LeBron James: Cocky or Confident
 

I heard about this kid for the very first time yesterday on the RUSS PARR show (sucks without Olivia BTW IMO). . .he attends a school where Ideal08 and I are from. There is this article about him in the ESPN which I wanted to share with you. . .

NEXT: LeBron James
By Tom Friend
ESPN The Magazine


This time, Next is robbing the cradle.


There's this boy/man/narcissist out there, impersonating an NBA player, except he's 17 and still subject to a Catholic high school dress code. He lives in a two-bedroom Akron apartment, with an Ann Iverson clone, and the place is a virtual shrine to a 6'6" guard from North Carolina. "Got like 50 pictures of MJ on my wall -- that's all you need to know about me," the phenom says. "Got Iverson, McGrady, Magic and Kobe on there, too. And myself. I'm on my wall."


He goes out in public reluctantly, with a Celtics cap tugged low over his eyes, but at least he's reachable. He's got a two-way pager on one hip and two cell phones on the other -- because he never knows when Antoine Walker might call. "Shoot, we were at Applebee's one day, and Antoine Walker did call," says a buddy named Frankie Jr. "And he put him on hold. How can you put Antoine Walker on hold?" //WHO IS ANTOINE WALKER?!!??!


But this is the life of a teenage Next. His home games are on pay-per-view for $7.95 a pop in 14 Ohio counties, and a Dec. 12 matchup with national power Oak Hill was scooped up by ESPN2. "I hope Kobe watches," the kid says. He wanted Dickie V to do the broadcast -- because it's not like he'll be playing on Big Monday next season -- but there are more important things to worry about.


He needs to pick a sneaker company, insure his body for at least 5 mil and cross his fingers that the judge goes easy on his surrogate father. He needs to find a parking space for his Explorer, keep his mother off the refs and avoid the Internet. Not long ago, he read online that he'd fathered three children by two women, which was news to him. But all of the mystery and intrigue will be over in six months, when LeBron James finally shakes the commissioner's hand and gets on with it.


Not since Lew Alcindor has a high school senior been hoisted this high over the bean stalk, and there's an entire basketball public tripping all over itself in anticipation. Michael calls him "Young Buck." Shaq is proud to say, "I'm in his Rolodex." And Cleveland coach John Lucas has said, "Gotta have him, gotta have him."

Meanwhile, his own prep coach thinks every last one of them is setting Bron up to fail. "I mean, it took Kobe three years," says Dru Joyce II, the God-fearing St. Vincent-St. Mary's mentor who makes James do 10 push-ups every time he curses. "But everyone expects Bron to go right into the NBA and dominate. And I'm concerned about the kid."

Not so concerned that he objects to moving most of LeBron's home games to a college fieldhouse. Not so concerned that he won't accept the free adidas shoes and uniforms that Sonny Vaccaro sends in bulk. Not so concerned that he won't let LeBron James wear monogrammed "LJ 23" adidas tees, sweats and sneakers. A teenager is up for grabs here, to the point that some NBA teams look as if they've already thrown in the towel to get him, and no one has been able to stop the insanity.

The kid has charisma -- "Charisma? He's a damn fool," says his mother, laughing -- but he's also oblivious to the flaws of his inner circle. An ex-con is handling his business affairs. Another ex-con wants to tell him he's his biological father. Even his own mother, Gloria, has been seen trading adidas gear to gain entry to local bingo games. It isn't easy being a 17-year-old prodigy who's the so-called future of a pro sports league, especially when you haven't even experienced prom night.

But that's the rushed, inflated world LeBron James lives in. It is no surprise that he already refers to himself in the third person -- "LeBron stays humble by just being LeBron," he says -- or that he shouts "King James!" or "You sorry!" after he's dunked on you. It is no surprise that LeBron memorabilia are up on eBay, or that 30-year-old women want to date him, or that a football game in an Amish community a year ago ended with his signing autographs for 45 minutes. It is no surprise that his surrogate dad wants him to play for the Knicks -- "Mecca, Mecca," the man says; or that the NBA is already thinking about putting him on the 2004 Olympic team; or that, according to Lycos, LeBron is the subject of more Internet searches than any NBA player other than AI, MJ, Kobe, Vince and Tracy.

He has sold out Cleveland's Gund Arena and Ohio State's Value City Arena //this is a BIG AZZZZZ ARENA,\\ not to mention local 8 a.m. scrimmages. And that's why the Madison Square Garden suits, who suddenly have seats to fill, are salivating over a kid who can windmill a dunk on one possession and no-look a bounce pass through a 2-1-2 zone the next.


He doesn't post up yet, but NBA scouts say he can pass out of a double-team better than two-thirds of the league. He shot just 59% from the foul line and 34% from three-point land last season, but that was LeBron in the gym all August, extending his range to 30 feet. He could win the NBA dunk contest right now, but it's his basketball IQ, his feel for the game, that has league cellar dwellers thinking savior. Scouts like that he's a people person, and predict he'll make a better teammate than Kobe. They say he'll be a distributor as a rookie, a go-to guy by Year 2 and on a Wheaties box by Year 3.


The kid is okay with the obscene hype, but there's also a real LeBron James down there somewhere, under all that muck. And the real LeBron James happens to be a gem. He scribbles "Gloria" on one adidas sneaker stripe, "Marie" on the next and "James" on the third. He shops at the NBA Store, just gave up soda for spring water, sings karaoke at school and visits one particular family every Christmas Eve. He has a 3.2 GPA and took the ACTs out of sheer curiosity. The real LeBron James gets inundated with free sneakers, so he gives them away for nothing in the school cafeteria, shouting out trivia questions like, "Who did we beat in the state playoffs last year?" The real LeBron James once got reprimanded by his coach for wearing his shorts too low, so he pulled them up like Urkel for a week. The real LeBron James tells his posse they can live with him for his entire NBA career -- or at least until he gets married. The real LeBron James still gets roasted for having the floppiest ears in Akron.


