
> "LeBron's a shoo-in for the next 15 years," Ilgauskas said.
> 
> There could come a time when James would rather be on vacation than playing in an All-Star Game.
> 
> "There could come a time when I'd rather be somewhere else, but not when you think about the fans," James said. "Without them, there's no us. They pack the arenas for us and we [are responsible] to showcase our talents for them. You'd like to have the time off, but not when you think about the fans [who want to see you play]."
> 
> Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, both from the Western Conference, led all players in votes received. Yao (2,342,738), last year's leading vote-getter, edged out Bryant (2,271,631) in the closest finish among the top two vote-getters since Vince Carter, then with Toronto, topped Miami's Alonzo Mourning by 33,385 votes in 2000.
> 
> Shaquille O'Neal joins elite company as he was selected to his 13th consecutive All-Star team, surpassed only by Jerry West, Karl Malone, Bob Cousy and John Havlicek.
> 
> "Hopefully, I will see a few more as my career moves on," O'Neal said.
> 
> The other West starters are Houston's Tracy McGrady, San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Phoenix's Steve Nash.


----------



## remy23

*How the Cavs plan to keep LeBron James*



















> *How the Cavs plan to keep LeBron James*
> 
> By *Brian Windhorst
> Special to ESPN.com*
> 
> Last March, online mortgage magnate Dan Gilbert bought the Cleveland Cavaliers for roughly $375 million, more than double the club's estimated value in March 2003.
> 
> March 2003 was before LeBron James.
> 
> Upon taking the reins, Gilbert, a highly competitive, self-made man, professed his desire to bring the franchise its first championship in the blue-collar image of his hometown team, the Detroit Pistons. But his first goal was to make sure there was no after LeBron James.
> 
> This August, the NBA's most dynamic young player will get to make a statement about his long-term NBA future when the Cavs offer him a five-year, maximum contract extension worth about $75 million (the exact figure depends on the final salary cap number). James will have until Oct. 31 to accept. If he doesn't, he'll become a restricted free agent after the 2006-07 season.
> 
> During his first three seasons in the league, James often has been the subject of
> two sorts of speculation: What will his place in history be, and when will he leave Cleveland?
> 
> With James' endorsement potential and the unimpressive history and midmarket nature of the Cavs, many assume he'll eventually want to leave for the bigger, better and perhaps more lucrative.
> 
> However, Gilbert and his handpicked operations chief, general manager Danny Ferry, have done everything in their power, not just in their job description, to forever keep it mere speculation.
> 
> Their effort is a multilayered operation with highly public and highly private facets. It includes traditional and nontraditional methods, some even controversial.
> 
> Regardless, it is working.
> 
> Despite rumors to the contrary over the last year, and despite the Cavs' mixed record on the court, the plan to retain James seems to be a success. He is pleased with the Cavs and appears to be on track to sign the deal.
> 
> "I can't wait to sign my extension," James said recently. "I'm very happy here."
> 
> To ensure that happiness, the Cavs have embarked on a "keep LeBron" program that has three broad strokes: (1) upgrade the talent around their young star; (2) invest in the comfort and enjoyment of the team as a whole; and (3) take care of the every need of LeBron and his powerful entourage. Not necessarily in that order.
> 
> "From the day we bought this team, we have stated that we are going to be philosophically driven," Gilbert said in an e-mail. "[The] best practices across all parts of the organization. All the things that any winner, LeBron James or anyone else, who shares our vision and values would immediately be attracted to and where they would want to play their entire careers."
> 
> When Gilbert assumed control of the team March 1, he rapidly made changes. He fired coach Paul Silas nine games into his tenure as owner. When the Cavs tied for the last playoff spot and lost out on a tiebreaker to the New Jersey Nets, Gilbert swiftly fired general manager Jim Paxson and later his entire staff.
> 
> But there were other moves, more subtle, yet important ones. Gilbert had known he was going to buy the team since the previous December, shortly after his bid to purchase the Milwaukee Brewers fell through.
> 
> He is a self-professed details person, like his close friends and business partners. As team co-owner David Katzman said about his role in Gilbert's venture capital and mortgage companies: "Dan finds the bones, I dig them up."
> 
> In the months leading up to his takeover, Gilbert was in an information-gathering mode. When it came to the delicate issue of protecting his massive investment, it was fruitful.
> 
> Gilbert learned that James' friends were influential in his decision making and were rising to power. That was especially true of LeBron's longtime friend Maverick Carter, who was working for Nike as a part of James' shoe contract at the time but was making plans with James to break free of his agent and manager, Aaron Goodwin.
> 
> It has been suggested by several team sources that Gilbert gathered this from his association with William Wesley, a well-known figure in the NBA who befriends players and advises and connects them with various opportunities. Wesley, like Gilbert, lives in suburban Detroit and had forged a relationship with James. It is no coincidence that James chose Leon Rose, a longtime business partner of Wesley's, as his new agent.
> 
> The man Gilbert bought out, 20-year Cavs owner Gordon Gund, was staid and distant. That's not the new owner's style, especially not with so much as stake.
> 
> Within days of Gilbert's taking over the team, Carter and James' other close friends and family members were watching games with Gilbert and his fellow owners in his courtside box. They would communicate away from the games, as well.
> 
> Last spring, Gilbert railed against a report in The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer that he offered to fly James' mother, Gloria, to road games in a private jet. That was indeed false. But Carter was a guest on Gilbert's jet.
> 
> By the time James officially filed the papers with the NBA Players Association, shortly after last season, to sever ties with Goodwin, Gilbert had developed a good relationship with James' new management team, led by Carter. That relationship helped build the basis of the trust James has developed with the new leadership.
> 
> "I think [LeBron] is a very intuitive person, he is highly aware," Gilbert said. "LeBron knows that when his GM, head coach, owner or anyone else in the Cleveland Cavaliers organization says something, then you can be sure they are going to do it. That it is important to a young guy who many people from all over are pulling at to get a piece of him and his aura."
> 
> Last fall, Ferry hired Randy Mims, another member of James' so-called "Four Horsemen" management wing of his company, LeBron Inc., to be what the team termed a "player liaison." Mims traveled with James during his first two years and rode the team jet; this season, he became an official employee of the team.
> 
> Other perks have been more understated, but there's no questioning the lengths to which the team will go to make sure James and his friends and family are as comfortable as possible.
> 
> In December, the team reworked its practice schedule around James' 21st birthday party at the House of Blues in Cleveland. Another member of James' team, Rich Paul, organized the party, where 1,000 tickets costing $50-300 were sold to fans.
> 
> At certain road games, members of James' group are sometimes given the premium tickets usually reserved for visiting owners or general managers while the Cavs personnel finds other seats.
> 
> All the Cavs are aware of the extra benefits, but in the locker room, where James is very popular among his teammates, the players insist all is equal.
> 
> "LeBron knows this franchise's future depends on him; we understand it, too; and all the rest comes with that territory," center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. "I don't have any problems with any of it; from the team perspective, he doesn't get treated different than any other player."
> 
> When Ilgauskas refers to "the team perspective," he's acknowledging the Cavs' efforts to raise the entire team's standard of living. The Cavs' key players, except Drew Gooden, have lucrative, long-term contracts, and Gilbert's and Ferry's personnel moves are intended to have another effect: to make LeBron more comfortable believing the Cavs can win.
> 
> As Gilbert and Katzman conducted a wide array of interviews for their open general manager position in May and June, strategies for dealing with James and his new management were part of the process. The same went for their search for a coach, which ultimately led them to Indiana Pacers assistant Mike Brown.
> 
> Ferry, who was a part of the San Antonio Spurs when they went through the process of getting franchise player Tim Duncan to stay put happily in a smaller market, had experience in such matters.
> 
> "You have to build the foundation first and make the player feel a part of the foundation," Ferry said.
> 
> "We've worked to make LeBron and all our players feel that way."
> 
> When Ferry was hired, he was given more than $28 million in cap space to use, a legacy from Paxson's long-term rebuilding effort. This was maximized by Gilbert's willingness not to spare any expense.
> 
> The Cavs cleared an extra $2 million in space when they traded Jiri Welsch to the Bucks on draft day. The Bucks said yes only after the Cavs agreed to pay his salary for this season. Ferry also got Gilbert to green-light the insertion of millions in reachable incentives into the contracts of free agents Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall.
> 
> In all, Gilbert committed to $150 million in contracts in the offseason to Marshall, Hughes, Ilgauskas and Damon Jones, pieces that -- alongside James -- he and Ferry hope will lead them to the playoffs.
> 
> Then there are the less expensive but critical cosmetic touches. Following the model established by the Dallas Mavericks and other NBA teams, Gilbert has upgraded the team's facilities and perks in a number of ways.
> 
> Gilbert poured $12 million into Quicken Loans Arena for a new scoreboard and new seats. He renovated the Cavs' locker room, complete with televisions in every locker -- James has two -- along with video game and stereo systems.
> 
> He upgraded the players' food service before and after games and on the team jet and he remade the family room at the arena. Soon, the Cavs will unveil plans for a new suburban practice facility, one costing $30 million to $40 million and intended to set a new standard in player amenities in the NBA.
> 
> Gilbert wants to make sure the facilities and the care equal or exceed those of any large market. His upgrades are to attract future free agents, but also to ensure a current player never becomes a free agent.
> 
> Especially one player in particular.
> 
> "I know that here and when I was in Philly, they did the best they could to keep their best player," said Cavs captain Eric Snow, who was with the 76ers when the club persuaded Allen Iverson to stay long term. "Ultimately, that decision is going to come down to the player, but they have to do their best to keep them happy. Thus far, they've done that here."
> 
> Ultimately, Gilbert understands that his mission to succeed in Cleveland and his efforts to keep James content are essentially one and the same.
> 
> "Whatever great reaction you saw with the awesome Jerome Bettis winning his last game as a pro in the Super Bowl in his hometown Detroit will be multiplied a thousand times the day LeBron James holds the Larry O'Brien Trophy over his head in the parade in downtown Cleveland," Gilbert said. "I can't tell you when, exactly, but I can tell you something that all of us, including LeBron, know: That day is coming."


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 02/17/2006 | Banged-up knee shouldn't hold back LeBron*












> _NBA ALL-STAR GAME_
> *Banged-up knee shouldn't hold back LeBron*
> 
> *Cavs' star still planning to take part in festivities*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *HOUSTON -* The last time LeBron James bumped his knee, it led to some significant pain, some tense examinations and a tights revolution.
> 
> That was last month, when he banged his right knee against Mike Dunleavy of the Golden State Warriors, which nearly caused him to miss a game the next night in Salt Lake City, where he scored 51 points.
> 
> On Wednesday night, James banged his left knee against teammate Eric Snow's head late in the game, causing him to briefly fall to the floor in pain as the Cavaliers quickly called a timeout.
> 
> He finished out the 113-109, double-overtime win over the Boston Celtics but wasn't sure how it would feel Thursday as he prepared to depart for the All-Star festivities.
> 
> Cavs officials, however, reported James was feeling fine and the knee shouldn't keep him from taking part in Saturday night's Skills Challenge or Sunday night's All-Star Game at the Toyota Center.
> 
> "It's all right. I really banged it on E. Snow's head,'' James said after scoring 43 points, pulling down 12 rebounds and handing out 11 assists. "It stiffened up there, but then I got it heated up and it loosened up. It might be a little sore.''
> 
> As to whether he'll break the tights back out, that is yet to be seen.
> 
> For the first time since joining the league, James will get Friday night of All-Star weekend off, not having to take part in the Rookie Challenge game. But he probably won't use the time to prepare for the Skills Challenge, which tests dribbling, passing and shooting skills on a timed course.
> 
> He said he hasn't done special practice for the competition, where he'll face defending champ and reigning Most Valuable Player Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and rookie Chris Paul of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
> 
> "I want to win anything I'm in. I'm a competitor so I am going to take it seriously,'' James said.
> 
> "Mostly I just want to have some fun. It is mostly for the fans. If the fans enjoy it, I'll feel satisfied.''
> 
> *Road wars*
> 
> With the victory in Boston, the Cavs' second consecutive at the TD Banknorth Garden after 13 losses in a row, the team has won six of its last eight on the road.
> 
> They are 12-14 away from home this season, a growing improvement over a bad road trend during the last several seasons. Last season, the Cavs won just 13 road games all season and won just two after their January West Coast trip.
> 
> In 2003-04, the team won just 12 road games after winning only three in '02-03.
> 
> "We're getting a little better but we have to figure out how to concentrate on the road and not miss free throws and get careless with the ball,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said.
> 
> *Dribbles*
> 
> After 52 games, the Cavs (31-21) have an identical record to last year's team at its high point.... The Cavs are 8-0 when James has a triple-double, six of which have come on the road.... Eric Snow tied a season high with seven rebounds against the Celtics.... The Cavs are 3-0 in overtime this season.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 02/17/2006 | James Gang doing well*












