biography of lebron james book

Like its superstar subject, ‘LeBron’ biography doesn’t miss a shot

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LeBron James’ life and career make for a storyteller’s dream, a series of high-profile triumphs and setbacks, a hard upbringing that gave way to the upper echelons of sports, finance and celebrity.

Raised in Akron, Ohio, by a single mother with little money and plenty of demons, he emerged as the most dominant high school athlete in the country and a one-man industry in the making. Drafted by his hometown NBA team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, right out of high school, he broke the city’s heart when he left, then brought euphoria when he returned. Along the way he turned himself into a billion-dollar corporation with the help of an inner circle composed of three buddies he met as a teenager. He would eventually make friends with the likes of Barack Obama and Warren Buffett.

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In short, there’s no shortage of material for a biographer to chronicle the current Los Angeles Laker, and Jeff Benedict’s comprehensive new “LeBron” does a masterful job of shaping that material into a cohesive and propulsive whole. This is a fast break of a book, slicing into the many mini-narratives that James has lived and artfully tying them together to create a portrait of a man who has, by his own design, remained an enigma except to those he decides to trust. Benedict has constructed a sort of sports opera fueled by the drama and emotion surrounding his subject, but never sensationalistic or unfair. Benedict clearly likes James, but he’s been around long enough — among the subjects of his 17 books are Tiger Woods and the New England Patriots — to steer far clear of hagiography.

Burned by many writers in his career, sometimes in stories shot through with casual, almost subconscious racism, James learned early to carefully curate his public life and image (which didn’t prevent him from committing perhaps the greatest public relations blunder in sports history). He did not talk to Benedict for “LeBron.” But the author’s reporting here is exhaustive; he interviewed almost 250 people for the book. The public record on James is voluminous, and Benedict used it extensively.

However, this is no clip job. Benedict writes scenes that make clear the extent of his primary reporting, putting the reader, to paraphrase a popular Broadway musical, in the room where it happens. You can practically see the goop in Miami Heat president Pat Riley’s hair as he seethes in resentment when James announces his departure from South Beach to return to Cleveland. “LeBron” isn’t just great sportswriting, it’s also vivid narrative journalism.

There have been other LeBron books, some written by the man himself (with collaboration from professional scribes). Indeed, writers walk on and off these pages like players in a layup line. Buzz Bissinger shows up to ghostwrite “LeBron’s Dream Team,” about James’ high school years; the Pulitzer winner found James’ unwillingness to open up (or promote the book) maddening. There’s Grant Wahl, who wrote the story that put James on the cover of Sports Illustrated while he was still in high school, a decision that caused much hand-wringing: What if they mess up this kid’s life? (Spoiler: They didn’t). James soon grew wary of sportswriters, most of them middle-aged white men turning his hardscrabble upbringing into a study in urban pathology.

There were exceptions, most notably Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins, who gained James’ trust and penned the essay announcing James’ return to Cleveland. This was a public relations master stroke, an antidote of sorts to “The Decision,” the ill-advised, nationally televised special in which James announced his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami. The spectacle, and its lack of humility, was a disaster, nearly causing riots back in Ohio and making James, for a time, the most hated person in sports.

But James is nothing if not resilient, and his instincts, on and off the court, tend to be uncanny. There’s an American dream quality to “LeBron,” the story of a kid who came from very little and gradually, meticulously built a hand-picked dream team of advisors and corporate partners that helped make him the most famous athlete in the world. His talent, of course, didn’t hurt; built like a particularly tall linebacker, he ran faster and jumped higher than any of his opponents. Benedict covers all of this thoroughly. But he also makes clear that James just thinks differently. He sees around corners, on and off the court. He didn’t just want to be a star, he wanted to transcend sports. As his friend Jay-Z put it in song, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” The same could be said of James.

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Eventually, James incorporated a social consciousness into his public persona. This process too included some stumbles. Early in his career, with the 2008 Summer Olympics approaching in Beijing, James’ Cavaliers teammate Ira Newble collected the team’s signatures to protest China’s complicity in the Darfur genocide. Everyone signed — except James. James is and was Nike’s biggest business investment, and Nike has big business in China. Still in his early 20s at the time, James didn’t want to rock the boat, and at that point in his career, he didn’t even really know how.