"Yep, he gets called Dumbo, Airplane, anything you can come up with," says friend and teammate Sian Cotton. "We treat him like anyone else. Of course, he says he's gonna get all of us cars after the NBA draft. Tells us whatever kind of truck we want we can get."

First he has to learn how to write a check.:eek:

He used to stand on his tiptoes, to stretch himself to 6'6". That was his prayer -- to be Michael Jordan's height. But ever since he passed Mike by, he's refused to be measured.

"I don't know how tall I am or how much I weigh," he says. "Because I don't want anybody to know my identity. I'm like a superhero. Call me Basketball Man." :rolleyes:

The best estimate -- or at least what the St. V's program says -- is that he's 6'8", 240. But like most everything else with LeBron James, it's an absolute guess. The general public has been hearing about him for 2 years, ever since he was the nation's No. 1 prep as a sophomore, but his evolution can be broken down into two stages: pre-6'6" and post-6'6".


He had little stability in his early years, because of a father who never checked in and a mother who scoured the want ads. "When I was 5, some financial things happened, and I moved seven times in a year," LeBron says. "We moved from apartment to apartment, sometimes living with friends. My mom would always say, 'Don't get comfortable, because we may not be here long.' "

Her name is Gloria Marie James, and she's a testy, diminutive woman with a serious set of lungs: "I'm loud, can't help it." She got pregnant at 16, and it's been just her and her "Bron Bron" ever since. She says the father was a casual sex partner named Anthony McClelland, who by now is well-known within the state and county penal systems. He's been convicted of arson and theft, to name just two of his many transgressions, and he certainly wasn't the one to help Glo out of her monetary hardships.

Glo's always been late to bed, late to rise -- "I ain't into mornings" -- and she's seen her share of trouble as well, having spent a total of seven days in county jail. According to Akron court records, she's been cited over the years for playing music too loudly, criminal trespassing, contempt of court and disorderly conduct. It's something she plays down -- "There wasn't any drugs involved" -- but it was never trivial to her son. Out of shame, he stopped going to elementary school, instead spending his days walking back and forth between his apartment and the corner store. "In fourth grade, I missed 82 days of school," LeBron says. "Out of 160." :eek:


One thing he did embrace was football. He joined a Pee Wee team and scored 19 touchdowns in six games as a receiver. When his coach, Frankie Walker, noticed LeBron didn't return to school after fourth-grade Christmas break, he quizzed some of the other parents and learned that Glo was looking to find LeBron a more stable home. After consulting with his family -- wife Pam and kids Chanelle, Frankie Jr. and Tanesha -- Walker volunteered to take the boy in.


"I don't want to give the impression that Glo just dropped LeBron off on our doorstep," Pam says. "It was important to him and to her that they maintain their relationship. So, wherever she was staying, he went with her on the weekend."


But on weekdays LeBron was getting his first taste of family. "My life changed," he says. "I had shelter and food." With Glo, LeBron would go to bed after Jay Leno; with the Walkers, he had bathrooms to clean and couldn't talk back. He didn't miss one day of school in fifth grade, and at the end of the year he took home the school's attendance award. "Best award ever," he says.


The cellar-dweller teams see LeBron as their ticket to the Finals
LeBron returned to his mom for part of sixth grade, but she couldn't make rent and sent him back to the Walkers. Glo then considered moving her son to New York, where she had relatives, but the Walkers wouldn't hear of it. They had this ritual of baking LeBron a German chocolate cake on his birthday, and hosting him every Christmas Eve. And rather than lose him, Pam and one of her friends found Gloria a permanent apartment.

It meant the boy could keep his pals -- Frankie Jr., Sian, Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis -- and together that crew won more than 200 AAU basketball games. LeBron, by then a six-foot eighth-grader, was the jewel of the squad. He saw the court better, shared better, jumped higher, wore No. 23. And after dominating a series of tournaments, he found himself rated a top-five national prospect.

He also had a certain gleam now, because he and Glo had their own place. Pam Walker still drove him to school every morning, but after practice he wanted the gang over to his house now.


Then, the summer before 10th grade, lightning struck. "I remember sleeping over at his place," Sian says. "We woke up, got some cereal, and I'm like, 'You grew two inches last night!' I swear, he grew two inches overnight! By the end of the summer, the dude was six-six something."


Six-six three-quarters inches. Exactly.


The first sign of chaos was when he showed up at St. V's driving a Navigator. Those weren't his wheels -- they belonged to an ex-con -- and that's when the negativity kicked in. Until then, LeBron James had been his own creation: a kid who dished like Magic, created like Michael, slashed like McGrady and was ornery like Iverson. It was hyperbole, of course, but the talk had enough merit that shoe companies, investment firms and even Shaq needed someone to call as a go-between.


The ex-con, he was that guy. His name is Eddie Jackson, and he'd been one of Glo's boyfriends from the formative years. When he actually resurfaced is up for debate, but the LeBron regulars don't recall seeing him at any AAU games before the eighth grade. They never saw Glo, either -- "LeBron would look up in the crowd for her," Frankie Sr. says -- but from eighth grade on, Eddie and Glo never missed a free throw. :rolleyes:


"What, I knew he was gonna be an NBA prospect in the eighth grade?" Eddie says. "Come on. That's hideous."