> *James Gang doing well*
> *LeBron's high school teammates find success in college*
> 
> *By Terry Pluto*
> 
> You might think they would be jealous of LeBron James, as the Cavaliers star spends this weekend at the NBA All-Star Game in Houston.
> 
> "Not at all,'' said Brandon Weems. "LeBron says I'm like his little brother. I was at his house last weekend. We talk almost every day on the phone.''
> 
> Weems is of one of James' three former high school teammates playing for a different Cavaliers, Walsh University in North Canton.
> 
> Along with Corey Jones and Aly Samabaly, Weems remembers when they were part of the James Gang at St. Vincent-St. Mary High.
> 
> They traveled around the country, playing everywhere from the Palestra in Philadelphia to Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles to Gund Arena (now Quicken Loans Arena) in downtown Cleveland.
> 
> In downtown Akron, three more members of the James Gang play for the Zips -- Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis and Chad Mraz.
> 
> Akron's coach is Keith Dambrot, who coached James in his first two years at St. V-M.
> 
> "When you look at how successful those kids have been, it's pretty amazing,'' marveled Walsh coach Jeff Young.
> 
> Young's team won the 2005 NAIA Division II national title with Jones and Weems playing critical roles.
> 
> This season, Walsh is 22-6.
> 
> At Akron, Joyce and Travis start for a team that is 19-5, 12-2, and in first place of the Mid-American Conference's East Division.
> 
> At those two colleges, four of James' former teammates are starters.
> 
> "That's because the guys who played with LeBron are winning guys,'' said Dambrot. "They really do know how to sacrifice for the team. They were willing to let LeBron have the spotlight.''
> 
> Or as Joyce said, "LeBron didn't win all those games by himself.''
> 
> That includes three state titles and the 2003 mythical national title from USA Today.
> 
> Weems and Jones say they lost only eight games in their St. V-M careers, and they played for the Irish a year after James went to the Cavs as the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
> 
> "After that experience in high school, every time we step on the floor, we just expect to win,'' said Jones. "I came to Walsh expecting to play for a national title.''
> 
> Being around James inspired these players to think big.
> 
> *Pickup games*
> 
> James hasn't forgotten his high school roots.
> 
> Last summer, he arranged games at area gyms so he could work out with NBA players such as Earl Boykins, Devin Green, Nene and J.R. Smith. But he also invited some of the James Gang from St. V-M to play.
> 
> "Sometimes, there are 30 guys there, from pros to college to a couple from high school,'' said Joyce. "We have some great games. LeBron still acts like he's one of us, even if he's in the NBA.''
> 
> The games were kept secret, arrangements being made at the last minute with players calling each other on cell phones. The idea was to keep the basketball pure, the public away. James didn't care if these guys played at Akron or Walsh.
> 
> These were his guys, and will always be his guys.
> 
> "One of the best things that ever happened to me was playing at St. V with LeBron,'' said Jones. "LeBron made me a better player. He gave me so much confidence. He kept telling me that I was a good shooter, so shoot the ball. It was an amazing experience being with him.''
> 
> Jones is a remarkable outside shooter, averaging 14 points and shooting 50 percent from the field -- 44 percent on 3-pointers.
> 
> Weems, his Walsh teammate, is averaging almost nine points.
> 
> *Talent overshadowed*
> 
> There was a downside to playing with James.
> 
> "I think all of us were underrated,'' said Travis. "We were all in his shadow and didn't get recruited much. But we played against guys like Carmelo Anthony and played the best teams in the nation.''
> 
> Walsh coach Young said: "I don't think most college coaches knew how good those other kids were at St. V. It was all LeBron. You never saw their names on the college scouting reports. But we watched them all the time.''
> 
> The only Division I school to offer scholarships to Joyce III and Travis was Akron, and that's because Dambrot was their former high school coach.
> 
> "People thought I was just doing them a favor because of the St. V connection,'' said Dambrot. "I was bringing them in because I wanted to win.''
> 
> The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Travis is Akron's leading scorer (13.9 points per game) and rebounder (6.1). Joyce is a 10-point scorer who leads the MAC in 3-point shooting (47 percent) and is second in assists.
> 
> Travis was supposed to be too small to play under the basket. The 6-foot Joyce was considered too short to play in the backcourt of a major-college program, especially because he doesn't seem quick.
> 
> "They fool you,'' said Dambrot. "They know how to play. They understand the game.''
> 
> In his second year as Zips coach, Dambrot has Akron heading toward its first 20-game win season since 1988-89. His record with the Zips is 38-15.
> 
> "The St. V kids play to win,'' said Dambrot. "They aren't into all the individual stuff.''
> 
> All the players praised their coaching at St. V-M. Dambrot was coach for the first two years of the James Era, then Dru Joyce II took over.
> 
> *Moving on*
> 
> At Walsh, Young discovered that to be true of Weems and Jones also.
> 
> "We had a coach at every one of the games in their senior year,'' he said. "LeBron had left, and they still were a terrific team.''
> 
> Young had one concern: Would Weems and Jones consider Walsh and its 1,100-seat gym a step down from their high school days, where many home games were played at Akron's Rhodes Arena?
> 
> "But as I got to know them, they are great guys,'' said Young. "Both were excellent students in high school, and they have about a 3.5 GPA with us. These guys just get it.''
> 
> The NAIA level is much like NCAA Division II. Some would consider it small-time. But the games feature very athletic players, the pace is usually quick, the skill level high. The guard play is often top flight. The difference is the lack of big men.
> 
> "This is good basketball,'' said Jones. "It's really pure basketball. You don't do it for the publicity. You do it because you love it.''
> 
> Dambrot insists Weems and Jones could play at the Division I level. He invited Weems to be a walk-on at Akron, but that would have put him behind Joyce once again. He backed up Joyce for three years at St. V-M.
> 
> "Corey and I decided we were going to go to the same school together,'' said Weems.
> 
> In the past two years, Walsh and Akron have a combined record of 87-28, a .763 winning percentage. Both are in first place in their conferences this season.
> 
> "We are used to winning,'' said Joyce. "We all played well with LeBron because that's what we were about -- winning games.''
> 
> And nothing has changed.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 02/18/2006 | LeBron's LEGEND grows*












> *LeBron's LEGEND grows*
> 
> *By Marla Ridenour
> Beacon Journal sportswriter*
> 
> When Bob Cousy saw LeBron James' spectacular come-from-nowhere block and the ensuing coast-to-coast dunk on Jan. 29 against the Phoenix Suns, the former Boston Celtics great concluded that James is more advanced in his skills than a young Magic Johnson.
> 
> But the athleticism James displayed also reminded Cousy of a famous play by rookie center Bill Russell that saved the Celtics' first NBA championship. Cousy recalled how Russell, who had fallen into the crowd after his missed shot, got back to block Jack Coleman's potential winning fast-break layup in Game 7 of the 1957 NBA Finals against the St. Louis Hawks. The Celtics went on to win in double overtime.
> 
> "Coleman was just running casually, he knew he was so far ahead of the field,'' Cousy said. "The clock was running out and Russell literally covered 94 feet in two or three seconds, the same as LeBron.
> 
> "LeBron is one of the players sitting on top of the world and it's because of his skills and talents. I'm sure you'll be going to his Hall of Fame induction some day.''
> 
> In his third pro season, the 21-year-old Cavaliers star has amazed Hall of Famers and cynical television analysts. The center of almost unprecendented hype since his sophomore year at St. Vincent-St. Mary, the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft has more than lived up to expectations.
> 
> "I still question that he's 21. No way,'' former Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller, now a TNT analyst, said on a conference call this week. "Better check the tree rings on him. His skills are unbelievable.''
> 
> With James participating in his second NBA All-Star Game Sunday in Houston, some question whether James has proved enough to be the league's next torch-bearer.
> 
> While he's renowned from Beijing to Bangor, will James become the Magic or Larry Bird of his generation?
> 
> "Until he wins a championship, there will always be a small void,'' said ex-Cavalier Steve Kerr, also a TNT analyst. "He has as much talent as anbody around, but you have to win the whole thing to be put in that class.''
> 
> Pat Williams, senior vice president of the Orlando Magic and former general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, also holds back a little on James.
> 
> "He will be Michael (Jordan) or Bird only if they win a championship,'' Williams said. "The only exception to the rule was Oscar Robertson. There was always talk that he was a great talent, maybe the best who ever played. But for Oscar, getting that title late in his career with Milwaukee, that meant more to him than anything in the world.''
> 
> Former Celtic Tommy Heinsohn, who broadcasted the Cavaliers' victory at Boston last Wednesday, won't put James in the upper echelon until he prevails in a seven-game championship series.
> 
> "That's running the gauntlet, 2 ½ months of agonizing pressure,'' Heinsohn said. "It's not like the Super Bowl. Do you have the emotions to withstand the pressure and the intelligence to utilize your great skills? It's completely different than playing a team once every two or three weeks.''
> 
> Heinsohn said the Cavaliers have a "seven-deep basketball team that has the potential to reach the top level.'' But he wants to see whether James can share the spotlight if Cleveland acquires another superstar.
> 
> "That's another question,'' Heinsohn said. "Oscar Robertson was a great, great player, but he didn't win a title until he teamed up with Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar).''
> 
> Bob Ferry, the father of Cavs general manager Danny Ferry who spent 17 years in that post with the Washington Bullets, won't predict whether James will be the next Johnson or Bird.
> 
> "I don't get caught up in who's best, but he's on the same path to greatness,'' the elder Ferry said. "But he's not going to win (a championship) alone. I told Patrick Ewing once, `I hope you don't ever think your career wasn't a great career because you didn't win a title.' I don't think that's got anything to do with it.''
> 
> While the basketball world differs on that issue, it seems united in admiration for James.
> 
> "There's not anything he can't do from an offensive standpoint,'' former Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He can run an offense and essentially be your point guard, take the ball to the basket, make the pass or finish as well as anybody in the league. He's really got the complete package. If anything needs to be shored up, it's his defense, but you can say that about every young player in this league.
> 
> "What amazes me is when he goes to the basket and improvises with the drive in the air. Even if there are shot-blockers, he usually finishes with a dunk. I'm not huge on dunks, but when you go over and around people There's one or two plays every game that amaze me with him.''
> 
> Kerr said he loves James' playmaking ability and "that he thinks pass first."
> 
> "I love to see him pick apart defenses with his passing,'' Kerr said. "I don't think he's Kobe (Bryant), he doesn't have the same kind of killer (instinct) as Kobe late in the game. But he's a better all-around player and better passer. He'll grow and develop over the next couple years as his team grows. I want to see him play with a really good point guard to take some of the pressure off him.''
> 
> Cousy, who still works part-time as a Celtics broadcaster, was part of the crew that did James' first game in 2003.
> 
> "Someone who's been around this child's game for 55 years could tell very quickly the guy was going to be special,'' said Cousy, 77. "You can't look inside to see what his heart is like or his mental capability to absorb coaching. But three years later he seems to be the full package.
> 
> "He's totally impressed me and I don't get impressed very easily. He sees the floor as well as any of us who ever played point guard. Now he's adding consistency to his game.''
> 
> But it's not just on the court where James dazzles. Williams remembered a summer league event in 2003 when 15,000 people showed up in Orlando just to see James.
> 
> "I watched 18-year-old LeBron's press conference,'' Williams said. "I sat there open-mouthed as he dealt with what must have been 100 writers like he was conducting the orchestra. He even mentioned that Nike was working on a playground facility and said, `I'll be keeping you posted on that.'
> 
> "Where did (that maturity) come from? It's staggering. God laid His hand on him.''
> 
> Bob Ferry watches many of James' postgame press conferences on the Internet and has been nearly as taken aback as Williams. Ferry even marvels at James' acting ability during television commercials.
> 
> "I heard him after a devastating loss when he'd scored 50 points,'' Ferry said. "Everyone is trying to make it a big deal and LeBron said, `I can't get down. If I get down, everybody gets down. This is just another speed bump and we'll get over it.' He could have gotten a master's degree at Harvard and not been prepared for the press any better than he's been.
> 
> "He says the right things and does the right things. He's an ambassador for the Cavs and for the league. And when you think of where he's come from, he must have been around some great people in high school. He was born to do this.''
> 
> Van Gundy compared James with Johnson in one regard -- charisma.
> 
> "He's a little like Magic, people are attracted to him,'' Van Gundy said. "They want to watch him, want to see him do well.
> 
> "He is the torch-bearer.''