In other words, he is mortal, if exceptional. Benedict’s greatest feat here might be the way he cuts through both the public hysteria surrounding James and the superstar’s own protective field to paint a portrait of a man in full. Sports fans should eat “LeBron” up. But even casual observers will learn plenty about one of the most visible personalities of his generation.

By Jeff Benedict Avid Reader: 576 pages, $32 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org , whose fees support independent bookstores.

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LeBron James: A Biography

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ABOUT THE BOOK Basketball star LeBron James is, at age 27, one of the most famous and celebrated athletes of his generation. Even casual sports fans (and a fair number of non-sports fans) are kept abreast of the latest successes and failures of “King James” and the Miami Heat, thanks to 24-7 media saturation. James is also amongst the most endorsed athletes in sports; his prominent partnerships include Nike, McDonald’s, and Sprite. Pegged as a future superstar at a very early age, James came into the NBA as a hometown hero, drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Somehow, he lived up to the incredible hype, leading the Cavaliers through the most successful period in their franchise history, including a trip to the 2007 NBA Finals, where they were defeated in four games by the San Antonio Spurs. After the 2009-10 season, James’ contact with the Cavaliers ended and he became a free agent. James began free agency as one of the most popular basketball players in the world. By the time he had made his decision to leave Cleveland and sign with the Miami Heat - a speech he made public on a much-lampooned ESPN special called “The Decision” - he completed an unlikely transformation into one of the most divisive figures in pro sports. By teaming up with fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James set a precedent that would cause ripple effects across the NBA that continue to this day. MEET THE AUTHOR Adam McKibbin's work has appeared in a wide variety of magazines and websites, including The Nation, the Chicago Tribune, AlterNet, Paste and Punk Planet. He's worked in web editorial and social media management for years, and is a seasoned interviewer whose favorite subjects include David Lynch, Tori Amos and human rights journalist Mac McClelland. He studied creative writing at the University of Wisconsin and received the Award for Academic Excellence for his collected fiction. He's currently working on his first nonfiction book. Adam lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter, and can be found on Twitter at @TheRedAlert. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio, on December 30, 1984. His mother, Gloria, was a 16-year-old single mother. Just between the ages of 5 and 8, LeBron moved into 12 different homes with his mother, often in tough, dangerous neighborhoods (New York Times, An N.B.A. Giant and How He Grew). Even by that point, at such a young age, it began to seem possible that basketball would be a way out (although some have speculated that James could have also pursued a career in professional football if he’d so desired). James dominated the youth circuit and by junior high had already formed a tight-knit group of friends/teammates: The Fab Four. They made their decisions together, and so it was that they all wound up at the largely white St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where they would join forces with Romeo Travis and become the Fab Five. Even this decision wasn’t without controversy. “To many in Akron’s black community, we were now traitors who had sold out to the white establishment,” James wrote in his memoir (Shooting Stars, co-written by Friday Night Lights author Buzz Bissinger). Buy a copy to keep reading!

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LeBron James: A Biography

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LeBron James is simultaneously on the cutting edge of basketball greatness and as a cultural icon. Through the international exposure of the NBA its televised games in more than 100 countries, and as a global marketing presence, the star of the Cleveland Cavaliers is rapidly becoming one of the world's most familiar faces. This biography traces the key events in the life of LeBron James from his dizzying rise to fame in high school to his emergence as the first overall pick in the NBA draft as an 18-year-old, to his carrying the underdog Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals.

Hyped relentlessly from the time he was a high school sophomore in Ohio, James has lived up to all advance billing and with his charm, smile, and extraordinary basketball skills. James' all-around talent and unselfishness on the court are the trademarks of his play that have made him one of the most feared scorers in the league, but also one of its most versatile rebounders and passers. This biography offers a well-rounded portrait James from the difficulties encountered being raised by a single mother and overcoming poverty, which at times caused the family to move from home to home. Lew Freedman of the Chicago Tribune chronicles the milestones in the life of LeBron James during his dizzying rise to fame. Also highlighted are James' remarkable endorsement deals, particularly his $90 million deal with Nike. The volume is rounded out with a timeline and a bibliography of print and electronic sources to provide suggested readings for students and sports fans alike.