Fact is, IMG -- the rep firm based in nearby Cleveland -- inquired about LeBron as early as the ninth grade, so the secret had long been out. And if Eddie hadn't already done 27 months for drug trafficking in the early '90s, his presence might have been more palatable. But he showed up at the Walkers' one Christmas Eve to give LeBron a PlayStation 2, and as the teen grew past 6'6", the gifts grew too. Last year's whopper was a '95 Ford Explorer.


"Absolutely, I gave him the car," says Eddie, now a concert promoter and a drug-and-alcohol prevention counselor. "When you got a kid that's a 3.0 student and dominating the country in basketball, you get him whatever the hell he wants.":eek:

This was the world LeBron had to somehow make sense of, and he began to confide more in Eddie than in folks like the Walkers. He asked Eddie to join Gloria as his financial adviser, and began calling Eddie Dad. It was the first in a series of events that turned LeBron's life into what it is today: a circus.


Adidas swoops in. Vaccaro was shrewd enough to befriend Eddie; before long, adidas was the official sneaker of St. V's. But the battle for custody of LeBron's size-15 feet was only just beginning. Nike's George Raveling will be glad to know that James wears Air Force Ones in practice and once switched from adidas to Nike at halftime of a bad shooting night. "I wear the sneakers that go with my outfits," Bron says. "Haven't signed nothing yet."


Michael's secret workouts. Jordan was bringing the big guns to Chicago for private scrimmages before the 2001-02 season, and he sent for LeBron. The kid had just finished 10th grade, yet Michael mostly matched him up against Jerry Stackhouse and Corey Maggette. LeBron held his own, and Michael was impressed by his ambidexterity. (James eats and writes lefthanded, but shoots righthanded.) Before LeBron left, Michael gave him his cell number. "We stole it from LeBron's phone," Frankie Jr. says. "We called, and Michael picked up. We hung up. Mike changed his number after that. Now we've got to get the new one. That's our goal before the season ends."


Turning pro after 11th grade. When a reporter asked Glo if LeBron would consider skipping his senior year, she chirped, "Who wouldn't?" By now she had become the town's unofficial loose cannon. She'd attend games in a "LeBron's Mom" jersey, shouting, "Yeah, baby, we going to the bank," and rushing the court whenever an opponent low-bridged her son. "I had to put an end to that -- she was getting a bad name for herself," LeBron says. "Around the house, I call her Miss Ann Iverson or Iverson's Mom Part II." Says Glo: "Ann ain't got nothing on me. Matter fact, me and Ann may turn out to be good friends."


St. V's outgrows its gym. With the fire marshal worrying about SRO crowds, most of LeBron's games were moved to the U. of Akron's 6,000-seat JAR Arena last season. The town just couldn't get enough of his 37-inch vertical and his topspin passes, and the kid was turned into a cash cow. The school has reportedly earned $200,000 to $300,000 by playing the larger venue, more than enough to buy a new sound system for its matchbox gym. "Who paid for that sound system?" Glo growls. "Bron did. And do you know they want him to pay almost $40 a year to park at school? Let me get out of this school before I get nasty." //GHETTO\\


The father resurfaces. It was inevitable, but Glo says LeBron's biological dad wants back in. Problem is, McClelland has been found guilty of theft five times and just got arrested for theft again on Nov. 12. LeBron is vetoing any meetings. "I keep that somewhere far, far away," he says.

Want MJ's cell number? Ask LeBron, he's got it.
The Cavaliers audition. James has never been able to stay away from Gund Arena. He loitered outside the Cavs locker room all last season, and says he knows "at least two or three guys on every NBA team." But it got surreal when Shaq reciprocated and showed up at one of LeBron's St. V games.("I wanted to take a look," Shaq says. "Every No.1 high school player gets that hype. Marcus Liberty got that hype back in my day. Where is Marcus Liberty now?") Though the Big Fella gave him a thumbs up, he was nowhere near as intrigued as the Cavs' Lucas, who had worked out Kobe in high school and had long itched to see LeBron. "I kept hearing he was better than Kobe," Lucas says. "So I went to see him play at an AAU tournament and stayed 11 hours. Stayed 11 hours looking for a weakness."

Last spring, Lucas invited James to an informal Cavs workout, then watched him dunk on Jumaine Jones and jam backward over Chris Mihm. But it was the kid's point guard skills that floored the coach, so much so that Lucas has no regrets about the two-game suspension and the $150,000 fine he received for bringing LeBron in. In fact, some Cavs players suggest the front office traded point guard Andre Miller to pave the way for a lottery run (which is what happens when you peel off 15 losses in a row).

Either way, LeBron Fever was off the charts after the Cleveland workout, even though critics still saw a kid who drifted to the perimeter on offense and looked indifferent on defense. Adidas and Nike didn't care. Adidas engraved his sneakers and made him a gold mouthpiece with "King James" across the front and "Gloria" across the molars. //:eek: GHETTO MONSTROSITY\\ Nike handed him swooshed rubber-band wristlets with "King" on one side and "James" on the other. :eek:

And then, thankfully, came a dose of reality. At a summer AAU game in Chicago, LeBron was undercut on a dunk and broke his left wrist. Pros like Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson were in the stands, but left as soon as they saw the kid weeping in Glo's arms. //LMAO\\ "I was like, 'Why me?' " James says. "I hear 'broken,' and I'm thinking I'm out a year, two years."

Jordan's personal orthopedist monitored LeBron and his personal trainer rehabbed him, and it made for a cathartic summer. He played pickup with his cast on, and people started to see the real LeBron James again. "I treated it like every day was my last day with a basketball," he says.