----------



## remy23

*James' game is growing*












> _LeBron James is third in the league in scoring (31.2 points per game) and is nearly impossible to stop when he hones in on putting the ball in the basket._
> 
> *NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND*
> *James' game is growing*
> 
> Saturday, February 18, 2006
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> *Houston -* LeBron James prides himself as a complete player. He enjoys passing and rebounding as much as nailing outside shots and driving to the hoop for ferocious dunks.
> 
> Opponents are finding out for themselves what James can do. He is third in the league in scoring (31.2 points per game) and is nearly impossible to stop when he hones in on putting the ball in the basket.
> 
> The Detroit Pistons have been one of the best defensive teams over the past three years and guard Rip Hamilton has seen changes in James' game over that span.
> 
> "LeBron is starting to understand how big [in size] he is," Hamilton said. "When he first came into the league, he didn't understand how gifted he was. Sure, he could score and jump out of the gym but he didn't know how fast he was. He didn't realize he was 6-8 and 250 pounds and how to go out there and play like it. Now, he's going out there playing like he's 6-8 and 250."
> 
> James is taking advantage of his size, particularly when dribbling around defenders and going strong to the hoop. He's leaving a trail of opponents who fall to the floor after running into his thick frame.
> 
> James has been on a recent surge. He's scored 40 or more points in four of his last five games. No one has had an answer in defending James.
> 
> Not even Phoenix Suns guard Raja Bell has an answer, although James rated him as one of his toughest defenders.
> 
> "I just try to do my best on a guy like him," Bell said. "As good as he is, you try to deny him the ball as much as possible but once he gets it, there's not much you can do. You hope to stay in front of him, do the best you can and challenge his shots when he goes up with them.
> 
> "I don't make the mistake of thinking I can stop a guy like that."
> 
> James scorched Bell and the Suns for 44 points last month at The Q. Since his rookie year, James has improved his offensive game. He's gone from depending so much on driving to the hoop to becoming an impressive outside shooter. James shot 29 percent from the 3-point arc as a rookie. Now he's hitting 34.5 percent from 3-point range. His developing outside shot means more trouble for the opposition.
> 
> "Now he can do everything," Bell said. "LeBron was driving a lot his first year. I tried to play him for the drive this year and he hit three 3s on us. Every time I play against him, he's added something to his game. Aside from that, he's 6-8 and 250 pounds, what can you do about that?"
> 
> Kevin Garnett, at 6-11, even attempted to defend James at times during the last meeting between Minnesota and the Cavaliers. James had 35 points.
> 
> "LB is what the league is going to be, young, fast and with power," Garnett said. "He's everything. I've said this time and time again, he's a gift. He drove a lot his first year but his 3 ball has opened up his whole game. He's coming to the point where things are becoming easier. He's a force to be reckoned with."


----------



## remy23

*LeBron comes of age at All-Star Game*












> *LeBron comes of age at All-Star Game*
> 
> Tuesday, February 21, 2006
> 
> *Bud Shaw
> Plain Dealer Columnist*
> 
> Those chants of "M- V-P" at The Q carry a double meaning now.
> 
> In becoming the youngest All-Star MVP in NBA history, LeBron James exerted himself in various ways in Houston. For one, he showed he cared enough about the game to rescue it from its early knuckleheadness.
> 
> You might expect a college-aged All-Star to toss up an opposite-hand 3-pointer just for yuks. But that was Rasheed Wallace, who is 31.
> 
> You might think one of the kids on the court would underhand a foul shot off the board. But that was Shaquille O'Neal, who is 33.
> 
> James was too busy trying to - what's going on - win the game?
> 
> If you care to believe he was making a statement about the league MVP award to come, fine. But one does not beget the other.
> 
> Stealing the All-Star victory and trophy from hometown favorite Tracy McGrady doesn't raise his chances considerably for the end-of-the-year award.
> 
> The Cavaliers' record will help determine that. As it stands, this franchise has a DNP next to its postseason line during James' two seasons, and that gets held against him in MVP conversations.
> 
> If the Cavs don't win 50 games, Sunday won't matter. If they do, it will have helped recommend him in the race with Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Chauncey Billups and Kobe Bryant.
> 
> What James did in Houston was as significant as anything he could have done in an exhibition game. And that would have been true even if the West got McGrady his door prize.
> 
> James did not defer to anybody. In the NBA, that doesn't sound especially unusual, I know.
> 
> But for a 21-year-old in his second All-Star Game, a player who a year earlier just wanted to fit in, taking over an All-Star Game was no small feat. Bill Walton, who criticized James as early as his rookie season for not assuming the reins on games, had to be clucking. But then, isn't he always?
> 
> The Cavs are just as happy as they look to James to lead them into the playoffs for the first time, and without sidekick Larry Hughes.
> 
> James deferred only within a basketball context Sunday. He passed to the open man. He did not see stars.
> 
> Two days earlier, James admitted that the first time he stepped on the court with NBA All-Stars - way back in 2005 - he found it a bit "overwhelming." And he didn't mean trying to guess which teammate might launch an alley-oop pass into the flight pattern of a jumbo jet - though that's always a concern at NBA All-Star Games.
> 
> In his quasi-Dream Team experience in Athens a year earlier, James somehow had trouble getting off Larry Brown's bench. How's that make the genius Brown look about now, by the way? So it wouldn't be surprising to find him uncomfortable in his first All-Star Game. Or even two.
> 
> There was absolutely none of that Sunday, though. Not at the start. And not in the third quarter when he helped the Pistons' Gang of Four run down the West All-Stars with the kind of game on display nightly at The Q.
> 
> James had to defend McGrady's last shot for the East to clinch it. He got away with a foul, but not a hard one.
> 
> Fittingly, it's his inconsistent defense and the Cavaliers' two late-season collapses that turn MVP talk about him sour. Both are obvious challenges for him in the second half.
> 
> The Q will greet him with a three-letter chant when the regular season resumes today. But he'll need his teammates to win the next MVP - much more than he did Sunday in Houston.


----------



## remy23

*Brown ecstatic about his star forward*












> *CAVALIERS INSIDER*
> *Brown ecstatic about his star forward*
> 
> Tuesday, February 21, 2006
> 
> *Dennis Manoloff
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> Cavaliers coach Mike Brown relished his opportunity simply to be a LeBron James fan on Sunday night. Brown watched on television from his home as James scored 29 and earned MVP honors in the East's 122-120 victory at the All-Star Game in Houston. James helped the East overcome a third-quarter deficit of 21 points.
> 
> "LeBron was phenomenal," Brown said. "I think it's great for the city of Cleveland, the city of Akron, the state of Ohio, the Cavaliers, for me, for him. . . . That was awesome. I'm tickled to death."
> 
> Brown e-mailed James as soon as it ended.
> 
> "I chanted in the e-mail, MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!"
> 
> James' teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas admitted he stopped watching the game at halftime with the West leading, 70-53.
> 
> "I only found out what happened when I watched the highlights," Ilgauskas said. "I was surprised the East won, but I wasn't surprised at all about what LeBron did. Nothing he does surprises me anymore."
> 
> *Z's for Z:*
> 
> Ilgauskas used the four-day break to do as close to nothing as humanly possible.
> 
> "I got to stay at my house and get some sleep," he said. "It was good mentally not to see anybody for a while. The four days flew by."
> 
> Ilgauskas had ample time to stew over his 2-for-7 from the line in Wednesday's game before the break at Boston. The Cavaliers overcame it in winning, 113-109, in double overtime. Ilgauskas is an .846 shooter from the line this season.
> 
> "All of them looked good, but they kept going long," Ilgauskas said.
> 
> "I'm not sure what happened. Hopefully, it's only a one-game slump."
> 
> *Ten, again:*
> 
> Guard-forward Stephen Graham has been signed to a second 10-day contract. He learned of the good news from General Manager Danny Ferry shortly after the victory over the Celtics.
> 
> "He told me, 'You've been playing pretty well for us, and we're going to extend the contract,' " Graham said. "I told him, 'I appreciate it. I won't let you down.' "
> 
> In four games with Cleveland, Graham is averaging 3.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes. He appeared in six games for Houston and three for Chicago earlier this season.
> 
> *Point man:*
> 
> James has paced the Cavaliers in scoring for 15 consecutive games, a franchise single-season record and the NBA's longest active streak. The most recent time James did not lead was Jan. 20 at Golden State, when he had 14 points behind Drew Gooden's 16 in a 99-79 loss.
> 
> James has played in all 52 games and led the Cavaliers in scoring in 46. The other points leaders are Ilgauskas (three), Gooden (two) and Larry Hughes.
> 
> For his career, James has led or tied for the Cavaliers' high in points in 149 of 211 games (71 percent). He holds the franchise two-season record for consecutive games led in scoring with 20 the last 12 of 2004-2005 and the first eight this season.
> 
> *Newble news:*
> 
> Ira Newble, who has missed the past nine games because of a facial abscess, practiced Monday.
> 
> "He needs time to get in game shape," said Brown, who said Newble might be available by the weekend.
> 
> *Finally:*
> 
> James has at least 14 points and five assists in 29 consecutive games. He has scored in double figures in 103 straight games.


----------



## remy23

*James answers Team USA's call*












> *James answers Team USA's call*
> 
> Monday, March 06, 2006
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> LeBron James is among 23 players who will try out for 15 final spots for USA Basketball's men's senior national team. The field of 21 NBA players, and college players J.J. Redick of Duke and Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, was announced Sunday.
> 
> The team will compete in the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan this summer and, assuming the U.S. team qualifies, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
> 
> Training camp begins in July.
> 
> "We're going into training camp with hopes of bringing back the gold and go into the World games and take care of business," James said.
> 
> This is James' second time on the national team. He was on the 2004 Olympic team that won a bronze medal.
> 
> "It's more exciting this time because I know what to expect," James said. "I know what I'm getting myself into. I know how to approach some games.
> 
> "Those games mean a lot. Growing up in America, we think about the NBA. Overseas, it's about the Olympics and it's very important that you focus for those games. The Olympics mean the world to them."
> 
> Among NBA players on the preliminary roster are Kobe Bryant, and 2004 Olympians Carmelo Anthony, Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Dwyane Wade
> 
> Several NBA players declined the invitation because of the three-year commitment, but James does not foresee that as a problem.
> 
> "Three summers isn't that much of your time," James said. "It's about 25 or 30 days. We're not giving up three years. It's probably 90 days in the span of three years. Playing is going to be great, plus we have some unfinished business to take care of. I'm committed."
> 
> *Eye on Seattle:*
> 
> Seattle SuperSonics ownership is looking at all options, including moving or selling the team, if the Washington legislature does not earmark $200 million for the Sonics to refurbish KeyArena or build a new home.
> 
> Former Sonics guard Flip Murray, now with the Cavaliers, said fans in Seattle have been supportive.
> 
> "Fans don't want their team to move," Murray said. "That would be a loss for the fans because it's a good basketball city."
> 
> *No. 1:*
> 
> Donyell Marshall already knows who he's picking to win the NCAA Tournament.
> 
> "You know I'm going for UConn," said Marshall, a graduate of Connecticut. "They should be the No. 1 seed in the tournament and that means they'll have an easier bracket. A lot of the past UConn teams were built with guards, but this team is fueled by their big men. They're also peaking at the right time."


----------



## KingoftheCourt23

Argentine coach praises Iverson snub, blasts James 

Looks like this guy wants to stir things up early. LeBron just wants to be MVP? Wow. That is a pretty dumb statement. I think LeBron will play really well on this national team because he can score so well but also see the whole court and is a great passer. This coach obviously just likes to run his mouth but I guess since they beat us he can. Hopefully we will shut him up next time.

Sorry, didnt see that this was posted in NBA general when I posted.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

^Hopefully LBJ hears about that and takes it out on Argentina


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 03/10/2006 | James' trust paying off in wins for Cavs*












> *James' trust paying off in wins for Cavs*
> *Star's belief in teammates leads to last-second wins*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *ORLANDO, FLA. -* LeBron James doesn't usually listen to his critics. But he certainly always hears them.
> 
> Going back to his rookie season with the Cavaliers, from the reporter who suggested the "hype'' around him stood for "hey, you practice enough'' to the chorus who ripped his shooting ability, James has used it as a resource for motivation. The flavor this season has been his late-game performance in tight spots, from his decision-making to his moxie.
> 
> It peaked in January, when the Cavs lost three games by two points or less in a week on a rough western trip. Magnified because two of the games were on national television, James was dissected for missed shots and what were thought to be ill-advised passes to lesser teammates in the clutch.
> 
> Don't look now, but James has reversed that trend and done it on his own terms.
> 
> In four of the last five games in which he's had the ball in his hands with the Cavs tied or behind in the closing seconds, he has delivered a play that led to victory. The time he missed -- a jumper at the horn in Boston last month -- he ended up leading the Cavs to victory in overtime anyway.
> 
> Wednesday was the latest case. He drew a triple team on the right block while driving to the basket with less than three seconds to play and the Cavs down two points to the Toronto Raptors. He passed the ball to Damon Jones in the corner. Jones then sank a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.
> 
> Last week in Chicago, where the Cavs started a four-game win streak they'll look to continue tonight against the Orlando Magic at TD Waterhouse Centre, James also carried the Cavs with a shrewd dish.
> 
> After getting a rebound off a missed free throw, James raced to the other end and drew traffic on the right block. He passed the ball to Flip Murray, who made a winning 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left.
> 
> "I keep saying that I'm going to pass if my teammate is open,'' James said. "It is a team sport; I trust in my teammates and I'm going to make that pass 10 out of 10 times.''
> 
> James has been questioned for his methods, especially when being compared to Michael Jordan or his star contemporary, Kobe Bryant, and their famous late-game shotmaking. Of course, Jordan and Bryant have passed off to teammates for winning shots -- just ask John Paxson. But James has been questioned for being too apt to look to that route.
> 
> In losses in Portland and Denver this season, James was hammered for passing to the likes of Eric Snow and Sasha Pavlovic when he was in position to perhaps take the final shot to win. Murray and Jones don't have great clutch resumes either, but they delivered when their defenders left them to respect James.
> 
> "Everyone says he's got to take the last shot, he's got to do this, he's got to do that,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "He knows how to play the game, he trusts his teammates.''
> 
> James hasn't always passed. Last month, he made driving layups to secure victories over the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Against the Bucks, it was a fake pass to Donyell Marshall in the corner that sucked rookie Andrew Bogut into giving up the lane. Against the Timberwolves, James wheeled to the hoop from a high pick faster than Kevin Garnett could get over to help to secure a come-from-behind road win.
> 
> "In those situations I'm going to put the ball in his hands,'' Brown said. "I'll live with his decision every day of the week.''