Table of Contents

• Front Cover.
• Half Title Page.
• Editorial Page.
• Title Page.
• Copyright Page.
• Series Foreword.
• Acknowledgments.
• Introduction.
• Timeline: Events in the Life of Lebron James.
• 1: Beginnings.
• 2: High School Days.
• 3: Beyond His Years.
• 4: Senior Year Basketball Circus.
• 5: The Lebron Sweepstakes.
• 6: A Rookie, Not A Beginner.
• 7: Photo Insert.
• 8: Red, White, and Blue.
• 9: Junior Year Pro.
• 10: Early Season Challenges.
• 11: On A Christmas Roll.
• 12: Stepping Up Time.
• 13: Creating Believers.
• Appendix: Career Records.
• Bibliography.
• About the Author.

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About the book, about the author.

Jeff Benedict is the bestselling author of seventeen nonfiction books. He’s also a film and television producer. He is the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Tiger Woods. The book was the basis of the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary Tiger , which Benedict executive produced. The Dynasty, the definitive inside story of the New England Patriots under Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady, was a New York Times bestseller. The book is the basis of a forthcoming ten-part documentary series for Apple TV+, which Benedict is executive producing. His critically acclaimed book Poisoned is the basis of a Netflix documentary, which Benedict executive produced. His legal thriller Little Pink House was adapted into a motion picture starring Catherine Keener and Jeanne Tripplehorn. Benedict wrote Steve Young’s New York Times bestselling autobiography QB , which was the basis of an NFL Films documentary. Benedict’s upcoming biography of LeBron James will be published in 2023.

Product Details

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (April 19, 2023)
• Length: 576 pages
• ISBN13: 9781398517271

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LeBron James: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Greatest Players Paperback – Feb. 28 2015

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Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device! One of many riveting reads in the Basketball Biography Books series by Clayton Geoffreys.

An Amazon Best Seller newly revised through the first half of the 2022-2023 NBA season, LeBron James: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball’s Greatest Players explores the story of LeBron James through all his greatest wins and losses. After being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, LeBron James quickly established himself as one of the NBA's top players. Throughout his career, LeBron has racked up numerous accolades and awards, including four NBA championships. He won two of his NBA championships while playing with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers after rejoining the team in 2016, and his fourth NBA championship with his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers, in 2020. Additionally, he has won four NBA MVP Awards, four NBA Final MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, and he has been selected to 19 NBA All-Star teams, among other honors.

Around the world, fans idolize LeBron for his unbelievable athletic prowess and collaborative team-based nature on the court. It’s no surprise why day in and day out, regardless of who is the latest trendy player, LeBron James remains undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best.

Get this basketball book on LeBron James today if you're looking for an inspiring basketball biography book to read, or a gift for a basketball fan! It's perfect for reading at home or on the go.

Here is a preview of what is inside this LeBron James book:

• Chapter 1: Childhood and Early Life
• Chapter 2: High School Years
• Chapter 3: LeBron’s NBA Career - James’ Rise to All-Star, First Playoffs Appearance, First Trip to the Finals, and more
• Chapter 4: LeBron’s NBA Career – The Decision - Villain Debut, The First Championship, Repeat Title
• Chapter 5: LeBron’s NBA Career – The Decision 2.0 - Return to Cleveland, The Return of the King, A Ring for Cleveland, The Quest for a Repeat, and Kyrie Irving's Departure
• Chapter 6: Chasing History - LeBron in LA, Teaming Up With AD, the Pandemic Season, Winning Banner 17, Continued Dominance, Playoff Woes, The Westbrook Experiment, Climbing the GOAT Ladder, History Rewritten
• Chapter 7: Personal Life
• Chapter 8: LeBron James’ Legacy and Future

An excerpt from this biography book on LeBron James' story:

When one talks about the greatest basketball players to have ever played the game, LeBron James always comes into the discussion. You speak of the greats such as Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant when ranking the best players in NBA history. There is no doubt that LeBron belongs in such a discussion and may have become greater than any player except perhaps Michael Jordan—and there is even speculation that he might have become better than Jordan himself.

