basketball

Basketball

In his freshman year, James averaged 21 points and 6 rebounds per game for St. Vincent-St. Mary's varsity team.^[9] The Fighting Irish finished the year 27–0, winning the Division III state title.^[9] In his sophomore year, James averaged 25.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, while also contributing 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game.^[10] For some home games during the season, St. Vincent-St. Mary played at the University of Akron's 5,492-seat capacity Rhodes Arena to satisfy ticket demand from alumni, local fans, and college and NBA scouts who wanted to see James play.^[11][12] The Fighting Irish finished the season 26–1 and repeated as state champions.^[9] For his outstanding play, James was named Ohio's Mr. Basketball and was selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team, becoming the first ever sophomore to do either.^[13]
Prior to the start of James' junior year, he appeared in SLAM Magazine and was lauded as possibly "the best high school basketball player in America right now" by writer Ryan Jones.^[14] During the season, he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, becoming the first ever underclass high school basketball player to do so.^[15] With averages of 29 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 3.3 steals per game,^[9] he was again named Ohio's Mr. Basketball and selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team,^[9] and became the first ever junior to win the boys' basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year Award.^[16] St. Vincent-St. Mary finished the year with a 23–4 record, ending their season with a loss in the Division II championship game.^[17] Following the loss, James seriously considered declaring for the 2002 NBA Draft, unsuccessfully petitioning for an adjustment to the NBA's draft eligibility rules which required prospective players to have at least graduated from high school.^[18] During this time, James used marijuana to help cope with stress resulting from the constant media attention he was receiving.^{[19][20][21][22]}
In his senior year, James and the Fighting Irish traveled around the country to play a number of nationally ranked teams, including a game against Oak Hill Academy that was nationally televised on ESPN2.^[23] Time Warner Cable, looking to capitalize on James' popularity, offered St. Vincent-St. Mary's games to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis throughout the season.^[24] For the year, James averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.4 steals per game,^[13] was named Ohio's Mr. Basketball and USA Today All-USA First Team for an unprecedented third consecutive year,^[25][9] and Gatorade National Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.^[9] He participated in three year-end high school basketball all-star games – the EA Sports Roundball Classic, the Jordan Capital Classic, and the 2003 McDonald's All-American Game -, losing his NCAA eligibility and making it official he would enter the 2003 NBA Draft.^[26] According to Ryan Jones, James left high school as "the most hyped basketball player ever".^[27]
During his senior year, James was the centerpiece of several controversies. For his 18th birthday, he accepted a Hummer H2 from his mother, who secured a loan for the vehicle utilizing LeBron's future earning power as a professional athlete.^[28] This prompted an investigation by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) as their guidelines state that no amateur may accept any gift valued over $100 as a reward for athletic performance.^[29] Later in the season, James accepted two throwback jerseys worth $845 from an urban clothing store in exchange for his posing for pictures, officially violating OHSAA rules and resulting in him being stripped of his high school sports eligibility.^[29] James appealed the ruling and his penalty was eventually dropped to a two game suspension, allowing him to play the remainder of the season. The Irish were also forced to forfeit one of their wins, their only official loss that season