----------



## remy23

*Cavaliers happy to thrive on James' drive*












> *Cavaliers happy to thrive on James' drive*
> *Coach content with any late decisions his star makes*
> 
> Friday, March 10, 2006
> 
> *Mary Schmitt Boyer
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> Earlier this season, much was made of the fact that LeBron James has never hit a game-winning shot.
> 
> For all that the Cavaliers' young star has accomplished in his remarkable - if brief - pro career, that one line is still missing from his résumé.
> 
> However, that does not mean James does not win games.
> 
> Take Wednesday night's 98-97 victory at Toronto. The Cavs were down two points with 4.8 seconds remaining. James took an inbounds pass from Eric Snow and immediately drew a double-team, despite the fact that Toronto coach Sam Mitchell had instructed each of his players to stay with their man.
> 
> Already covered by Morris Peterson and with Mike James coming fast to help, LeBron James whipped a perfect pass to Damon Jones in the right corner. Jones dropped the game-winning 3-pointer as the final horn sounded, and he was immediately mobbed at center court by his teammates.
> 
> Virtually the same thing happened at Chicago on March 2, when the Cavs held off the Bulls, 92-91. This time, it was Flip Murray who was the beneficiary of another pass from LeBron James out of a double-team. Murray hit his game-winning 3-pointer from just about the same spot Jones did.
> 
> So instead of two game-winning shots, LeBron James got credit for two game-winning assists. Of course, they don't keep statistics on those.
> 
> For Lebron James, the only statistic that counts is victory.
> 
> "That's all it's about, it's a team sport," LeBron James said after Wednesday's victory. "I've got so much trust in my teammates, and they come through for me. I always preach I'm not going to force a bad shot. Even if that shot didn't go down, I'm still going to make that pass 10 out of 10 times. Damon Jones made a heck of a shot."
> 
> Cavs coach Mike Brown had absolute faith that James would do the right thing.
> 
> "Everyone says he's got to take the last shot, he's got to do this or do that with the basketball," Brown said. "The truth is he is a tremendous basketball player. He knows how to play the game. I don't care if he takes the last shot and he's triple-teamed. I don't care if he passes the ball or if he passes the ball with one guy on him. He's going to make the right decision nine times out of 10.
> 
> "That's twice in the last five or so games that he's made the right decision with the basketball, which is driving it, collapsing the defense and trusting in his teammates out on the floor. It's simple playground basketball from the sixth grade. He's a heck of a player, and I will put the ball in his hands and live with his decision at the end of the ballgame every day of the week."
> 
> The Cavaliers take their four-game winning streak into Orlando tonight.
> 
> *Bad rap:*
> 
> Mitchell was named the worst coach in the NBA, according to a Sports Illustrated poll of 248 NBA players. Fifteen percent of those polled cited Mitchell. "Man, in my short year and a half, I've coached 248 players?" Mitchell said, making fun of the result. "That's very interesting."


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 03/18/2006 | James with no space*












> *James with no space*
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* for myspace.com profile
> 
> Ben Gordon and Bode Miller are two of the well-known athletes that maintain profiles on the popular Web site myspace.com.
> 
> LeBron James doesn't, though that might come as a surprise to about 68,000 of the site's users.
> 
> James is one of numerous public figures myspace.com users make up faux profiles for, from George W. Bush to Shaquille O'Neal. But the James site, which thousands of fans have visited and left messages on, takes it to a new level. It has caught the attention of some of James' representatives.
> 
> James' only official site is lebronjames.com, which he actually secured during his junior year at St. Vincent-St. Mary. But that hasn't stopped the myspace.com site operator or operators from teaming up with a Wadsworth-based company to sell T-shirts with myspace.com's logo and James' likeness on them without permission. Apparently the T-shirts have been a success, because at least one model is listed as being sold out.
> 
> In the 13 months since the site was created, fans have left thousands of messages, ostensibly believing they are talking to directly to James. From women offering their photo and looking for a date to kids looking for basketball advice, the site is chock-full of people sold on the idea they're actually dealing with the Cavaliers star.
> 
> According to the site, more than 68,400 people have registered as James' `friends' and more than 18,000 messages have been left, not including hundreds of comments left on the site's weblog.
> 
> Meanwhile, there are messages from James back to his fans, friends and even his girlfriend. There are blog entries about various games and even one that claims he was writing an entry while on the team jet after a game last month. After a recent entry, which was posted at 3:30 a.m., fans wrote back concerned he wasn't getting enough sleep.
> 
> The writer(s) have done their homework and possibly even know James personally, referencing everything from his charity appearances to his favorite cereal. So some of the content is true, but the site's premise is 100 percent bogus.
> 
> *JACKSON'S FUTURE --* Cavs guard Luke Jackson had a doctor's appointment Friday and found out his broken left wrist is healing as expected. He could be back to playing in a month, the question is will he? There simply doesn't appear to be any space for Jackson on the active roster, so he might not even attempt to return this season. Already there are two players on the active roster, Stephen Graham and Sasha Pavlovic, who play Jackson's position and rarely get off the bench. If Larry Hughes comes back as hoped for the playoffs, there's a good chance that Jackson wouldn't be on the playoff roster. So Jackson likely won't be rushing back and might not play again this season.
> 
> *NEW JAMES CAMPS --* Through Nike, LeBron James will host two camps for boys and girls this summer. The first will be June 16-20 at the University of North Texas outside Dallas, and then the University of Akron will host one June 22-26. It is open for boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 18. For information, call 469-737-4377 or go to lebronjameskingsacademy.com.


----------



## remy23

*NBA.com | James, Anthony Named NBA Players of the Week*





> *James, Anthony Named NBA Players of the Week*
> 
> *NEW YORK, March 20, 2006 –* The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Denver Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 13 through Sunday, March 19.
> 
> James led the Cavaliers to a 2-1 week, averaging 30.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.33 steals and leading the team in scoring and assists in all three contests. With his 27 points, nine rebounds, six steals and five assists against Portland on March 17, James became the first player to post those numbers in a game since Jason Kidd on Jan. 20, 2003.
> 
> Anthony led the Nuggets to a 3-1 week, averaging a league-high 31.8 points on .578 shooting, while posting 2.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. Anthony hit his fourth game-winning shot of the season when he sunk a jumper with 2.2 seconds remaining to defeat the Pacers 101-99 on March 15. With 33 points against the Grizzlies on March 17, Anthony became the second-youngest player in NBA history to score 5,000 points.
> 
> Here is a closer look at the week for James and Anthony:
> 
> *LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers*
> *March 14 at Dallas:* Posted a double-double of 36 points and 12 rebounds, while adding five assists and two blocks in a 91-87 loss to the Mavericks.
> *March 17 vs. Portland:* Recorded 27 points, nine rebounds, six steals and five assists in a 99-84 win over the Blazers.
> *March 19 vs. L.A. Lakers:* Tallied 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a 96-95 win over the Lakers.
> 
> *Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets*
> *March 13 at New York:* Posted 35 points and five rebounds as the Nuggets defeated the Knicks 108-96.
> *March 15 at Indiana:* Scored 31 points, including a game-winning jumper, to beat the Pacers 101-99.
> *March 17 at Memphis:* Had 33 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 116-102 road loss to the Grizzlies.
> *March 18 at New Orleans/Okla. City:* Tallied 28 points, seven assists and three rebounds in a 109-94 win over the Hornets.
> 
> Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Miami’s Dwyane Wade, New Jersey’s Vince Carter, Portland’s Zach Randolph and Washington’s Antawn Jamison.


----------



## remy23

*Awesome pictures*

_*The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wings in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky...*_










































_*...The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn 
and he names the sky his own.*_

_- Maya Angelou "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings"_


----------



## remy23

*Awesome Pictures Part 2*


----------



## notting_hill

*Re: Awesome Pictures Part 2*

Rep for these nice photos.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron James Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week*












> _James Earns Honor Twice in Two Weeks_
> *LeBron James Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week*
> 
> *CLEVELAND, March 27 –* Cleveland Cavaliers forward *LeBron James* was named today as the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, March 20 through Sunday, March 26.
> 
> James won the award for the second consecutive week after leading Cleveland to a perfect 3-0 record. James averaged a league-high 36.3 points during the week to go along with 8.0 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. He hit the game-winning shot with 0.9 seconds remaining vs. Charlotte on March 22 to give Cleveland a 120-118 win in overtime. In that game, James posted his fifth triple-double of the season with 37 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists becoming the first player to put up at least those numbers in a game since Hakeem Olajuwon on Dec. 1, 1994. He scored 36 points (including a season-high 19 points in the fourth quarter) against Boston on Friday night as Cleveland posted a 94-82 win. At Houston on Sunday, James scored 11 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter in a come-from-behind overtime win at Houston.
> 
> It marks the fourth time this season (weeks ending Nov. 20, 2005, Jan. 30, 2006 and March 20, 2006) and the seventh time in his career that James has won the award. He joins Gilbert Arenas and Kobe Bryant as the only players to win the award in consecutive weeks this season. James and Bryant are the only players in the NBA to win the Player of the Week Award four times this season. James was also named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month in November 2005.
> 
> The Memphis Grizzlies’ Pau Gasol was named Western Conference Player of the Week. Other nominees for Eastern Conference Player of the Week were New Jersey’s Vince Carter and Orlando’s Dwight Howard.


----------



## remy23

*The Plain Dealer*












> *Click Me!*
> 
> *Finally:*
> 
> With two points tonight, LeBron James -- at 21 years and 89 days -- will become the youngest player in NBA history to score 6,000 career points. With seven points, he will set a franchise record for points scored in a single season, topping the 2,175 he scored last season. In 229 NBA games, James is averaging 26.2 points. . . . A victory tonight will put the Cavaliers at 42-29, the first time they will be 13 games over .500 since April 14, 1998, when they were 46-33 after beating Boston, 95-86.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: The Plain Dealer*



> *CLEVELAND - *Cavaliers fans, understand this: You have never seen anything like this before.
> 
> Nothing like what LeBron James is doing this month, this year.
> 
> Just when you think he can't do any more...
> 
> He does more.
> 
> Like 46 points against the Dallas Mavericks, 31 in the second half as the Cavaliers rolled to a 107-94 victory -- their sixth in a row.
> 
> Hello, playoffs.
> 
> And don't you have a feeling that we haven't seen it all from James?
> 
> That there might be even more?
> 
> Don't ask me what, just know it will be something.
> 
> At the age of 21 years and 89 days, James became the youngest player to score 6,000 points in his career. He's already set the team single-season scoring record with 2,215 points -- and there are still 11 games left.
> 
> This is ridiculous.
> 
> This is great.
> 
> This is LeBron James, who might not be this season's Most Valuable Player -- but has been playing like it this month.
> 
> James played 44 demanding minutes in which he drew 10 fouls -- including two flagrant fouls.
> 
> The first was in the middle of the third quarter, when James barrelled to the basket, dunk on his mind -- and 6-foot-11, 265-pound Erik Dampier made a token effort to block the shot and a serious try to pound James in the head.
> 
> Which he did, knocking James to the court.
> 
> James stayed down for a few seconds, stood up a bit wobbly, then made both free throws.
> 
> Thirty-nine seconds later, James roared to the rim again, the ball held above his head in a Statue of Liberty pose, then slammed it home -- an exclamation point on the message that he was not about to be intimidated.
> 
> ``Was it intentional? I don't know,'' coach Mike Brown said. ``Was it hard? Yes.
> 
> ``He got hammered, then went right back to the hole to dunk the basketball. When your leader does that, then everyone else knows they better step up.''
> 
> James has indeed been leading the charge to the playoffs.


http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/columnists/terry_pluto/14220872.htm