In a career that started in 2003 when he was drafted as an 18-year-old high school phenom, LeBron James took the league by storm and has always been one of the best the NBA had to offer. Nobody in the world has ever seen a basketball player quite like him. His skills, talents, and physical gifts were unparalleled to the point that he was lauded as the next great thing in NBA basketball.

Physically, LeBron James was always regarded as the most gifted athlete in league history.

Did you enjoy this excerpt?

If so, be sure to pick up a copy of this basketball biography book on LeBron James today! This is just one of many basketball biographies by Clayton Geoffreys.

Also, be sure to check out Clayton's biography on Stephen Curry or Michael Jordan after you finish this one.

• Reading age 8 - 18 years
• Part of series Basketball Biography Books
• Print length 165 pages
• Language English
• Dimensions 15.24 x 0.64 x 22.86 cm
• Publication date Feb. 28 2015
• ISBN-10 1508682151
• ISBN-13 978-1508682158
• See all details

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Feb. 28 2015)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 165 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1508682151
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1508682158
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 227 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.24 x 0.64 x 22.86 cm
• #121 in Basketball (Books)
• #158 in Sports & Recreation Biographies for Children
• #658 in Sports & Outdoors Biographies (Books)

About the author

Clayton geoffreys.

Clayton Geoffreys is a multi-time best-selling author on Amazon. He was born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut. Growing up, Clayton could often be found spending afternoons reading in the local public library about management techniques and leadership styles, along with overall outlooks towards life. It was from spending those afternoons reading about how others have led productive lives that Clayton was inspired to write books. Usually Clayton write works around sports to learn more about influential athletes in the hopes that from his writing, you the reader can walk away inspired to put in an equal if not greater amount of hard work and perseverance to pursue your goals. If you are a sports junkie like Clayton, you can read his #1 Best Seller books on Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Russell Westbrook and Tom Brady.

Geoffreys has also written on a variety of other interests including but not limited to vitamins & supplements, retirement, psychology tests, and personal development.

You can sign up for goodies and the latest updates of his newest books at his website www.claytongeoffreys.com

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There's a new LeBron James biography. We have an excerpt

April 24, 2023 - by Jeff Benedict

By Jeff Benedict | April 24, 2023

Excerpt from LeBron  by Jeff Benedict , Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster (April 11, 2023). You can buy the book HERE

From the start of the 2015–2016 season, LeBron kept a close eye on the Warriors, recording their games and watching them in the middle of the night. He got accustomed to hearing the play-by-play announcer say the same three words: “ Curry . Three. Good.” With Curry knocking down three-point shots at a record clip, the Warriors looked like a team that might never lose. The NBA record for consecutive wins to open a season was fifteen. It had stood since 1949. But the Warriors shattered the mark. By mid-December, Golden State was 24-0. “They have by far the best player in basketball right now in Steph Curry,” NBA analyst David Aldridge  told NPR. “And I say that knowing that LeBron James is incredibly talented and gifted and is a great player, but what Curry’s doing is remarkable.”

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, struggled to play up to LeBron’s standards. They were the top team in the Eastern Conference. Nonetheless, midway through the season, the team fired head coach David Blatt and replaced him with Tyronn Lue , who was more popular among the players. In the second half of the season, the team lost more games under Lue than it had under Blatt. LeBron was at wit’s end.

Although he was living in Los Angeles and had his hands full running SpringHill, Maverick Carter kept close tabs on the situation in Cleveland. He recognized what was happening. Some of the Cavs players weren’t as committed as LeBron felt they should be. But Maverick also knew that LeBron was a perfectionist. Toward the end of the regular season, Maverick called him. “You get paid a lot of money to do something you’re better at than anybody else in the world,” Maverick told him. “So just do that. Don’t worry about this guy or that guy, or what anybody else is. Just play.”