At the time, Eddie was facing prison again (his sentencing for mortgage fraud was scheduled for Dec.11), and LeBron started re-evaluating. It wasn't his fault everybody around him had their calculators out. He nearly broke his neck when he tore down a rickety rim in Stow, Ohio, a month ago, but when the Stow athletic director wouldn't let Eddie have the rim as a momento, Jackson yelped, "We'll sue you then!" Glo chimed, "Sue, baby, sue! It'll be a sweeeeet Christmas." So the AD said, "I'll give it to you for six autographed basketballs," at which point Glo told him, "You probably want six [favors] instead." LeBron was the only one around him who could keep his head, and what he decided to do -- at least temporarily -- was stop fixating on the NBA.


"People ask me if it's a hard decision going to the NBA, but I've made harder decisions," he says. "Decisions about smoking or going to school, or stealing from a store or not stealing. Those are harder decisions. Yeah, I smoked weed. When it's around family, around friends, of course you want to try it. I tried it a couple of times. But when you get on the court and your wind ain't there, that's when you've got to just stop doing it. So the NBA decision ain't a hard decision compared to that."


It's a side of Bron Bron nobody has really seen since … before he was 6'6". Maybe he's finally growing up, maybe not. But when asked by friends what he wants for his 18th birthday later this month, LeBron James doesn't flinch.


He wants German chocolate cake. At the Walkers'.

This article appears in the Dec. 23 issue of ESPN The Magazine. You can watch LeBron in action Thursday Dec. 12 on ESPN2 -- followed by NEXT -- at 9 p.m. ET.

http://sportsmed.starwave.com/i/maga...next_cover.jpg http://sportsmed.starwave.com/i/maga...ebron_1023.jpg http://sportsmed.starwave.com/media/...a_lebron_i.jpg


My own personal thoughts: He seems to have a talent within basketball but the people surrounding (his mama and her man) are going to be the death of him. I cannot believe he has MJ's number and stuff. I am glad the Walkers are around to keep some sense of humility in his life.

Wow
 

Thanks for posting the article. And I was also able to pick up on Ms. James and her man and the vibe they threw out. What Gloria James needs to realize is that LeBron is her SON, not her MAN, and she needs to maintain that distance.

I've seen some commentaries where the writers have felt that Anne Iverson is a little too worshipful of her son Allen. Last summer, I recalled Ms. Iverson calling Allen "A.I." like she was some rapper's groupie. :rolleyes:

A few other thoughts about LeBron:

After he gets his NBA and sneaker $$$, he needs to get solid financial planning and a strong investment portfolio. Quality black-owned financial management firms exist. He doesn't need ex-cons handling his business affairs. :rolleyes:

Glad to read that he's got a 3.2 GPA. It would be nice to further his education. Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, two of the best HS-to-NBA guys, have both reportedly taken college classes. Don't know about Tracy McGrady, though.
Then again, Kobe is hard to compare anyone to because he grew up in comfort with dad Joe (Jellybean) Bryant, as a constant presence.

Seems that Coach Walker and his family's involvement in LeBron's life has given him a nice boost.

Re: LeBron James: Cocky or Confident
 

Antoine Walker is a basketball player for the Boston Celtics.

I agree with you CT4. I saw him play on ESPN2 and I must admit that he is a very good basketball player. That being said I think that he should go to college for at least one or two years (I would say graduate but for most b-ball players, that is pushing it), especially since he has a 3.2 GPA.It is sad to see that his momma and her jailbird man only see $$$ instead of realizing that her son NEEDS to get an education. To me, it seems like everyone around him is out for the ALMIGHTY DOLLAR! The only people who seem to genuinely care about him is the Walker family. Hopefully, if he does go to the NBA straight out of high school, which is the way it looks, that the Walker family will continue to be there for him.

As far as the people in the NBA we all know that they are about the money. And I just can't getover Adidas and the gold teeth:eek:

As I reread the article and saw more commentary from a male's POV, some more comments came to mind:

1. How legit is the 3.2? Think about it, in most schools athletes get special privileges, especially those of LeBron's magnitude. The school he attend is elite, true enough, but think of all the press they are getting by having LeBron attend and win games, etc. etc. I am sure his teachers are getting pressure to keep him "Eligible" and not to load him with too much homework.

2. He may not be able to attend college to play ball before heading to the NBA because of all the endorsements and special gifts he has received from NIKE, ADIDAS, etc. But even if he did, how likely would it be that he went if it meant getting GHETTO AZZ GLORIA a house and other materialistic showings.

3. Who is really watching out for this boy's (because he is still a child) interests outside of basketball and AFTER basketball is over? Has anyone given him the talks? You really cannot expect MJ or Iverson or Kobe to give him the real deal talk on how to handle his business as an NBA star. He needs a STRONG mentor like Mr. Walker but one who is in the NBA.


I am glad that anyone is blessed with a talent, especially one of this magnitude but does he know how to handle it in all its aspects?

I just found out about LeBron James from all the hype of a nationally televised high school game. I immediately thought about KG (go Timberwolves :D ) and how maturity issues affected his first years in the NBA. The good news is that KG listened to the advice of the older players and never did serious damage to himself or his game. I hope the affect that the Walker family has had on LeBron supercedes the affect of his own family and that the veterans who have taken him under their wings will keep in on the straight and narrow. He is very vunerable right now.

Being that I am in Akron right now, I am so tired of hearing about this little boy. Every time you turn on the tv they are talking about him, everytime you pick up a paper he is on the front page or on the sports cover.
I was tempted to post about the game being on ESPn and the local cable channel having the games on PPV. But I decided not to hype him anymore than what people are already doing.
I just can't wait to see what he does when he gets in the NBA, not to say that he might suck but his head is going to be too big from how he has been treated the past two years of his high school career!