----------



## remy23

*King for Kids Bikeathon Returns To Akron For 2006*












> _LeBron James to Host Popular Cycling Fundraiser Again June 24th_
> *King For Kids Bikeathon Returns To Akron For 2006*
> 
> *AKRON, Mar. 30th –* Get ready to ride again! Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star and Akron’s own LeBron James and the James Family Foundation are hosting its annual “King for Kids Bikeathon” on Saturday, June 24, 2006. The Bikeathon is expected to attract 3,000 riders to downtown Akron this summer to raise money for children and families.
> 
> The first 3,000 registered riders -- adults and children ages 12 and over (youth 12-14 must be accompanied by an adult age 21 or over) -- will join LeBron and other NBA stars and celebrities on an 8-mile route from downtown Akron throughout the city and back. New to the Bikeathon this year will be an abbreviated 3-mile “Family Friendly Route” for familes with children ages 8-11 who are too young to ride in the Bikeathon. There are a limited number of spaces for this option and all children must be accompanied by an adult (21 or older).
> 
> Riders can register online now at *James Family Foundation* Beginning May 1, First Merit Bank branches in Summit County will also serve as registration outlets for the event. Interested riders can stop in, complete a registration form and pay their fee directly at the bank. The city of Akron's recreation centers, Akron Area YMCA branches, and the Akron Urban League will also serve as registration outlets for the event.
> 
> The registration cost is $25 for individuals and $75 for families (up to six in a family maximum). Once registration is complete, riders will receive a Pledge Pack, including pledge form, pledge envelope, rider waiver form and rider handbook. All registered riders will receive a King for Kids T-shirt to be worn during the Bikeathon. To receive additional prizes, a minimum $100 in pledges must be raised.
> 
> Following the ride there will be a Community Celebration open to the public in Lock 3 Park downtown. More than 1,100 riders participated in 2005, with proceeds donated to Akron area charities.
> 
> The James Family Foundation will donate proceeds from this year’s event to the Akron Area YMCA and the Akron Urban League. The James Family Foundation will also be donating 300 bicycles and helmets to Akron area children (ages 9-11) nominated for outstanding citizenship and character by the Akron Public Schools, Akron Recreation Bureau and Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority. These children will join LeBron in a special one-mile Kids Ride, sponsored by the City of Akron, prior to the Bikeathon.
> 
> The James Family Foundation was founded in 2005, by LeBron James and his mother, Gloria, to help children and families, particularly those headed by single parents, who are dealing with adversity. In addition to the King For Kids Bikeathon, the Foundation has established Back to School programs for elementary and middle-school students, academic and attendance incentive programs for middle and elementary-school athletes, holiday meal programs for families, and health and recreation programs in Akron and Cleveland.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 04/01/2006 | James put in tight spot*












> *James put in tight spot*
> *Legwear worn by Cavaliers star goes on NBA's banned apparel list*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* Alert Joan Rivers and Mr. Blackwell: LeBron James' on-court fashion faux pas are over.
> 
> The NBA will be banning tights next season, according to a report on ESPN.com. That means James and his contemporary stars' efforts to make support hose cool have been nixed.
> 
> Much to the dismay of Nike, which was getting upward of $35 a pair for them while their signature stars sported them during games this season, they've apparently gone the way of throwback jerseys and gold and diamond chains: On to the NBA's banned apparel list.
> 
> James, Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade -- whom he'll face tightless today at 2 p.m. when the Miami Heat visit Quicken Loans Arena -- and the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant were some of the big names that have worn tights this season.
> 
> James wore his, in three different colors, for eight games in January and February. He said they helped him keep his bruised knee warm, but they also had a superstitious quality to be sure. The Cavs won the first seven games he played with them, and he stopped after their first loss.
> 
> "I don't see a reason why,'' James said Friday. "Guys are not just wearing them just because they're trying to make a fashion statement because they're not cute at all.''
> 
> It is his contention the tights have a therapeutic value and are more than a trendy look sported by sleek-legged stars. There is probably truth in both.
> 
> Numerous injured and non-injured players have worn them during the season.
> 
> "They're comfortable and they kept my legs warm,'' James said. "When you have a knee injury or a leg injury, your leg can get stiffed up and go cold again. I need to look good when I play and I didn't look good when I had those on.''
> 
> *Hughes back, Shaq not*
> 
> Shaquille O'Neal did not practice with the Heat on Friday at Quicken Loans Arena. He has a swollen left knee and is listed as questionable for today's game.
> 
> O'Neal hurt the knee Monday and did not play Wednesday in Toronto.
> 
> Larry Hughes took part in the Cavs' workout, which mostly was non-contact shooting work. He's still on schedule to return sometime in the next week.
> 
> *Rested and ready*
> 
> The Cavs had two days off to prepare for the Heat, a circumstance that has led to success this season. When the Cavs have had two days off, or more, to prepare for an opponent, they are 15-4. Certainly extra rest has something to do with it, but it also gives them a chance to have a full-length practice and correct mistakes.
> 
> "When we've been able to get practice time in, it has been productive,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "And we've been able to game plan a little better against our opponents.''
> 
> *Mbenga suspended*
> 
> Dallas Mavericks forward DJ Mbenga had his flagrant foul on James in the fourth quarter of the Cavs' victory Wednesday upgraded by NBA vice president Stu Jackson on Friday.
> 
> Jackson suspended him for the Mavericks' game Friday in Orlando.
> 
> Following an incident a month ago, Jackson upgraded Rasheed Wallace's flagrant foul on Zydrunas Ilgauskas but didn't suspend him. Wallace's hit seemed to be more vicious and intentional.
> 
> "I had nothing to do with that,'' James said. "I guess they viewed it as intentional; I didn't.''


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

Lebron's averages the last 5 games.....

40.4 points
10.3 rebounds
9.8 assists 

Sorry but that is flat out amazing and deserves mention. As good as we think Lebron is, he just seems to keep getting better. It's just scary to imagine where he'll be in a few years, he has so much room to improve.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 04/03/2006 | Notes*












> *Click Me!*
> 
> *Triple-double trivia*
> 
> With Saturday's win, James became the all-time leader in winning percentage when posting a triple-double in NBA history for players who've had 10 or more. James and the Cavs are 10-0 when he gets a triple-double, 6-0 this season. Jerry West is second all-time at 15-1.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron James Named NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Month*












> *LeBron James Named NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month*
> 
> *CLEVELAND, April 3rd –* Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named today as the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played during the month of March.
> 
> In 14 games during the month, James averaged a league-high 32.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists in helping Cleveland go 10-4 during March. He led Cleveland to its first playoff berth since the 1997-98 season and posted the highest scoring month of his career and in franchise history. He scored over 30 points nine times and over 35 points seven times during the Month. He posted his fifth triple-double of the season vs. Charlotte on March 22 which included hitting the game-winning shot with 0.9 seconds remaining to give the Cavaliers a 120-118 overtime win.
> 
> James, who also won Eastern Conference Player of the Month in November, was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week two times during the month (March 20 and March 27). He was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month twice during the 2004-05 season (November 2004, January 2005) and has now won the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month award on four separate occasions in his career.
> 
> The Denver Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony was named Western Conference Player of the Month. Other nominees for Eastern Conference Player of the Month were Milwaukee’s Michael Redd, Miami’s Dwyane Wade and New Jersey’s Richard Jefferson.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

^32.9 is the highest scoring average for a month in Cavs history? That's surprising.

Lebron has the best numbers of anyone in the East every month, it basically comes down to the team's record whether he gets it or not. He would have got it in Feb if not for the Nets hot streak.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 04/04/2006 | Silas proud of his work with James*












> *Silas proud of his work with James*
> *Former Cavs coach provides analysis for ESPN*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CHARLOTTE, N.C. -* It was a lazy April afternoon and Paul Silas needed a nap.
> 
> Wearing one of his signature $1,000 suits, he had worked into the wee hours the night before, breaking down NBA film before taking a flight home without getting sleep. That's the old, familiar part of Silas' life, but those days are the exception now.
> 
> The former Cavaliers coach is out of the NBA for the first time since 1989, when he picked up his pro coaching career after a brief first attempt at retirement. At 64, Silas still isn't retired, he's doing studio analyst work for ESPN, which keeps him up late and requires travel from his home in Charlotte to Bristol, Conn. He's mostly just a keen observer these days.
> 
> It was just more than a year ago that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert began his makeover of the team by firing Silas.
> 
> Silas didn't watch a Cavs game after he was fired last season, though people who know him say he closely monitored whether the team would be able to get to the playoffs without him on the bench. They didn't.
> 
> He has been observing their progression this year, especially former star pupil, LeBron James.
> 
> "I'm pretty proud of him, seeing how he's adapted so well to the pro game,'' Silas said. "People took a lot of shots at him for what he couldn't do when he came into the league, and I felt like I had to yell at people to remind them that he was only 18. Well, now he's 21 and there's no one in the league who is better than him.''
> 
> Silas has been making a case on ESPN that James should be given Most Valuable Player award consideration, and he'll continue to do so.
> 
> "He's legit, he has carried that team to the playoffs, and he's basically done it on his own,'' Silas said. "Now that he's got a consistent jumper, he's unstoppable.''
> 
> For the most part, Silas harbors no ill will to the Cavs' organization. When he came aboard, he was working for owner Gordon Gund. When that changed in the middle of last season, Silas said it was like getting a divorce, and it would never be the same. Just three weeks into his tenure as owner, Gilbert made the parting official.
> 
> Of course, the fact that Silas is still under contract and getting paid by the Cavs helps salve any wounds.
> 
> This year he has had to deal with personal issues that being an NBA coach would have made difficult. He has had to handle Hurricane Katrina damaging his home in New Orleans and has been helping his wife recover from hip replacement surgery.
> 
> Known as a tough-minded coach who always got the most from his players, there's a chance a franchise in need of his veteran leadership could look to Silas in the future. Either way, he's gratified that part of his legacy is his work with James.
> 
> "It was the luck of the draw that I was able to tutor him,'' Silas said. "I take pride that I was able to help develop him and maybe give him a foundation to build on.''


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 04/11/2006 | James to slow down for while*












> _Cavaliers notebook_
> *James to slow down for while*
> *Coach Brown to cut back minutes to give star rest as season ends*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. -* The time has come for LeBron James to rest... a little.
> 
> With the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference salted away, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has promised to reduce his star's minutes over the final six games of the season. James leads the NBA with an average of 42.9 minutes per game, which has been a sore point all season. Now, it is a moot point.
> 
> “Playing LeBron 46 minutes a game doesn't really make sense now,'' Brown said before the Cavs took on the Hornets at the Ford Center on Monday night. “I've got to make sure to continue to give him his minutes so he stays in rhythm.''
> 
> Brown has run an emotional course with James' minutes this season. At the start of the year, he was committed to reducing the heavy load from last year, when James logged the most court time in the league. After Brown lost Larry Hughes to injury, he increased James' minutes and stopped taking him out in the second half.
> 
> He knew he shouldn't, once suggesting General Manager Danny Ferry fine him if he didn't take James out more often. But ultimately, he came to terms with it and decided there was no remedy and the only way for the team to reach its goal was to play James a lot.
> 
> While he won't cut James' time in half, he is now promising to take him off the floor, even if it hurts the team's chance of winning.
> 
> “He's a competitor and he's going to want to win,'' Brown said. “It is something I know I need to do and I can afford to do it.''
> 
> James smiled at the suggestion of spending more time on the bench, especially if the games are tight.
> 
> “It depends on how the game is going. I would love to be out on the court,'' James said. “But knowing our circumstances I have no problem with it.''
> 
> Brown hopes what will likely be a reduction in James' numbers as a result won't hurt his resume for the Most Valuable Player vote, with the close race expected to come down to the season's final day next week.
> 
> “I hope people understand if his minutes go down, it is going to affect his numbers a bit,'' Brown said. “But I don't think these last six ballgames should have any impact on people's votes.''


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

> “I hope people understand if his minutes go down, it is going to affect his numbers a bit,'' Brown said. “But I don't think these last six ballgames should have any impact on people's votes.''


Brown couldn't be any more incorrect on this one. You can be SURE Stein and Co. will be watching that Piston game eyes wide open, looking for a criticism to lob at James. 

If you think about it, Dirk lost at Detroit, Nash lost at Detroit, Kobe lost at Detroit, Wade lost at Detroit, and many of them had subpar games. If Lebron managed to win and play well, it could be a deciding factor.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 04/14/2006 | James out thanks to sprained ankle*












> *James out thanks to sprained ankle*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* If Thursday's game had relevance, LeBron James would've taped up his swollen left ankle and played.
> 
> It didn't, so he didn't.
> 
> James missed his first game of the regular season against the last-place New York Knicks, snapping a streak of 117 consecutive starts. More important to the Cavaliers and their fan base, his left-ankle sprain is minor.
> 
> After all the precautions, X-rays and tests, the Cavs are still listing James as day-to-day, and his status for Sunday's game at the Washington Wizards is up in the air. It all depends on just how cautious the Cavs intend to be and how the ankle responds to treatment the next two days.
> 
> “If it was a playoff game, we'd tape him up and from my understanding there wouldn't be a restriction on him,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said.
> 
> James' injury might even be less severe than the left-ankle sprain suffered by Zydrunas Ilgauskas last week, which caused him to miss three games, largely for precautionary reasons.
> 
> There are just three games left, but the Cavs do want James to return to the lineup sooner rather than later to make sure he's back in the flow for the playoffs, which will begin next weekend.
> 
> “We can't sit LeBron every minute for the rest of the season; he's got to play to stay in shape and to stay in rhythm,'' Brown said. “For him to sit out these last four games and expect him to be the LeBron James he is going into the playoffs would be unfair to him.''
> 
> It was the sixth game James has missed due to injury in his career. Eric Snow is now the only Cav to have started every game this season.