The Cavs finished the regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 57-25. The Warriors, meanwhile, finished with the best record in NBA history at 73-9. Curry led the league in scoring, set the NBA record for three-pointers made in a season, and was voted MVP for the second straight year. The Warriors were the only team with three players – Curry, Thompson , and Green –  named to the All-Star team in 2016. And Steve Kerr was named Coach of the Year. The Warriors were so dominant and so popular that some writers started referring to them as America’s team.

LeBron had heard enough about how great the Warriors were. And it irked him when Curry was characterized as the best player in the world. Curry was a newly minted star who was known for freakishly accurate long-range shooting, handling the ball as if it were a yo-yo, and steals. He was a master showman who’d had two phenomenally entertaining seasons, and he was deserving of the MVP honors. But LeBron had been the most talented basketball player on the planet for thirteen years. For most of that time, he had to carry his team. His ability to play all five positions made him difficult to categorize. And his overall body of work from the NBA to the Olympics was on a different plane from Curry’s. In LeBron’s view, the words most valuable were open to interpretation, and there was a difference between being the most valuable player and being the best player in a particular season.

Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports agreed. He suggested that Curry wasn’t as important to his team’s success as LeBron had been in Miami or Cleveland. “I’m not sure this league has ever had a single player as valuable as LeBron James,” Cowherd said. He added: “Steph Curry should win ‘Best Player of the Year,’ while LeBron is the real MVP.”

The Cavs gelled at the right time and breezed through the playoffs, sweeping two teams and never being challenged. The Warriors, on the other hand, were nearly knocked off by Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. After being down, 3-1, the Warriors came back and won the series.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

A rematch between the Cavaliers and the Warriors was a gold mine for the NBA and its network partners. The 2016 NBA Finals pitted one of the best teams in NBA history against one of the best players in NBA history. The Warriors were trying to repeat as champions. LeBron was on a quest to win a championship for Cleveland. And the debate over who was the superior player – Curry or LeBron – would be settled on the floor. From a rating standpoint, ABC had the best drama on television.

The Warriors trounced the Cavs in Games 1 and 2 in Oakland, winning both games by a combined forty-eight points. In Game 3 in Cleveland, the Cavs responded, pounding the Warriors by thirty. But in the pivotal Game 4 on June 10, Curry erupted, nailing seven three-pointers and scoring thirty-eight points. Thompson added twenty-five, silencing the crowd and giving the Warriors a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Splash Brothers were all smiles when they left the Q.

The Cavs looked doomed. No team had ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals. And the Warriors hadn’t lost three games in a row all season. But an altercation between LeBron and Draymond Green near the end of Game 4 proved to be a turning point in the series. Green had been verbally and physically harassing LeBron throughout the game. With less than three minutes to play and the Warriors up by ten, LeBron had had enough. When Green set a screen, LeBron pushed his way through it. Green went down, and LeBron stepped over him in his pursuit of the play. Attempting to stand up while LeBron was straddling him, Green swiped at LeBron’s groin. LeBron took exception. They went chest-to-chest, exchanged words, and started shoving. Both players were whistled for fouls that had no impact on the game’s outcome.

The altercation between LeBron and Green escalated in the postgame press conferences. When asked about LeBron’s reaction to Draymond Green, Klay Thompson mocked LeBron by saying that the NBA was “a man’s league,” and that trash talk was part of the game. “I don’t know how the man feels,” Thompson said. “But obviously, people have feelings. People’s feelings get hurt. I guess his feelings just got hurt.”

While Thompson was talking to the press, LeBron was in the locker room, assuring his teammates that they had the Warriors right where they wanted them. He told his teammates that they were not going to lose another game. Then, when LeBron entered the media room, a reporter referenced Thompson’s words and asked him if he cared to comment. “What did you say Klay said?” LeBron asked. “Klay said, ‘I guess he just got his feelings hurt,’ ” the reporter repeated. Holding a microphone, LeBron dropped his chin to his chest and laughed. The press chuckled. “My goodness,” he said, grinning. “I’m not gonna comment on what Klay said.” He paused and laughed again. Then he looked the reporters in the eye. “It’s so hard to take the high road,” LeBron said with a smile. “I’ve been doing it for thirteen years. It’s so hard to continue to do it. And I’m gonna do it again.”