Re: Re: LeBron James: Cocky or Confident
 

I agree. Some people seem to have forgotten that although Kobe was a phenom in high school, much of what he lacked in his first years in the NBA in the way of being a team player and intelligent thinker on both sides of the court were due to his decision not to attend college. It is quite easy to dominate in high school b-ball, but college can provide other dynamics that are key to succes in the League no matter how good you might be.

If he decides to go straight to the NBA-- or better yet, when he gets there tomorrow, I hope he understands that no matter what he does, he'll never be bigger than the hype.

Can you say, Yao Ming?

Why are reading this article, all I could do was feel sorry for him. :( I just don't get the feeling of a happy ending here.

Mess like this is why I do not believe that high school kids should be targeted/recruited by NBA franchises.

My friends and I have had this discussion a million times. I've read articles about LeBron before. I am really afraid for him. As others have stated, his 3.2 means crap. I went to a serious basketball high school. I heard with my own ears a teacher tell one of our players, who was showing his @&$ in class, "As soon as basketball season is over, I gonna give you the grade you deserve." I was like, WTF! Also, I have a problem with all of these adults viewing this CHILD as a meal ticket. They do not care that they are not looking out for his best interests. His mother and others, are thinking only of what his talent can gain THEM. I think that he should go to college. Sure, he is a first round draft pick, but college is important. He can grow up a bit, play with a better group of his peers, and perhaps learn something about managing his money. On the other hand, I also hate to think about how colleges also take advantage of these players. They make millions for the school and in return they get a free education (yeah right!). Then if they take money or something, they are villainized! Whew, I'm sorry. Started to think about my man C-Webb there for a minute.

Posted on Tue, Jan. 14, 2003

Inquiry into James' vehicle starts
Documentation for Hummer's financing sought
By Brian Windhorst and David Lee Morgan Jr.
Beacon Journal staff writers

The Ohio High School Athletic Association launched an investigation Monday into how St. Vincent-St. Mary basketball star LeBron James acquired a 2003 Hummer H2 vehicle.

The OHSAA has requested documentation from the school on who purchased the vehicle and how it was financed. At stake is James' amateur athletic status, which could be lost if the SUV is proved to be an improper gift from an outside source.

The rule in question is OHSAA Bylaw 4-10-1, Section C, which states that amateur status is forfeited if an athlete ``capitalizes on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value.''

St. V-M officials have been told the Hummer was a birthday gift from James' mother, Gloria. Such a gift would not violate any OHSAA rule. James, a senior, turned 18 on Dec. 30.

``(OHSAA Commissioner) Clair Muscaro has requested that St. Vincent-St. Mary provide something in writing on how the vehicle was obtained to make sure there are no illegalities,'' said the association's director of information services, Bob Goldring. ``If his mother received a regular bank loan to purchase the car, there would not be a problem.''

Attempts to reach Gloria James on Monday were not successful. The family previously has declined to discuss the Hummer.

St. V-M Headmaster David Rathz did not return phone messages left at the school Monday.

School Athletic Director Grant Innocenzi released a statement that confirmed the contact by the OHSAA, but said the school was not asked to take any immediate action.

``Mr. Muscaro explained that he would initiate the inquiry from his office in Columbus and is not now requesting any action by the school. The administration will cooperate fully and has asked for a thorough and prompt resolution,'' Innocenzi said in the statement.

It is believed such an inquiry into a vehicle purchase for an athlete is unprecedented in Ohio high school history, as investigations regarding amateur status violations are rare. If a penalty were to be imposed, James could be ruled ineligible to participate in further games and St. V-M could forfeit any victories since the vehicle was acquired.

``This appears to be a whole new phenomenon for us,'' Goldring said. ``It is fair to say that we don't have as many rules and regulations pertaining to amateur status as an organization like the NCAA.'' The National Collegiate Athletic Association is the governing body of major college sports.

Unlike the NCAA, the OHSAA has no specific provisions in its bylaws pertaining to the purchase of automobiles.

Over the last three years, James and the entire St. V-M basketball program have received clothing and shoes that would have retail value in the thousands of dollars from European shoe company adidas through a sponsorship contract.

The terms call for the shoe company to supply all uniforms, shoes and equipment for all team members.

That arrangement is permitted by the OHSAA under general rules covering sponsorships. Another rule allows money for travel expenses to and from numerous out-of-town games that the Irish have participated in during the last three seasons. High school athletes are also permitted to pursue and obtain scholarships from colleges.

Other rules concerning what constitutes improper gifts appear to be open to interpretation, such as what it means to ``capitalize on fame.''

The 2003 Hummer H2 is a new model from automaker AM General and has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $49,000. Standard accessory packages make the average vehicle cost around $53,000. James is reported to have also outfitted the large SUV with special equipment, including video screens, that add to the overall cost.

The car is popular among professional athletes because of its size and resulting head and leg room, a feature that would benefit the 6-foot-8 James. It is driven by numerous NBA and NFL players and is a favorite of former Cleveland Indian Jim Thome and current Cleveland Browns player Kevin Johnson.

Hummer bears tag of dealer in Calif.
By David Lee Morgan Jr.
Beacon Journal staff writer

The Hummer SUV being driven by LeBron James has a tag from 310 Motoring Automobile Specialists of Los Angeles, which specializes in sales to celebrities.

The dealership offers luxury car sales and leases and features Bentley, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Lamborghini products.

There is a page on the dealer's Web site that advertises its client list.

Names listed include actor Denzel Washington and entertainers Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Mark McGrath of the pop group Sugar Ray, Nelly, Ice Cube and Queen Latifah.

NBA clients listed include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, former Cavs player Bobby Sura, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker (who has become a mentor and confidant to James), Stephon Marbury, Scottie Pippen and Cavs forward Tyrone Hill.