----------



## remy23

*Being on bench doesn't suit James*












> *Being on bench doesn't suit James*
> 
> Friday, April 14, 2006
> 
> *Jodie Valade
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> During breaks in play, LeBron James paced the sideline in The Q -- without a limp -- offering support to teammates and examining statistics that other players recorded in a game he could only watch. At times, he smiled and nodded to nearby fans. A couple of times he yawned.
> 
> The Cavaliers' league MVP candidate became the team's most restless cheerleader in Thursday's 91-87 victory over the New York Knicks as he nursed a sprained left ankle and missed his first game of the season.
> 
> As he fidgeted, James showed he wasn't sure what to do with himself, sitting on the bench with a sunshine-yellow vest beneath his black sports coat.
> 
> And as the Cavaliers struggled against the Knicks, they showed they weren't entirely sure what to do without him, either. It is the first time since January 2005 that James hasn't been in the lineup, only the sixth game the third-year player has missed in his career.
> 
> A left ankle sprain suffered in the third quarter of Wednesday's 96-73 loss to the Detroit Pistons was enough to keep James from playing against the lowly Knicks, but it's not bad enough to cause concern, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said.
> 
> "If this was a playoff game, he'd tape it up and he'd be playing," Brown said.
> 
> Since it's not, Brown said the Cavaliers will continue to use caution with their star player's health - even if his absence in the final four games of the season might hurt James' season-ending push for league MVP consideration and the Cavaliers' hope to reach the 50-win mark.
> 
> James' status will be determined prior to each of the remaining three games in the regular season, though he reported that he felt fine Thursday and retreated to the training room for treatment soon after arriving at the arena.
> 
> Given James' unease on the sideline and his competitive nature, it's unlikely he'll miss the remainder of the regular season. Brown stressed the importance of James getting more experience playing with Larry Hughes, who returned last week after missing 45 games with a broken finger.
> 
> "He needs to play," Brown said. "For him to sit out these last four games and expect to be the LeBron James he is in the first game of the playoffs is unfair to him and unfair to the team."
> 
> In 10 games prior to his injury, James averaged 37.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 7.4 assists as the Cavaliers went 9-1.
> 
> So as he watched the game against the Knicks, he squirmed in his street clothes. And during pauses in action, he bit his nails. Even when he doesn't play, some things stay the same for James.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron is second as Nash gets second MVP award*












> *CAVALIERS INSIDER*
> *LeBron is second as Nash gets second MVP award*
> 
> Monday, May 08, 2006
> 
> *Branson Wright
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> *Auburn Hills, Mich, -* In just his third season, the Cavs' LeBron James came in second in voting for the NBA's Most Valuable Player.
> 
> James received 16 first-place votes, but Suns point guard Steve Nash won the award for the second consecutive season.
> 
> "I'm very happy for Steve Nash," James said. "He's done an excellent job for that team, and he's doing wonderful things."
> 
> Nash received 57 first-place votes and 924 points overall in voting by a panel of 125 sports writers and broadcasters in the United States and Canada. James had 688 points.
> 
> "It would've been nice to put another trophy in my house," James said. "It's something I'm going to keep working hard for, and my teammates are going to help get me to that point."
> 
> Nash joined Magic Johnson as the only point guards in league history to capture multiple MVP trophies and became one of only nine players to win the award in consecutive seasons.
> 
> Others who have won consecutive MVP awards are: Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Karl Malone and Bob Pettit also won it twice, but not in consecutive years.
> 
> Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki was third with 14 first-place votes and 544 points. Kobe Bryant had 22 first-place votes but was fourth with 483 points.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 05/12/2006 | Notes*












> *Click Me!*
> 
> *James defensive?*
> 
> The NBA released its All-Defensive Team on Thursday, headlined by the Pistons' Ben Wallace and the San Antonio Spurs' Bruce Bowen. There are no Cavs on the first or second teams, but there was a surprise nugget. One NBA coach put James on the ballot for first team, which was unexpected. He isn't regarded as a good defender, but is considered an improving one. The vote didn't come from Brown. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players.
> 
> "That put a smile on my face,'' James said. "That's something I've been working on. I hope to be on that first team sooner or later.''


----------



## remy23

*LeBron James Named All-NBA First Team*




















> *Lebron James Named All-NBA First Team*
> 
> *CLEVELAND, May 17, 2006 –* Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named to the All-NBA First Team today by the NBA. He becomes the youngest player in NBA history to earn All-NBA first team honors and the second player in franchise history to be named to the All-NBA First team. James led all players in All-NBA first place votes (116) and total points (610).
> 
> During the 2005-06 season, *James became just the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 31.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists for an entire season (31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists)*. He ranked third in the league in scoring, 12th in assists per game and 15th in steals per game (1.56). He recorded five triple-doubles during the season (second best in the league) and scored 30 or more points in 49 games.
> 
> This season, *James was voted MVP of the 2006 NBA All-Star Game* after being named an All-Star starter for the second consecutive season. He finished second behind Steve Nash in the NBA MVP voting with 688 total points. He earned Eastern Conference Player of the Month awards in November and March and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on five occasions, becoming the first player in NBA history to win the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award in three consecutive weeks (for weeks ending March 20, March 27 and April 2).
> 
> At the age of 21 years, 138 days, *James is the youngest player in NBA history to be named to the All-NBA First Team*. Max Zaslofsky was 21 years, five months old when he was named to the All-NBA First Team as a rookie in the 1946-47 season.
> 
> James joins Mark Price as the only Cavaliers to earn All-NBA first team honors. Price was named to the All-NBA First Team following the 1992-93 season. James was an All-NBA Second Team selection last season. James is joined on the All-NBA First Team by Phoenix’s Steve Nash, Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and Miami’s Shaquille O’Neal.
> 
> The 126-member voting panel of writers and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada consisted of national media members and members from each of the league’s 30 teams who regularly cover the NBA. The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.


----------



## remy23

*Mayor Frank G. Jackson and LeBron James Break Ground for $4.7 Million Parkside*












> _Renaissance of Cleveland’s Glenville Neighborhood Continues_
> *Mayor Frank G. Jackson and LeBron James Break Ground for $4.7 Million Parkside Townhomes Development*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *CLEVELAND, June 21, 2006 -* Mayor Frank G. Jackson joined Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James, Ward 8 Councilwoman Sabra Pierce Scott and Tracey Kirksey from the Glenville Development Corporation today to break ground for the $4.7 million Parkside Townhomes - a new homeownership opportunity in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood.
> 
> “This type of investment in the Glenville neighborhood is a great step for a great City,” said Mayor Jackson. “I want to thank LeBron James, and everyone involved in this project for understanding that it takes all of us working together to make Cleveland a true city of choice.”
> 
> Financing for Parkside Townhomes is being provided by the LRMR Development Company, the National City Development Corporation, National City Bank, and the City of Cleveland’s City Housing Trust Fund. The project’s developer is Beirne Enterprises.
> 
> “LRMR is thrilled to be part of this important project for the City of Cleveland,” said LeBron James. “The revitalization of the Glenville neighborhood, and others like them, is another significant step in Cleveland’s vibrant redevelopment. This is a great opportunity for LRMR to give back to the community by providing new housing options for prospective homebuyers in center-city.”
> 
> Glenville Development Corporation worked several years on the project, including organizing the land and assembling the development team. The goal is to develop a contemporary community that appeals to empty nesters. Previously, the organization partnered with the City of Cleveland and the Home Builders Association to produce CiTiRAMA 2005.
> 
> Parkside Townhomes, located on Superior Avenue between East 102nd and 103rd Streets, is the City of Cleveland’s latest effort in Glenville to promote urban living. The Parkside Townhomes development comes on the heels of the highly successful CiTiRAMA project, during which 11 area builders constructed 11 market-rate homes along East 100th and East 101st Streets off of Superior Avenue.
> 
> “We are so pleased that the City of Cleveland, LeBron James and the development partners chose to work with us on what we feel will be one of Cleveland’s premiere projects,” said Tracey Kirksey, Executive Director of the Glenville Development Corporation.
> 
> The Parkside Townhomes include 2,000+ square feet of living space, with two or three bedrooms and a two-car garage. RDL Architects has designed these townhomes to feature a rooftop deck with spectacular views of the Park, and the City. Cozy fireplaces and personal elevators are offered as options. Parkside Townhomes, now under construction, will be available in fall 2006 at prices ranging from $260,000 to $325,000.
> 
> The City of Cleveland has awarded $300,000 in Housing Trust Funds for Phase I and the homes are eligible for 15 Years Tax Abatement.
> 
> "Parkside Townhomes will be a welcome addition to the Glenville neighborhood offering homebuyers of all ages a quality housing product, in a park-type setting that is near work, bus transportation, the interstate, and Cleveland's numerous and popular amenities, including University Cirlcle," said Councilwoman Scott. "You'll be at home in Glenville!"
> 
> The first phase of the project, consisting of nine townhomes, will be completed by Fall 2006.
> 
> For more information on the Parkside Townhomes contact Tracey Kirksey from the Glenville Development Corporation at 216/851-8724.


----------



## remy23

*Reverse Dunk gif File From Cavs/Hawks Game*

With James agreeing to resign, Cleveland can look forward to several more years of James highlights.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron Receives NBA Community Assist Award*












> *LeBron James Receives NBA Community Assist Award for June*
> _*-- Cavaliers Forward to Receive the David Robinson Plaque For His Outstanding Commitment to the Community --*_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *View Photos from the King for Kids Bikeathon*
> 
> *NEW YORK, July 12, 2006 –* In recognition of LeBron James’ outstanding efforts in the community, and for his on-going philanthropic work, the NBA announced today it has honored the Cavaliers’ All-Star forward with the Community Assist Award for the month of June.
> 
> James recently hosted his second annual “King for Kids” Bike-A-Thon event presented by Microsoft Windows Live, in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The weekend tipped off with a charity billiards game and silent auction on June 23rd and the following day, over 3,000 participants joined James for an eight-mile ride around Akron and a three-mile family ride. The event benefited the James Family Foundation, the Akron Area YMCA and the Akron Urban League. Additionally, James donated 300 Schwinn bicycles to local children to reward them for their progress and character development
> 
> James, along with fellow NBA players Dwyane Wade, Richard Hamilton, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall, Eric Snow, Ira Newble and Devin Green participated in the ride and attended a community celebration in downtown Akron.
> 
> “What I do with basketball only lasts during the season, but the work we do with the Foundation goes on non-stop,” said James. “We want to keep building hopes and dreams in the lives of children and families.”
> 
> James’ community outreach stretched across the U.S. in 2005-06. In response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, James sent $200,000 in supplies to evacuees in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, donated 1,000 backpacks and school supplies to students in Akron and Cleveland, distributed basketballs to every recreation center in Akron and Cleveland and paid for the renovation of the Women’s Health Center at Summa Health System. In addition to the work he does through his Foundation, James also participates in numerous programs with the Cavaliers and through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
> 
> The mission of the James Family Foundation is about Hope, Help, and Heart as they build hope in the lives of children and families in the community who are dealing with adversity. Helping children and families (particularly those headed by single mothers) achieve more through education, recreation, employment and better health are ways James’ foundation works in the local community and worldwide.
> 
> As the recipient of the NBA Community Assist Award, James will receive the David Robinson Plaque with the inscription, “Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson who improved the community piece by piece.” In addition to the plaque, a $5,000 gift will be given to James’ charity of choice.
> 
> The league presents the NBA Community Assist Award monthly to recognize players for their charitable efforts. The award honors the NBA player who reflects the passion the league and its players have for giving back to their communities.
> 
> NBA Cares is the league's global community outreach initiative that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues. Over the next five years, the league, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than 1 million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and build more than 100 places where kids and families can live, learn and play. NBA Cares works with internationally-recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes including: UNICEF; Reading Is Fundamental; Habitat for Humanity; Boys and Girls Clubs of America; Charities Aid Foundation; Feed the Children, and many others.


----------



## ChadWick

hes hairy like Austin Powers..LOL :biggrin: 
























































http://raphyyy.free.fr/nbaforce/Images/Lebron-James_295_040329.jpg
HE HAS LONG LEGS!


----------



## Pioneer10

^ That's interesting Lebron looks a tad bit shorter then Anthony in that first picture


----------



## ChadWick

Pioneer10 said:


> ^ That's interesting Lebron looks a tad bit shorter then Anthony in that first picture




You know what, now that you metioned it, he does


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## remy23

*LeBron James Block and Dunk*

This brief clip is a highlight reel sequence that James had against the Phoenix Suns. Of all of LeBron's great moments, this ranks up there because it involves both ends of the floor and came at a crucial part of the game in which Cleveland was getting back into the game.