LeBron didn’t need additional motivation. But Thompson had manufactured some. Later that night, LeBron wound down with Savannah . Around two thirty in the morning, they watched Eddie Murphy Raw. After laughing hysterically for about ninety minutes, he sent a predawn group text to his teammates. They were due to board a plane for Oakland later that day. But LeBron had a message for them first. “I know we’re down 3-1,” he said. “But if you don’t think we can win this series, then don’t get on the fucking plane.”

LeBron was playing a game within the game. He’d been to the NBA Finals seven times, and he knew how hard it was to win back-to-back titles. He also understood that a seven-game series is a battle of attrition, and mental discipline plays a big part in who prevails. The Warriors were acting like a team that was entitled to the trophy. LeBron thought that was a big mistake.

After the Cavaliers arrived in Oakland, the NBA announced that Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5. He’d been retroactively assessed a flagrant foul for a “retaliatory swipe of his hand to the groin” of LeBron. As a stand-alone incident, Green’s flagrant foul didn’t warrant a suspension. But Green was a provocateur, and earlier in the postseason he’d twice been assessed flagrant fouls, once for throwing a Houston Rockets player to the floor, and once for kicking an Oklahoma City player between the legs. Under the NBA’s rules, Green’s third flagrant foul during the playoffs automatically triggered a one-game suspension.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron knew the rules when he had stepped over Green. Longtime New York Times sports columnist Harvey Araton suggested that LeBron was essentially saying to Green: “Care to check out my groin?” By goading Green, LeBron had beaten him at his own game. Basketball writers dubbed Green the “Nutcracker.” But Green’s disqualification was no laughing matter to the Warriors. A tenacious rebounder and shot blocker, Green was the anchor of the defense. He was also the team’s emotional leader who set the tone by doing the dirty work that enabled Curry and Thompson to flourish.

Prior to Game 5, LeBron got himself in the right frame of mind by watching The Godfather Part II. One scene—when crime boss Michael Corleone , bent on revenge, pays a surprise visit to Frankie Pentangeli – captured the way he felt toward Green and the Warriors.

Frankie: I wish you woulda let me know you were coming. I coulda prepared something for you.

Corleone: I didn’t want you to know I was coming.

In Green’s absence, the Cavs manhandled the Warriors. The big men controlled the paint, and LeBron and Kyrie each scored forty-one points. It was the first time in league history that teammates scored forty-plus points in a Finals game. The Cavs won by fifteen. As the final buzzer sounded, Curry attempted a meaningless layup. Even though the game was over, LeBron blocked Curry’s shot, sending a not-so-subtle message to the league’s MVP. Afterward, the New York Times declared that LeBron “remains the best hoop-playing specimen on the planet.”

The Warriors were still up, 3-2. But now they had to go back to Cleveland, where Warriors coach Steve Kerr was worried that LeBron would take control of the series. As a player, Kerr had won five NBA championships, including three straight with the Chicago Bulls in the Michael Jordan era. Kerr knew the amount of mental toughness that was required to win back-to-back titles. “It just doesn’t happen,” he told his players after Game 5. “It’s harder than that.”

For the Cavaliers, Game 6 was the biggest game in franchise history. Feeding off the crowd’s energy, they stormed to a 31–9 lead. Draymond Green was back in the lineup, but he played tentatively. The Cavs were much more physical, and the Warriors never matched their energy level. During one stretch in the second half, LeBron scored eighteen straight points. He wasn’t just dominating the Warriors. He was bullying them. In the fourth quarter, when LeBron should have needed a breather, he told Coach Lue, “I’m not coming out.” Then, with four minutes remaining and his team up by thirteen, Curry drove to the basket and head-faked, hoping to get LeBron up in the air. But LeBron didn’t bite. Instead, he waited for Curry to attempt a layup and swatted his shot out-of-bounds. He glared at Curry and barked a message: Get that weak shit out of my house! The Q erupted. It had never felt so good to be a Cavs fan.