NFL clients include Keyshawn Johnson, Ray Lewis, Deuce McCallister, Peter Warrick, Warren Sapp and Browns defensive back Corey Fuller.

On the company's Web site, www.310motoring.com, the dealership offers enclosed transportation pickup and delivery to all states.

Visitors to the Web site find jazz music accompanying their tour of the site.

The site also gives potential customers a preview of how the vehicle will be shipped via tractor-trailer. The dealership also advertises that it will install custom audio and video capability, including PlayStation and DreamCast entertainment.

A person answering the phone at the dealer on Monday referred calls to a representative, who declined to talk about specifics regarding the Hummer that James drives.

JUUUUUST wait until he gets hurt..let a knee or something go out and watch how fast the $$$ and all the people trying to get some disappear.

I hear you, I am so tired of hearing about him every little thing that he does make front page news here!

I just saw on CNN Talk Live with Arthell Nevell (I believe that's her name) this evening about how he was being investigated b/c of the Hummer that he's pushing. I thought that it was really interesting. They were talking about where he grew up and all that. I couldn't help but wonder if they would be making such a big deal about it if he wasn't such a popular ball player and if he was a teenager that came from a "upper class" family. I believe it was said that his mother took out a loan from the bank to purchase it as a surprise for his 18th birthday. All of this is interesting. He may be talented and NBA worthy, but all I have to say is that God gave him that talent and God can take it away. I hope he's careful with the decisions that he make concerning his future and most importantly the people that he surround himself with. Such a shame to have so much pressure at such a young age.

What I would like to know is why his mother took out a $50,000 loan supposedly for a car when the James' are still living in subsidizedd housing. While there is nothing wrong with living there, I do find a problem when an 18 year old is pushing the car. What happens if he gets hurt while playing ball? All that money is down the toilet. We can already see what will happen if and when he play for the pros.:rolleyes: :eek:

That MOFO is SPOILED!!

His mom is DUMB!!! I wish I wooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuld buy my child a hummer. First of all those things are ATROCIOUS!! Number 2, my child would be kept as normal as possible by those who were there from DA BEGINNING!

All of this hype cannot be good for him.

I hate to be rude, but some people shouldn't have kids, and Chickenhead James is a great example of that.

his mother is trying really hard to push him into the NBA. she wants to get paid, never mind who gets hurt- his teammates, LeBron himself...
i can't imagine a bank giving her a loan. a Black sports talk show said that that's common-loaning based on future earnings. but her? she shouldn't have gotten a loan for a Chevy Metro. plus, if he does go to the NBA, he will pay for his own birthday gift:rolleyes: she won't have the money... i'm just gonna hold him up in prayer. he needs help, not to get into the NBA but to be saved from his momma:( :eek: :( :eek:

Co-sign on all my Soror's opinions. That young man will need prayer, the Walkers and strong advisors because I can see the chickenmama eating him alive.
:rolleyes:

Re: Wow
 

In KG's defense as far as school, he wanted to go to school out of high school, but he couldn't pass the SAT to get a scholarship. His goal though was to eventually go to college which he has started. KG is a really nice young man. I have met him and he has very nice manners.

I saw this kid play on ESPN2 and then I saw him play in Philly a few weeks after that. I must admit the kid does have game. A.I. was at the game to scope him out as well.
ALso he speaks much better than I thought he would, and his mom is definetly a trip.

I also think I read somewhere that Adidas signed him to a 25M contract. This kid is not going to college, no way. As far as he thinks he is ready for college, I mean they are ready to make this kid another high school #1 pick.

Re: Re: Wow
 

:D :D
And good look to KG with his studies. He may not need it, if he takes care of his money, but that piece of paper is precious.

hmmph!
 

so they gave HER a loan for a hummer, while she is still living on assistance? hmm... i got a degree, a job, and a vision for the future - and i'm still pushing a Corolla! Something just ain't right with this picture.


----------
BLU

Re: hmmph!
 

No kidding. :mad:

It almost is a perverse incentive -- if I had chosen at age 16 or so to open my legs and let some little scrubby boy I grew up with drop hammer on me, I too might have had a son w/athletic talent :rolleyes: and the spoils of success, as it were.
But I didn't. Today, I'm not rolling in money, but at least I've got a degree and WORK in order to pull a check.
I feel sorry for BronBron.

Woman files police report, claims James backed into her car
Jan. 28, 2003
SportsLine.com wire reports

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James hasn't completely steered clear of trouble with his Hummer.

The nation's top high school basketball player was cleared Monday after a two-week investigation by state officials determined he did not violate amateur bylaws by accepting a Hummer H2 vehicle as a gift.

Hours after James was cleared, an 88-year-old woman filed a police report claiming that he backed his sport utility vehicle into her car.

LeBron James is expected to be the top pick in the next NBA Draft.(AP)

Iola Winston of Akron said the accident occurred while she was stopped in traffic Friday afternoon -- a few hours before James' final home game at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Winston said she gave James her phone number after he said he would have the damage repaired. She was not injured.

Her car later broke down and she had it towed. She waited until Monday night to file the accident report with Akron police.

James' attorney, Fred Nance, was not immediately available for comment.

Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner Clair Muscaro ruled Monday morning that James did not compromise his amateur status by accepting the Hummer as a gift and that his mother, Gloria, had provided proof she bought him the vehicle.

"I was satisfied with the documentation that we were given," Muscaro said.

Muscaro had been gathering information and financial proof to determine how James, a senior and expected No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft, had obtained the SUV, which has a base retail price of $50,000.

Gloria James said she took out a bank loan in Columbus to buy the Hummer -- shipped from a dealership in California and outfitted with three TVs and computer game hookups -- for her son's 18th birthday.