*LeBron James Block and Dunk*
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j3_1DOY66QM"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j3_1DOY66QM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


----------



## remy23

*No trying, no buying LeBron IVs*












> *No trying, no buying LeBron IVs*
> 
> *Not till Nov. 16, anyway. Ads, store displays hype latest edition of shoes*
> 
> You can look but you can't touch the new Nike Air Zoom LeBron IVs at local Finish Line sports stores.
> 
> King James' royal shoes are locked up in a display case near the cash registers at Summit and Chapel Hill malls. The $150 Nike shoes -- James' fourth edition in his four years as a pro -- don't go on sale until Nov. 16.
> 
> Hence the teaser.
> 
> Nike is making a major splash with a massive multimedia advertising campaign that kicked off Wednesday with the Cavs' 2006-07 season opening home victory against the Washington Wizards. Nike launched the high-tops as the first single advertiser for the 6 p.m. SportsCenter news show on ESPN the same night.
> 
> It's our hometown hero's second year of acting in these Nike ads. SportsCenter was "presented by the LeBrons,'' meaning four characters all played by him that represent different sides of James' personality. The show included both LeBron IV ads and segments featuring James being interviewed in character.
> 
> "The LeBrons'' include James as himself; the bearded, old-man "Wise'' version of himself; the smooth "Business'' character with the afro; and the hysterically undersized "Kid LeBron.''
> 
> James looks like he's having a lot of fun in these wacky endorsements. In a swimming pool ad, the superstar pokes fun at himself as athlete LeBron trains in a pool and the curmudgeonly Wise chastises, ``Do you think Michael (Jordan) trained in the pool?''
> 
> Next, James' Business' version of himself, sporting a crisp white ensemble, executes an elaborate dive into the pool.
> 
> The crotchety Wise is the funniest character, saying of Kid LeBron in a basketball-playing ad, "He don't wanna play no defense: He too cute.''
> 
> According to a recent New York Times report, 400,000 DVDs about the making of the LeBron IV and the Nike ad campaign will be distributed in the November issue of Slam magazine. A pop-up retail store also will open Nov. 11 for a week in SoHo, Manhattan, to sell James apparel and a limited-edition version of his new shoe.
> 
> A neon sign featuring a continuously dunking James also is expected to run on Nov. 12 near Madison Square Garden, just before the Cavs play the New York Knicks there.
> 
> See www.nikebasketball.com for a look at the commercials, where the LeBrons pop up repeatedly talking about the shoes. The site also has links to a game pack, contest and more.
> 
> In Akron, Foot Locker manager Larry Wiggins at Chapel Hill Mall said he'd be getting the LeBron IVs soon.
> 
> "I've had about 15 people ask about them already,'' he said.
> 
> A salesman at Dick's at Chapel Hill said he was unsure whether the store would get the shoes.
> 
> Adrienne Rhodes of Finish Line at Summit Mall said two people wanted to try the LeBron IVs on the first hour she put them on display Tuesday, but she couldn't allow them.
> 
> Store manager Heather Peairs said the $150 shoes are more expensive this year than last year's $125 price because they have improved cushioning.
> 
> "It's a lot more comfortable than his last shoe was,'' she said.
> 
> The black, white and red shoe features a decorative buckle with James' signature logo on the front of the velcro closure, with his LBJ initials and No. 23. Peairs said the design element reflects James' love of buckles.
> 
> The word "Witness,'' popularized by Nike for James in a campaign last year that extended through the NBA playoffs, also runs down the back of the heel.
> 
> "I know for a fact that these are going to sell out,'' said salesman David Williams at the Chapel Hill Finish Line. "People are already talking about them.''
> 
> Bob Fisher of Foot Action USA at Rolling Acres Mall said the LeBron IV should come out in different colors later in the season as it has in previous years, and there might be a low-top, too.
> 
> "When they (Nike) first came out with them (four years ago), they were hugely popular. But the last one was not as popular as his first. This new one coming out, there's a buzz about it,'' Fisher said.
> 
> Foot Locker at Summit Mall has the shoes in its storage room. The store is allowing customers to look at and touch the shoes, but they can't try them on until Nov. 16.
> 
> According to Rodney Knox of Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., the LeBron IVs also will be available at the Cleveland stores Next Urban Gear.
> 
> *Jersey news*
> 
> In other Cavs sportswear news, fans looking for new items will soon be able to buy the team's $85 orange "Swingman'' jersey. Cavs spokesman Tad Carper said the retro jersey hearkens back to the 1986-87 season, when Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Johnny Newman and Ron Harper joined the team and Lenny Wilkens had his first season as head coach.
> 
> Fans can't wear the jersey until the Cavs do, which will be at home Dec. 6 against the Toronto Raptors. The Cavs will wear them for six home games and some away games.
> 
> Carper said the Swingman orange jersey will come in around Thanksgiving. Fans should be able to purchase them in early December. The jersey is part of the NBA's Hardwood Classics line, which the team wears for just one season.
> 
> For information on the orange jerseys, visit the Cavaliers Team Shop at Quicken Loans Arena, call 216-420-2955 or 800-252-6061, or look online at www.cavaliersteamshop.com.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron James dunking on Tim Duncan (Picture + Videos)*










*1)* *LeBron dunking on Tim Duncan*
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mRdAEcopO18"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mRdAEcopO18" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

*2)* *Lebron dunking on Tim Duncan replay*
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9GYHL9yLaVg"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9GYHL9yLaVg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


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## remy23

*LeBron crazy dunk during warm-up*

*LeBron crazy dunk during warm-up*
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IGaKfLdavZ8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IGaKfLdavZ8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


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## Pioneer10

^ I remember you talking awhile back remy about how you thought Lebron had the best dunks during of all times warmups but there is some evidence fo rthat right here. That would be a ten in a dunk contest lol if Lebron ever decides to do it


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## remy23

*LeBron alley-oop 360*

*LeBron alley-oop 360*
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2EjkP9sPtQk"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2EjkP9sPtQk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Say hello to another crazy edition of LeBron James doing better dunks in the warm-ups than he actually does during games.


----------



## remy23

*James' LRMR Marketing inks buddy Ginn to deal*

*James' LRMR Marketing inks buddy Ginn to deal*



> *CLEVELAND --* LeBron James thinks he can help fast friend Ted Ginn Jr. become a bigger star.
> 
> Further broadening his business portfolio, the Cavaliers' forward has signed Ginn, the former Ohio State speedster now a rookie wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, to a marketing contract.
> 
> Ginn is the first athlete signed by LRMR Marketing, James' budding sports marketing company.
> 
> "To do this, not so much for money but to maybe get on a Sprite commercial with LeBron or anything, that'd be fun," Ginn said.
> 
> Ginn, who signed a five-year contract worth more than $13 million last week, said knowing James for years made the decision an easy one.
> 
> "A lot of football guys don't get a lot of marketing their first couple years coming out," he said. "You've got to do big things to do that. He's been a good friend to me for the last four or five years, so the best thing for me is get involved with someone I know."
> 
> James formed the marketing firm two years ago with childhood friends Richard Paul, Maverick Carter and Randy Mims. The company takes its name from the initials of the foursome's first names.
> 
> The group's goal was to heighten James' profile through endorsement deals and business deals. The 22-year-old star, who led Cleveland to its first NBA finals last season, is one of the world's most recognized athletes.
> 
> While not on as grand of a scale, LRMR is hoping to enhance Ginn's image with business ventures.
> 
> "We're excited about working with Ted," said Maverick Carter, LRMR's CEO. "We've known him for a long time and he's someone who has the same values we do. We have a lot of respect for him and his family."
> 
> Carter said the first step will be acquiring a shoe and apparel deal for Ginn, who skipped his senior season with the Buckeyes to turn pro. LRMR plans to sign other pro athletes, Carter added.
> 
> Ginn is excited about the chance to work with James, whom he has known for years. James has been mixing basketball and business moves for awhile.
> 
> He signed a seven-year, $90 million deal with Nike before graduating high school and he has amassed more than $150 million in endorsement contracts. Earlier this year, he launched a Web site in a partnership with Microsoft. Forbes Magazine estimated that James made $26 million from June 2005 to June 2006.
> 
> James' TV commercials for Nike, in which he plays four different versions of himself, are extremely popular. He successfully hosted the ESPY Awards last month and will host the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" in September. Last season, Ohio State's basketball team wore jerseys and shorts bearing James' logo.
> 
> From the start, James has followed a path blazed by Michael Jordan, who built a business empire during his NBA career and has grown his Air Jordan brand in retirement.
> 
> "One day, I hope LeBron could be like Jordan and I can be the first guy to come out with some LeBron cleats and things like that," Ginn said. "In time, this could be like Jordan. And to be the first football guy to sign with him, that's something no one can ever take away from me."


----------



## futuristxen

saaavy


----------



## remy23

*The LeBron James Family Foundation’s Annual Back-to-School Giveaway*










> *The LeBron James Family Foundation’s Annual Back-to-School Giveaway*​
> *AKRON, OHIO, August 14, 2007 –* The LeBron James Family Foundation today announced that its annual back-to-school giveaway benefiting Akron public schoolchildren will take place on August 14th and 15th at the Akron Zoo. Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA All-Star LeBron James will be donating 1,000 backpacks that are filled with school supplies which have been generously contributed by local Akron businesses and organizations. Because he will be playing with Team USA in the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas, LeBron James will be unable to attend.
> 
> Students from 14 Akron elementary schools have been selected to attend the event, which will include a variety of fun surprises. The Metro Regional Transit Authority (METRO) is providing free bus transportation for a parent and child to and from the zoo. In addition, the Akron Zoo is offering free admission to parents and students on the day that they pick up their supplies.
> 
> “I feel good knowing that kids will have the right school supplies for the new year,” said LeBron James. “When it comes to children getting the tools they need so that they can achieve in school, I’m all for that!”
> 
> “Making sure that children are ready for school is just one of the ways that the Foundation gives back to the community,” said Jakki Nance, executive director. “We appreciate all of the support from local sponsors who have helped make this annual event so successful.”
> 
> The mission of the LeBron James Family Foundation, which until recently was called the James Family Foundation, is to help children and families achieve more through education, recreation, employment and better health options. The Foundation has raised funds for children and families at the Akron Area YMCA and the Akron Urban League.
> 
> The back-to-school giveaway is presented by Buckeye Community Health Plan and was developed through a community partnership which includes the LeBron James Family Foundation, Akron Public Schools, Akron Zoo and Metro as well as Akron Beacon Journal, Akron Council PTA, City of Akron, Dominion, FirstMerit Foundation, Gauer Rental, GPD Associates, Graffitti Print Shop, Lockheed Martin, NEOUCOM, OMNOVA Solutions Foundation, R.I.G.H.T. Committee, University of Akron Trio Program and Wal-Mart.


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## remy23

*LeBron James' Elevation For A Dunk Against Uruguay*

Once again, LeBron's putting his head into the rim. Ridiculous.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

^That's amazing when you consider he is 250+ lbs. 

I'm trying to think of a better raw athlete than Lebron..maybe Bo Jackson? That's about it.


----------



## remy23

*LeBron ready for season*

*LeBron ready for season*



> *Extra summer practice has him in best shape, with better jump shot*
> 
> By Brian Windhorst Beacon Journal sportswriter
> 
> *CLEVELAND:* Two weeks into the season, the Cavaliers still have so many questions. But also one profound answer.
> 
> No one is sure how the roster will look on opening night, with unsigned players holding out. There's a new style of offense that looks as if it is going to come with growing pains. The big-man rotation is suspect at best. Several players expected to be in the rotation are injured.
> 
> Then you have LeBron James, who almost makes you forget it all.
> 
> James showed up to training camp in the best shape of his career.
> 
> He's getting to practices early, he's staying late, and his most popular flaw, his jumper, never has looked better after a summer of diligent work.
> 
> ''LeBron is at the center of everything we do,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ''No one on the team works harder than him, and it sets a great example for the other guys.''
> 
> Last year, James' energy level was inconsistent in the first half of the season, probably a result of a summer of heavy play with Team USA. James' national team obligations were significantly less this summer, and he spent extra time working on his game no matter where he was in the country.
> 
> That has James feeling perhaps more confident than ever about his game.
> 
> ''This could be my best season,'' James said simply after Friday night's preseason game against the Seattle SuperSonics.
> 
> ''As an individual, I continue to improve every year. I know how hard I worked all summer. Think I was more focused this summer on doing the things I needed to do,'' he said. ''I was more consistent, going to the gym two or three times a day. I got into a routine, and even days when I didn't want to go, I went, and it is paying off for me.''
> 
> James' stats from the Cavs' three preseason games last week aren't flashy he has averaged 11.3 points on 46 percent shooting in 21 minutes a game but he has looked to be in midseason form when he has been on the floor.
> 
> ''I've been able to get to any spot on the floor if I want to,'' James said. ''We have a long way to go as a team, but as an individual, I think I am ready.''
> 
> James was a popular preseason pick to win the Most Valuable Player award a year ago. But his stats were down across the board last season, and most people thought the Cavs won fewer games 50 than they could've. That worked against him from a perception standpoint.
> 
> After being the only unanimous choice for first-team All-NBA in 2006, James did not make it last year. Then there was his performance in the NBA Finals, when he averaged just 22 points and shot just 35 percent while all eyes were on him.
> 
> There was plenty for James to hang his hat on the conference title and his 48-point game in the Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons but there was also plenty of fodder for James' critics. Admittedly, that is always motivation for James.
> 
> That is a major reason why he dedicated himself over the summer. ''It starts with me, and it ends with me,'' James said. ''If my energy level is up, then our team's energy level is going to be up also.''


