Lebron James

Two nights before 1985 became official, LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio. There was no silver spoon in his mouth when he entered the world on December 30, 1984. James grew up without a father. The lone dominant figurehead in his family was, and still is to this day, his mother, Gloria. As a child, LeBron and Gloria were always on the move, forced to depart one dwelling for another due to financial troubles.

It was not uncommon for Gloria, who was 16 when her son was born, to leave her young boy with other families. She has admitted that LeBron saw things as a child that children should never see, like living in a condemned home for a while when LeBron was 4 or 5 years of age. When Gloria's parents and grandparents died, LeBron and his mother had nowhere else to turn.

But people stepped in to help. Gloria and LeBron met the Walker family in West Akron, Ohio, and every Thanksgiving -- even today, when money is no longer a major issue -- James and his mother spend the holiday there.

After all, the Walkers took a fifth-grade LeBron in when he needed it the most. Living with the family of five became a pivotal time in James' rearing from child to young man, while his mother was trying to get her life together.

The day that changed LeBron James' life forever came in the fall of 1994. One afternoon, Frank Walker, the patriarch of the family, put a basketball in the hands of a then 9-year-old LeBron James for the first time. Walker spent his time teaching the youngster the game during the next three years.

The next step in James' basketball training arrived when he met Dru Joyce II, who coached the youngster to an amateur national championship at the age of 14 -- the same year he dunked with two hands for the first time. Joyce II became James' basketball mentor and coach from then on.

Dru Joyce II and the Walkers enforced the importance of school to LeBron, and amid all the glitz and glamour during his junior and senior years at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, James still held a solid 3.5 grade point average. By high school, James was the real thing. Three state championships and a silver medal in four years with the Irish. National television. Big-time deals. And big-time money.

Aside from his mother and uncles, James is close to those who have helped him along the way: the Walkers, Joyce II, Lee and Debra Cotton, former teammate Maverick Carter, as well as some other teammates from the 2003 campaign.

"I've got this inner circle," James said. "I've had it for years. And if you haven't been in the circle since Day One, you're never going to be in it. There are always people who want to get in the circle, and if you let them, they will break it up."

How important is this group, and more importantly, James' relationship with his mother? She wears a jersey with the words "LeBron's Mom" on its back. He has her name tattooed on his biceps. She still refers to him as "my baby" or "Bron-Bron." He calls her the most significant person in his life.

Gloria was there when James won Ohio state championships as a freshman, junior and senior. She was there when James scored 52 points, in a stunning effort against Westchester (of Los Angeles, California) on February 8, 2003 -- his highest point total ever.

For his 18th birthday, Gloria bought LeBron a Hummer -- one of many amazing rides James will be driving throughout his career. All of these influences helped James become the future legend that the basketball world is raving about today.

May 2003 was a crucial month for LeBron James and his burgeoning professional career. With Aaron Goodwin as his agent, LeBron's endorsement deal with Nike (to the tune of seven years and $90 million US) was inked on May 22, 2003, adding to his card deal with Upper Deck, making James a $100 million man before graduation.

Also on May 22, it was announced that the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA draft lottery, meaning the boy who grew up mere miles from Gund Arena will begin his pro career playing in his home state.

"I'm now in Cleveland and I'm real excited," he said after the Cavs won the No. 1 pick, the same night he promised to buy his mother a new house and was sure not to promise a championship early on in his stint with Cleveland; the Cavaliers, after all, are hoping for a revitalization to their basketball franchise after earning the right to draft James.

"I will guarantee we'll get better every day," James has assured Cavaliers fans, which celebrated James coming to their city as if they had just won a championship. "I just want to win."