Moments later, on the other end of the court, Curry tried to poke the ball out of LeBron’s hands and got whistled for his sixth foul. Angry over the call, Curry lit into the referee and flung his mouthpiece, hitting a fan who was seated courtside. The referee assessed Curry a technical foul and ejected him. It was the first time in Curry’s career that he’d been thrown out of a game. He got jeered leaving the court.

In contrast, LeBron played forty-three minutes and scored forty-one points for the second consecutive game. The Cavs won by fourteen and evened the series at 3-3. Afterward, Steve Kerr unloaded on the officials for the way they had treated Curry. “He’s the MVP of the league,” Kerr said. “He gets six fouls called on him. Three of them were absolutely ridiculous. LeBron flops on the last one. Jason Phillips falls for that flop. This is the MVP of the league, and we’re talking about these touch fouls in the NBA Finals.” Meanwhile, Curry’s wife tweeted that the game was rigged. “I won’t be silent,” she said.

The NBA fined Kerr for singling out a referee by name. Curry was fined for hurling his mouthpiece and hitting a fan. And his wife took down her tweet.

The Warriors were unraveling.

In the Cavs’ locker room, LeBron smiled. “They fucked up, mentally and physically,” he told his team. “I’m telling you. They. Fucked. Up.”

Game 7, back in Oakland, was the closest contest of the series. There were twenty lead changes and eighteen ties. And with under two minutes remaining, the score was knotted at eighty-nine when Kyrie Irving drove the lane and tossed up a floater. The play that would define LeBron’s legacy and reverse Cleveland’s sports history had begun.

Irving missed his floater. Warriors forward Andre Iguodala grabbed the rebound and took off downcourt, passing the ball ahead to Curry. With a defender in front of him and Iguodala streaking to the basket, Curry bounce-passed the ball back to him. Iguodala was fourteen feet from the hoop when he caught Curry’s pass in stride, took two steps, and elevated for a layup.

Trailing the play, LeBron was on the opposite side of the court and twenty-one feet from the basket when Iguodala caught Curry’s pass. I can get it, he told himself. With a head of steam and a three-foot vertical leap, LeBron took flight. In the air, he had to navigate three obstacles – to stay clear of the rim, avoid fouling Iguodala, and reach the ball before it reached the glass. His chest was level with Iguodala’s head when LeBron pinned the ball against the backboard, next to the square above the rim. The ball then ricocheted into J. R. Smith ’s hands. Golden State’s go-ahead layup had been diverted midflight.

BECK DIEFENBACH/AFP via Getty Images

The play happened so fast – an analysis would later reveal that LeBron had raced sixty feet in 2.67 seconds, topping out at an estimated twenty miles per hour – that the announcers didn’t grasp the significance of the feat until they watched it on slow-motion replay. “Oh . . . my . . . goodness,” ABC’s Jeff Van Gundy said. “Great pass by Curry. Running hard by Iguodala. And superhuman defensive recovery by LeBron James.”

On the other end, with the shot clock winding down and Curry guarding him out beyond the three-point line, Kyrie stepped back and launched, burying a clutch shot and putting his team up, 92–89. Then Curry, unable to shake Kevin Love , forced up a three that caromed off the back of the rim and into the hands of LeBron, who was fouled. LeBron made a free throw to put Cleveland up by four with ten seconds to play, sealing the victory. Moments later the Warriors missed a desperation heave as the buzzer sounded.

“It’s over! It’s over!” shouted ABC’s Mike Breen as Kevin Love hoisted LeBron off his feet. “Cleveland is a city of champions once again. The Cavaliers are NBA champions.”

The Cavs mobbed LeBron. In the chaos, Maverick Carter raced onto the court and hugged his friend.

Overcome, LeBron crumpled to his knees.

When he’d played on the Heat and finally won his first championship, he had not lost his composure. Nor had he cried after winning the second title in Miami. But this was different, more epic than he had dreamed. Digging out of a 3-1 hole to beat a team that had seemed invincible, against the odds he had delivered for the people of northeast Ohio. Cleveland’s fifty-two-year championship drought was over. This was what he’d come home for.

LeBron put his face to the floor and wept.

