LeBron James: The Rise of a Star
An up-close look at young LeBron James when he was basketball's hottest prospect, poised at the brink of superstardom.\ Sportswriter David Lee Morgan covered the LeBron phenomenon for the Akron Beacon Journal starting with LeBron’s freshman year in high school and had unequaled access to LeBron, his family, and his close friends. He saw the exceptional play on the basketball court and the surprising poise with which LeBron has handled the pressure, the scrutiny, the criticism that arrived...
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He has been called the best high school basketball player ever. He was the no-doubt-about-it number-one pick in the 2003 NBA draft as a high school senior. He had already been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior. He was touted wildly on national TV by basketball experts like Dick Vitale and Bill Walton. He signed a $90 million promotional contract with Nike. Why the big fuss over LeBron James? The odds were against LeBron from the start. Born in poverty to a 16-year-old single mom, without a father, raised only with the help of various family and neighbors . . . he could have become just one more scarred product of a rough childhood in the projects. Instead, he s the darling of the sports world and he plays the part well. Sportswriter David Lee Morgan has covered the LeBron phenomenon for the Akron Beacon Journal since LeBron s freshman year and has had unequaled access to LeBron, his family, and his close friends. He s seen the exceptional play on the basketball court. But he s also seen the surprising poise with which LeBron has handled the pressure, the scrutiny, the criticism that arrived with the early onset of fame. He has also watched, up close, the incredible circus-like atmosphere that has descended on this special kid from a small high school in Akron, Ohio. In this book, Morgan takes an inside look at the rise of sport s hottest young prospect, now poised at the brink of superstardom. School Library Journal Adult/High School-LeBron James truly has become a star. After appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and having his high school basketball games broadcast on ESPN, he was the first pick of the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA draft, and actually had them in playoff contention. The book is a breezier read than Ryan Jones's King James (St. Martin's, 2003) and doesn't weigh readers down with scores and statistics. Through interviews with those who knew LeBron while he was growing up (poor but loved in Akron, OH), the author draws a portrait of a boy who almost always had that special spark that defines him in the NBA today. Two inserts of color photographs depict the athlete from toddlerhood to recent NBA draftee, and most show him with his recognizable smile-and truly having fun with his gift. Morgan doesn't gloss over the controversy that surrounded the player when he accepted gifts as an amateur, a violation of the high school rules. He just comes across as a typical teen who sometimes screws up, albeit one with a prodigious talent. Demand for all things LeBron James may soon overtake demand for all things Michael Jordan, just as LeBron's statistics are rivaling those of a young Michael.-Jamie Watson, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Big Night\ Hickory Street\ On the Move\ Organized Sports\ Spring Hill\ AAU\ Coach Dambrot\ Freshman Year\ Eddie\ Sophomore Year\ Five-Star\ Football\ Junior year\ Trying to Stay Normal\ Senior Year: Big Time\ A Role Model\ Controversy\ The Hummer\ Jersey Trouble\ Friends to the End\ Shoe War\ Chosen\ Acknowledgments
\ American Library AssociationSelected as one of the year’s best books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.\ \ \ \ \ BooklistAn intimate look at James’ life and incredible basketball career . . . a well-rounded, personal portrait of the young superstar, which does an excellent job of depicting the intense pressure and scrutiny James and his family had to endure when he became basketball’s hottest prospect. Sixty color photographs will entice sports fans to this inspiring, well-written biography.\ — Ed Sullivan\ \ \ Cleveland MagazineReads like LeBron on the break—quick and controlled—with a good mix of photos . . . Along the way [you’ll discover] some things that you might not know about LeBron, even if you’ve been following his career since he was . . . well, a kid.\ — Steve Gleydura\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalA portrait of a boy who almost always had that special spark that defines him in the NBA today . . . Morgan doesn’t gloss over the controversy that surrounded the player when he accepted gifts as an amateur, a violation of the high school rules. He just comes across as a typical teen who sometimes screws up, albeit one with a prodigious talent.\ \ \ \ \ The Plain DealerMorgan’s years covering James for the Beacon Journal have given him a depth of understanding . . . It’s a story of persistence, focus and strong loyalties with appeal well beyond the ranks of sports fans.\ — Donna Marchetti\ \ \ \ \ WKBN AM RadioA behind-the-scenes, in-depth, touch-your-heart kind of book.\ — Rob Mangino\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalAdult/High School-LeBron James truly has become a star. After appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and having his high school basketball games broadcast on ESPN, he was the first pick of the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA draft, and actually had them in playoff contention. The book is a breezier read than Ryan Jones's King James (St. Martin's, 2003) and doesn't weigh readers down with scores and statistics. Through interviews with those who knew LeBron while he was growing up (poor but loved in Akron, OH), the author draws a portrait of a boy who almost always had that special spark that defines him in the NBA today. Two inserts of color photographs depict the athlete from toddlerhood to recent NBA draftee, and most show him with his recognizable smile-and truly having fun with his gift. Morgan doesn't gloss over the controversy that surrounded the player when he accepted gifts as an amateur, a violation of the high school rules. He just comes across as a typical teen who sometimes screws up, albeit one with a prodigious talent. Demand for all things LeBron James may soon overtake demand for all things Michael Jordan, just as LeBron's statistics are rivaling those of a young Michael.-Jamie Watson, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.\ \