----------



## remy23

*Dribbles*

*Dribbles*



> James has started to wear some protective gear in an effort to cut down on bumps and bruises. This week he started wearing shinguards and has also gone back to wearing a mouthpiece, which he did throughout high school. ''I'm getting older and I'm getting smarter, just being proactive,'' James said. ''My mom said I needed to start wearing a mouthpiece.'' . . . The team cut guard Chet Mason, a Cleveland native, before the game. He did not see action in the preseason.


----------



## remy23

*My Amazing Journey -- LeBron James*










> *My Amazing Journey -- LeBron James*​
> _Getting to the NBA is not easy. Of the millions of kids playing basketball around the world today, only a very small percentage will make it to the Association. Along the way, there will be highs and lows, ups and downs.
> 
> As they prepare for the 2007-08 season, 30 current players reflect back on their journey to the NBA and some of the things they went through to fulfill their dream of playing basketball for a living._
> 
> *What was the biggest obstacle you overcame to reach the NBA?*
> LeBron James: Just going through some of the struggles I went through as a kid and not taking it personal, and just hopping over obstacles and going through speed bumps. It was not always a bad road for me as a kid and I understood that. But at the same time it was tough. So I think the trials and tribulations I went through as a kid really helped me get to this point.
> 
> *Finish this sentence: "Growing up, the basketball court was my..."*
> LJ: Home away from home.
> 
> *To what lengths would you go for a chance to play basketball, even if it were just a shoot around?*
> LJ: Any length, I leave my family everyday to come to the basketball court. So that definitely shows how much I love the game of basketball.
> 
> *Who was your basketball hero and why?*
> LJ: Michael Jordan. For the simple fact of how he was able to fly through the air and make big shots and win championships, and just the competitive nature that he had on the basketball court. He always believed he was the best.
> 
> *What is your favorite childhood basketball memory?*
> LJ: Just going to city to city playing AAU national tournaments; Memphis, Tennessee; Coco Beach, Florida; Orlando, Florida; Kingsport, Tennessee; just going all over the United States to play the game of basketball.
> 
> *Best piece of basketball advice I received was...*
> LJ: Play every minute like it's your last.
> 
> *What advice would you give to someone who aspires to play in the NBA?*
> LJ: When you go on the basketball court, you never know if you're going to have tomorrow to play on the basketball court. So you should cherish it, but at the same time, take advantage of the opportunities you have from playing this game.
> 
> *How old were you when you received your first basketball and what did it feel like to have your very own?*
> LJ: I think I was about three or four years old and I got a Little Tikes basketball court at home and I always wanted to dunk. So I just dunked on the hoop before I even shot the basketball. So it felt great.
> 
> *When did you realize you had serious game?*
> LJ: I don't think I had serious game until I was 11 or 12 and really started to love the game of basketball and really started to take it seriously.
> 
> *I entertained thoughts of playing in the NBA at age ...*
> LJ: At age 8 when I first started playing the game of basketball.
> 
> *Did it ever strike you in the middle of a game in front of a packed house, "Man, I can't believe I'm here"?*
> LJ: No
> 
> *How proud is your family that you made it to the NBA?*
> LJ: My family is really proud of me, and they express that every time after a game or after practice, saying how much they love seeing me play the game of basketball. When I am out there, I represent my family. So it is more pressure on me to keep carrying the legacy on for my family.


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## remy23

*LeBron James looms large in Shanghai*

*LeBron James looms large in Shanghai*



> *SHANGHAI, China (AP) -* LeBron James looms large in Shanghai. He hovers over a basket in billboards around the city leading to Wednesday's NBA exhibition game between his Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic and another game Saturday in the former Portuguese territory of Macau.
> 
> "For me, growing up, I never thought about having a billboard anywhere," James said Tuesday, slipping off a white NBA headband and replacing it with a Cleveland Indians cap.
> 
> "You see them (billboards) locally, and then you start seeing them a little bit nationwide. And now worldwide. It's like, wow. It's like extra credit. It's unbelievable. You would never think that you could have your face somewhere else where you don't even live."
> 
> James' shoe sponsor converted a Shanghai art gallery into a LeBron James showroom. Dubbed the "LBJ Museum," the promotion this week includes a freshly shellacked basketball court, aimed at pitching James in China, where 300 million people — the population of the United States — play basketball.
> 
> Nike also unveiled the latest version of James' signature shoe on Tuesday. It's the second time it's picked China — ahead of the U.S. — to show off James' newest offering. The "limited edition" shoe was selling Tuesday for almost $200.
> 
> Nike's newest TV spot featuring James also kicked off this week in China, several weeks ahead of its U.S. premiere.
> 
> James is a hot property in basketball's most dynamic marketplace. And the NBA and Nike know it, both looking toward next year's Beijing Olympics, where James would surely capture world attention if he leads the beleaguered American basketball team to a gold medal.
> 
> Several hundred Chinese reporters and photographers showed up for Tuesday's practice at the Lu Wan Stadium. They engulfed James at the far end of the floor when he stopped shooting. He squatted on a low-slung bench, back against the wall, and stared up to answer questions, cutting deep furrows across his forehead.
> 
> "Every time I'm here it's the same response: It's great, the fans love us, the kids are great," James said. "The spirit the Chinese have for the game of basketball is great. Nothing surprises me now."
> 
> He was asked whether the Cavaliers will reach the NBA finals again and the pressures facing him as another season awaits.
> 
> "I don't believe in pressure," he said. "So it's not hard to reduce it when you don't believe in it."
> 
> James is one of the four most popular NBA players in China. Kobe Bryant is probably No. 1, with China-born Yao Ming, James and Allen Iverson jousting for the next spots. At 22, James is the youngest and — get this — might be more popular than Yao.
> 
> "The Chinese are looking for individual heroes," said Huang Risheng, a reporter with the Chinese-language Titan sports newspaper. "We are not open enough, not extroverted enough. We like the individual effort, just one man saving the whole team like James."
> 
> "I think those three are more popular than Yao Ming. It's a contradiction. Maybe I should say we like their style of play better."
> 
> Like the NBA, Nike's business is soaring in China. The country could generate $1 billion next year, up from about $100 million just five years ago. The NBA's does about $50 million annually and should follow Nike's growth pattern.
> 
> Nike has fashioned the preseason games in China around James, who reportedly has a seven-year deal with the shoemaker worth $90 million. Shoe rival Adidas is also promoting the games, stringing up its ads on Huaihai Road, a swanky street that includes many of the city's high-end boutiques.
> 
> Adidas' main star is the Magic's Dwight Howard, whose thundering dunks carry the company's pitch.
> 
> Nike doesn't liken James to Michael Jordan, but others have. That included at least one Chinese reporter.
> 
> "It's great to be compared to one of the greats, but my game and his game are totally different," James said.
> 
> The "LBJ Museum" — it's unclear how many people recognize the initials as those of a former U.S. president — is aimed at drawing young fans. It is located near the historic French Concession area in central Shanghai. The museum offers 3-on-3 games in the run-up to this week's exhibitions and introduces James with childhood photos, jerseys from high school and shoes he's worn with Nike.
> 
> There's also a history of his NBA career starting with a photo alongside NBA commissioner David Stern from June 22, 2003, when James was chosen No. 1 in the draft.
> 
> "The idea is to help Chinese youth understand who he is, his career, his history and his personality," Nike spokesman Alan Marks said.
> 
> The museum also displays a copy of James' birth certificate: Dec. 30, 1984, born in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria James.
> 
> "For the first years of his life LeBron is raised by his mother and grandmother, Freda, on Hickory Street in Akron," reads a caption. "A milk crate hung on a telephone pole serves as the neighborhood basketball hoop attached by a few nails at whatever height the tallest available boy can reach."
> 
> Teammate Drew Gooden said James' popularity hinges not on charm or athletic skill but on being genuine and delivering.
> 
> "He came into the league as a superstar, but for him to fill those shoes makes it all that much better," Gooden said. "When you live up to the hype people respect that, especially fans."
> 
> That includes Chinese fans.


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## remy23

*Pigskin Prince, King of the Court*









If things had gone the other way, LeBron James might be *playing* in Saturday's OSU-Michigan matchup.​


> _LeBron James Nearly Bypassed Basketball for His Love of the Gridiron_
> 
> *Pigskin Prince, King of the Court*​
> It’s almost guaranteed that in any game in which LeBron James is roughed up, he will shrug it off to the postgame media with the assertion: “I’m a football player.”
> 
> Of course, he’s *not* a football player. Not anymore, anyway.
> 
> At one point in his storybook existence, LeBron James was almost as promising on the gridiron as he was on the hardwood. His numbers at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s weren’t as eye-popping as his hoops statistics, but he did take his squad from a 4-6 record as a sophomore to 7-3 as a junior. (Sound familiar?)
> 
> As a sophomore in the fall of 2000, the lanky wideout racked up more than 700 yards receiving. After sitting out the opener as a junior, he hauled in three touchdown passes one week later. Soon, he found himself – as he was on the court – the subject of constant double-teaming. Still, the young King wound up with 52 receptions for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns.
> 
> In SVSM’s first playoff game – a 28-20 win – LeBron fractured the index finger on his left hand, but he kept the injury to himself so he could play in the State Championship. The Irish lost that game, and the All-State receiver – who had narrowed his football choices to Miami, USC, Michigan and Ohio State – played his last game in spikes.
> 
> On Saturday afternoon, LeBron will prove his love for the game and his state’s squad when he announces the starting lineups for the Ohio State Buckeyes when they face off against arch-nemesis Michigan on ABC at noon.
> 
> Earlier, cavs.com talked with the Chosen One about the sport he says he misses playing “every day” …
> 
> *______________________________________*
> 
> *Given your current size and speed – not what you played in high school – what position would you play in the NFL?*
> 
> *LBJ:* Probably defensive end – if you look at my size. But I don’t want to play defensive end and go up against some big lineman. You look at a guy who’s 6-8, 250. That’s a defensive lineman.
> 
> *Say LeBron Jr. comes to you as a high school junior, equally skilled in football and basketball, but has to give one sport up. Which one do you encourage him to stick with?*
> 
> *LBJ:* Whatever one is going to help daddy with the bills. If it’s the NBA, play in the NBA. If it’s football, go play football. But I’d want him to do whatever he wanted to do, and take the best opportunity.
> 
> *In a huge game, you win the toss. Do you want the ball first, or first in the second half?*
> 
> *LBJ:* Take the ball in the second half, definitely.
> 
> *Do you still run patterns and catch passes in the off-season?*
> 
> *LBJ:* I don’t do that now, but I am going to start. I have been out to a few St. Vincent-St. Mary’s practices and their quarterback is very good. He threw some passes to me this summer.
> 
> *What’s your favorite pattern?*
> 
> *LBJ:* I like the “fade” in the corner of the end zone. And the quick slant.
> 
> *You get hit a lot on the quick slant.*
> 
> *LBJ:* No. I don’t get hit.


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## remy23

*LeBron might meet fan who rushed court*










> *LeBron might meet fan who rushed court*​
> *Teen hopes to visit idol — this time by invitation — at New Jersey Nets game*
> 
> *CLEVELAND:* LeBron James likes to follow his own path.
> 
> He surprised many when he was not bothered that a fan sprinted into the Cavs' huddle last week at Madison Square Garden. In fact, James embraced the moment by shaking hands with the young man.
> 
> It probably didn't thrill the NBA, which has taken steps to fortify security around team benches since the brawl in Detroit in 2004.
> 
> Neither probably will this: A source said Anthony Erskine, 17, who ran across the floor and past several guards in a James replica jersey, is about to get even closer to his idol.
> 
> Erskine has been in touch with James' representatives, and there are plans for him to be James' guest Wednesday when the Cavaliers visit the New Jersey Nets. There might be a private meeting between the two.
> 
> ''He had something he wanted to say to me and he got it out before they took him away,'' James said. ''I respect him and his pride.''





> *In The Locker Room*​
> *•* During an interview last week, James said he was 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds, which caught some off guard since he is listed at 6-8 and 250. When he came into the NBA, his official size at the predraft workouts was 6-8, 240. The Cavs added 10 pounds to the roster last season. But James jokingly backed down Monday, saying: ''I'm 6-7, 240.'' The 6-9, 260 figure is probably close to accurate. Not that rosters mean much, Zydrunas Ilgauskas has been listed at 7-3 for years, but he says he is 7-2.


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