Excerpt from LeBron by Jeff Benedict , Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster (April 11, 2023). You can buy the book HERE

Evergreen , Top , Basketball , Cavaliers , Excerpt , NBA

Basketball , Cavaliers , Excerpt , NBA , Evergreen , Top , LeBron James , Cleveland Cavaliers , Golden State Warriors

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New Book Inspired by The Shop — And Featuring Foreword by LeBron James — to Publish This Fall (Exclusive)

“We’ve peeled back the curtain,” James writes in the book’s foreword

Carly Tagen-Dye is the Books editorial assistant at PEOPLE, where she writes for both print and digital platforms.

Courtesy of The SpringHill Company; Kevin Winter/Getty

A new book inspired by the Emmy-winning series The Shop will hit shelves this fall. Insight Editions has shared, exclusively with PEOPLE, that the publisher will partner with The Shop, the brand within LeBron James and Maverick Carter's The SpringHill Company, to publish The Shop: Where Culture Shapes Up this fall. The coffee table book is written by Ernest Wilkins. The Shop , which was co-created by Paul Rivera and Randy Mims in 2018, and executive-produced by James and Carter, is a series that celebrates artists, athletes and advocates through conversation. The series, now streaming on YouTube, has since expanded into a brand that offers live experiences and products that embody the essence of a barbershop, per a statement shared with PEOPLE.

Courtesy of The SpringHill Company

"The Shop isn't just about people talking to each other. It's deeper,” writes LeBron James in the book’s foreword. “It's about the things that shape us, the battles we fight and the journey we're all on ... Over the years, we've peeled back the curtain, showing the world that athletes, artists and entertainers are more than sound bites.”

The 224-page book will allow readers to experience the Emmy-winning show in a new way. The Shop: Where Culture Shapes Up will include never-before-seen photos, behind-the-scenes stories and insights and reflections from the show’s hosts and guests.

The book will ultimately give an in-depth look at the “real, unfiltered, empowering” conversations the show has become known for, and will make the perfect gift for fans, sports enthusiasts and culture lovers.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now !

“We’ve always viewed The Shop as more than a show. The Shop has become a community empowerment platform,” says Rivera. “This book features quotes and photography from some of the most iconic artists, athletes and entertainers in a real and unfiltered way you’ve come to expect inside The Shop .”

"We are honored to be selected by The Shop team to bring the authentic and genuine conversations from the series into the hands of readers,” says Insight Editions Publishing Director Mike Degler. “Our goal with this book was to inspire readers to think differently and use conversations from the global, influential figures featured in this book to impact their communities positively.”  Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer , from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  The Shop: Where Culture Shapes Up will be published on Sept. 17 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold. The seventh season of The Shop is available to stream on YouTube .

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Lebron James Book for Kids: The ultimate biography of King LeBron James for Children (6-12) (Legends for Kids) Hardcover – Large Print, December 12, 2023

LEBRON JAMES BOOK FOR KIDS:

"Dive into the incredible world of LeBron James with this action-packed biography crafted just for kids! Join the King of the Court on his awe-inspiring journey from a basketball prodigy to a global icon. Discover the thrilling tales of his slam-dunk success, his dedication to community, and the hard work that turned him into a hoops superhero. Packed with fun facts, jaw-dropping moments, and a slam dunk of inspiration, this biography is your VIP pass to the epic life of LeBron James. Get ready to shoot for the stars with the legend who proves that dreams really do come true!"

Prefect book for curious children, LeBron James Fans and Basketball lovers.

• Large print for easy reading.
• Filled with illustrations and Images for more interesting reading.
• Top notch quality colored paper quality.
• Perfect LeBron's Fans.
• Suitable for Educational purposes.

Scroll up to purchase now!!!!!!

• Reading age 6 - 12 years
• Print length 74 pages
• Language English
• Dimensions 8.5 x 0.31 x 11 inches
• Publisher Verity Books
• Publication date December 12, 2023
• ISBN-10 6045475941
• ISBN-13 978-6045475942
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Verity Books; Large type / Large print edition (December 12, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 74 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 6045475941
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-6045475942
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 6 - 12 years
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.17 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.31 x 11 inches
• #2,309 in Children's Basketball Books (Books)
• #4,737 in Children's Sports Biographies (Books)

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