Muscaro's concern was that James had accepted the Hummer from an agent or outside source and had violated an OHSAA bylaw that says amateur status is forfeited if an athlete capitalizes on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value.

Muscaro was shown the business records from the bank and dealership and was satisfied that the financing and acquisition of the vehicle were acquired by James' mother alone.

"I'm not in position to question bank officials," Muscaro said. "I am satisfied that the loan that was granted did not violate our guidelines and was acquired only by his mother."

Muscaro said no violations of the OHSAA amateur bylaws "as currently written" were found and that James is still eligible to play.

However, Muscaro thinks the OHSAA should re-examine some of its amateur bylaws.

"It's something that needs to be looked at," he said, "to make sure they are in step with current times."

Any bylaw revisions would be subject to a recommendation and vote by the OHSAA's 800-plus member schools, Muscaro said.

If the OHSAA had ruled James ineligible, St. Vincent-St. Mary, ranked No. 1 by USA Today, would have had to forfeit its games from the time he accepted the SUV.

With the investigation over, James can now concentrate on the remainder of his final season with the Fighting Irish (14-0).

James has received unprecedented coverage in the past year, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior and having some of his games televised on ESPN this season.

Nike and Adidas are both jockeying to sign him to a multimillion dollar endorsement deal.

James' exposure has led to a backlash from some who think his school, as well as the OHSAA, are exploiting the 18-year-old superstar for profit.

Muscaro has received e-mails and letters criticizing the decision on James. Critics say the OHSAA was afraid to rule against James because of the money it would lose without him in the state tournament.

"Money, race or gender had nothing to do with the decision," he said. "Money is not a factor. Our boys basketball tournament would do well with or without St. Vincent-St. Mary."

James' coach Dru Joyce said the Hummer investigation had been a distraction.

"We're glad it's finally official," Joyce said. "We believed fully that LeBron and his family did nothing wrong. We're not holding any grudges against the OHSAA; it's just time to move on."



AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

LeBron's High School Career is over. . .
 

all cuz of some throwback jerseys! *shakes head*

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0131/1502001.html

James ruled ineligible to finish HS career

ESPN.com news services


CLEVELAND -- LeBron James, the nation's top high school player, has been ruled ineligible to play for the rest of the season.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association ruled Friday that James violated amateur bylaws by accepting clothing as a gift.

Also, the OHSAA said that James' team, Akron Saint Vincent-Saint Mary, must forfeit its last game since James played in the contest after he forfeited his amateur status. The team is ranked No. 1 by USA Today.

This comes just a few days after James was cleared of any wrongdoing for accepting a sports utility vehicle as a gift from his mother.

Last Saturday, James was apparently given two free "throwback" jerseys worth $845 at a local clothing store. The story was first reported by The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Ohio High School Athletic Association bylaws state that an athlete forfeits his or her amateur status by "capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value."

More specifically, the OHSAA 2002-03 Athletic Eligibility Information Bulletin states in part that, "You may receive an award or merchandise as a result of your participation in school or non-school competition from any source, provided the value does not exceed $100 per award."

After attending a local high school game last weekend, James and some friends visited the clothing store "Next," where he picked out two jerseys -- one of Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Gale Sayers, the other of Washington Bullets center Wes Unseld.

The Sayers jersey costs $395; the Unseld jersey, $450.

Store manager Derrick Craig said the store's owner gave the jerseys to James for free.

"We get celebrities in here all the time," said Craig, who would not identify the owner. "They spend a lot of money and sometimes you just got to give them some love."

Goldring said OHSAA rules stipulate that athletes can't receive any kind of apparel worth more than $100.

And in the case of a school having a contract with an apparel company -- James' school has one with adidas -- any apparel worth more than $100 is considered school-issued and must be returned by the athlete at the end of the season.

Attorney Fred Nance, who represented James and his family, was not immediately available for comment on Thursday.

Okay, so they said that the $50,000 SUV, bought with a "loan" that we know had to be based on his future earnings is okay(which to me constitutes a gift from the dealership/bank since there is no way in h*ll his Mom would have gotten a loan otherwise.) But it was not okay for a store owner to spontaneously give him two jerseys worth less than $900. Sounds to me that they were p*ssed that they couldn't rule the SUV gift illegal so they found the next best thing.

What I really think is unfair is that his school has to forfeit the last game in which he played. Guess what, Labron ain't gonna lose any sleep over not being able to play high school ball. So the only ones really being penalized are the rest of the team.

Basically!! Plus now his team will not go quite so far in the tournament play.

Those jerseys costs a helluva lot of money. What I wouldn't give to have that money to buy some books?!?!!?!?!? :D

I received this info on another message board:


It's getting even more messed up because the store manager told the news that he hooks Lebron's friends up with discounts and free stuff too. So if they're basketball players they going down too.

amidst the chaos...
 

http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2003-01/6131358.jpg

Sorry, but now that LeBron has had a birthday and is legal, I can safely say QUE LINDO! :D

I am so SICK of these spoiled HS and College ball players. I remember in HS I was one of the top 10 in my class and could not get a free ride to anybody's school. (I did get a partial scholarship, but I still had to take out loans to cover room, board, and books!!). Meanwhile, I had a boyfriend at the time who "rode the pine" (sitting on the bench) in football and he got a free ride to a HBCU. Today, I'll have a master's in two months while he dropped out of school and is digging ditches. Literally!

I'm not hating or anything b/c if God blessed you with the talent then you use it, but there is TOO MUCH emphasis on athleticisim in our schools today. Arts programs and after-school programs get cut everyday while football and basketball get more MORE funding and NEVER get cut. :mad:


One last thing about that LeBron kid; I read in the paper today that he declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft. I hope that he is in prayer that he gets picked up by a team b/c not only his HS career is over, his college one is over before it even started.

