LeBron JAMES

Introduction

LeBron James isn’t the first high schooler to jump to the NBA, but he may already be the best. His basketball IQ hovers at genius level, his physical skills are off the charts, and despite being one of the NBA’s youngest starters, he has already displayed the leadership skills of a championship-level veteran. LeBron makes the game look easy—unless you are wearing an enemy uniform.

LeBron’s quickness and strength are off the charts, his court vision and ballhandling skills are highly developed, and his rebounding and defense are improving with each season. LeBron’s passing ability is nothing short of extraordinary. He not only sees the whole court, but anticipates the movement of teammates and defenders. LeBron knows he will be double-teamed whenever he egts the ball, so the first thing he does is look to see where the help is coming from—then thinking one or even two passes ahead before the second man arrives. Not surprisingly, he is considered to be one of the NBA's best passers.

LeBron’s willingness to share the ball and get others involved is one of the things coaches love about him. His unselfishness underscores his innate understanding of basketball and how fully he embraces the fundamentals. Of course, when it is time to take charge and make a momentum-changing statement—or score a key bucket—he is almost impossible to stop.

LeBron’s leadership ability is no longer a question. Despite being one of the youngest players in the NBA, he does and says the right thing, and shares credit and responsibility with his teammates. They know the big trophy is out of their reach without him, but more important, LeBron knows he can’t win it all without his teammates.