"BronBron" was NEVER headed to college, despite his 3.2 GPA. Not with that parasite mother and all those other hangers-on wanting a piece of him.:p

I agree with what most of you are saying, if you are mentally not ready for the NBA then you should wait and go to college first. BUT college is not all that it is made out to be...as a matter of fact the only reason I'm here is because in order to accomplish my career goal I need this degree. If my goal was to be in the NBA...honestly that would be my first priority not college. Once I'm in the league I can ALWAYS go to college...but if I post pone the NBA for college I'm risking getting an injury or them losing interest in me because I'm gone for 4 years. I think that once you are in the league it is important for these players to get some education in whatever they could see themselves doing after the NBA, just in case their time in the NBa was cut short unexpectedly. But to risk getting a spot in the NBA to take philosophy 101 is crazy to me. Don't get me wrong I value education, but some of the wisest/smartest people I know never went to college...College will always be there for an NBA player...but the NBA may not always be there for a college student.

BronBron and Neion Deion
 

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0205/1504308.html
What you think about this?



http://espn.go.com/page2/s/sportoon/sportoon_030204.gif

Well
 

After he received the Hummer and was cleared of THOSE charges, I knew "they" (the high school b-ball officials) were going to try and find something to pin on LeBron.

However, there was one statement in the article that I did not understand: Williams said James would suffer "immediate and irreparable injury" without a court order. Maybe it's just me but what does this mean? :confused:

The article also states that LeBron received the jerseys "as congratulations for his academic achievements".

Umm. . . I've been on the Dean's List for the past three semesters and all I get is "Good Job Gina". So using that as an excuse does not fly right with me.

I just heard on the news that that BRAT will get to play after all. See this is what gets me about these HS and college athletes. See, administrators and judges and so forth will sit there and give out this punishment and then take it back. This is why these athletes have this "above the law" mentality so when they rape and kill folks or get hooked on drugs, they expect to get off every time because little things like what the BRAT has done and what other athletes have been doing all the time (accepting gifts, getting grades fixed, etc.) get overlooked so they figure that anything else they do wrong it will be overlooked too and that is when they get into all this trouble and then look crazy when they can't get out of it.

James Joins Nike, Upper Deck on Eve of Draft Lottery

By TOM WITHERS
.c The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (May 22) -- LeBron James always idolized Michael Jordan, right down to his shoes. Now the high school star will begin his NBA career just like Mike.

Only with a lot more money.

James will go into the league with a swoosh after agreeing to a deal with Nike worth more than $90 million, the Associated Press learned Thursday.

James, the high school star expected to be the No. 1 pick in next month's draft, agreed to terms on the largest shoe endorsement deal ever, choosing Nike over Adidas and Reebok.

James was expected to sign the contract Thursday. A source close to James, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the AP the deal was worth more than $90 million.

Nike spokesman Mark Shapiro confirmed that an agreement had been reached with James. ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, said it was a seven-year deal.

The James family publicist, Alexandria Boone, would not confirm the deal but said a formal announcement would be made Thursday.

Recent published reports predicted that the 18-year-old player from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School star might get a $100 million deal, which would be unprecedented in the history of sneaker endorsements.

When Jordan signed his first contract with Nike in 1984, it was for $2.5 million over five years.

Last weekend, James, his mother, Gloria, and agent Aaron Goodwin spent two days at Nike's corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., where the company made its final presentation.

Adidas appeared to drop out of the running earlier this week, just days after it put up billboards and placed messages on buses in Akron directed at James.

James also signed an exclusive multiyear contract with Upper Deck trading cards Wednesday.

The 6-foot-8 James' selection of Nike over Reebok and Adidas ends a nearly two-year battle among the shoe companies to land the dynamic player, whose game has been compared to that of Jordan and Magic Johnson.

James has received unprecedented media coverage the past two years. He has appeared on the cover of national sports magazines and this past season two of his games were televised nationally by ESPN.

The shoe deal came less than a day before James was to learn where he'll be wearing his Nikes as a pro.

The NBA will hold its draft lottery Thursday night, and the winner gets the right to select James, a three-time Mr. Ohio in Basketball and the consensus national player of the year the past two years.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets, who tied for the league's worst record this season, have the best chance at getting the top pick.

Terms of the deal with Upper Deck were not immediately available, but company spokesman Jake Gonzales said James' contract is on a level with previous agreements signed by Jordan, Tiger Woods and soccer star David Beckham.

Boone said the trading card deal included a $1 million signing bonus.

"Every kid who plays sports aspires to be the best and be part of a winning team,'' James said in a statement. "Today's deal with Upper Deck not only means that I've joined a team that is the leader in the collectibles industry, but also allows me to be part of a team of world class athletes representing their products.''

Gonzales said James is the youngest person ever signed by Upper Deck, whose other spokesmen include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui.

Upper Deck said James' trading card and memorabilia agreement prohibits any other company from using his autograph or his likeness on its packaging. It also stipulates that James can only promote for Upper Deck.

"Upper Deck is known for producing the most collectible and innovative trading cards and memorabilia in the world,'' vice president Tim Muret said in a statement. "It is fitting that LeBron James and Upper Deck join forces in an exclusive relationship that will bring exciting products to fans and collectors worldwide.''

James' first trading card will be available July 29, the company said.

05/22/03 11:20 EDT

I like the color of the H2. But what is the reason for the hand sign? :confused:

Maybe he wants to sign with Jay-Z's RocAFella Records. :confused:


Color of Hummer is off the hook. . .but he could have purchased an Expedition.