NEVER STOP

THE LEBRON JAMES ISSUE

Hosted by the East Community Learning Center, the 2011 edition of LeBrons annual Wheels for Education event provided bikes, backpacks and laptops for 360 Akron kids.

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Though he changed residences nearly every year until high school, LeBron considers the Spring Hill Apartments on Akrons south side his true home. His modest bedroom, plastered with posters of Michael Jordan, overlooked Lane Field, where James played youth football with the South Rangers.

N AT I V E S O N THE TEN

IT HAS BEEN OVER A YE AR NOW SINCE LEBRON JA M E S TO O K A N E W J O B I N M I A M I . I T WA S A M OV E T H AT C A U S E D M O R E H E A R T B R E A K , A N G E R A N D CONTROVERSY THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER IN THE HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. AK RON, OHIO, I S O N LY 4 0 M I L E S F R O M T H E E P I C E N T E R O F T H A T B R E A K U P, B U T L E B R O N W H O H A S W O N G O L D I N B E I J I N G A N D FA N S F R O M PA R I S TO S H A N G H A I S T I L L M AKES THE TOWN K NOWN AS THE RUBBER CIT Y HIS HOM E . WHY? T H E G O L D E N A G E T H AT S P A W N E D A K R O N S NICKNAME IS LONG GONE ALONG WITH THREE OF T H E F O U R M A J O R T I R E C O M PA N I E S A N D T H E J O B S T H AT W E N T W I T H T H E M . L I K E A L O T O F M I D W E S T E R N AMERICAN CITIES, AK RONS WORK ING HARD TO RE INVENT ITSELF IN THE LONG SHADOW OF THE F A C T O R I E S T H AT O N C E M A D E I T H U M . I T D O E S N T H A V E T H E O P P O R T U N I T Y O F N E W Y O R K C I T Y, T H E GL AM OUR OF LOS ANGELES, THE M IGHT OF CHICAGO O R T H E C L I M AT E O F M I A M I . A N D Y E T L E B R O N J A M E S , I T S M O S T F A M O U S N AT I V E S O N , S T I L L S P E N D S H I S TIM E A ND HIS CIV IC EFFORT R IG HT HER E . W HY? A K RO N I S W H E R E I T A L L B EG A N: FR A N K WA L K E R S H O U S E , W H E R E H E S T AY E D W H I L E H I S M O T H E R , G LO R I A , WA S S T RU G G L I N G A N D W H E R E H E FI R S T L E A R N E D A L O V E F O R B A S K E T B A L L D U R I N G D A I LY G A M E S O N T H E D R I V E W AY H O O P . T H E S A L V A T I O N A R M Y GY M , W H ER E L EBRON PR ACTI CED W ITH TH E S H O O T I N G S TA R S , H I S F I R S T A A U T E A M . T H E S P R I N G H I L L A PA R T M E N T S , T H E P U B L I C H O U S I N G P R O J E C T T H AT B E C A M E L E B R O N S P E R M A N E N T A D D R E S S DURING HIGH SCHOOL AF TER HE HAD M OVED 13 T I M E S I N A S M A N Y Y E A R S . L A N E F I E L D , H O M E O F THE SOUTH R ANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB, WHERE LEBRON GOT TOUGHENED UP BY RUNNING THE H I L L , J US T L I K E T H E M A N Y K I DS B E FO R E A N D A F T E R H I M . S T. V I N C E N T S T. M A R Y, W H I C H L E B R O N A N D H I S F O U R B E S T FR I E N D S M A D E FA M O U S , T U R N I N G A S M A L L C AT H O L I C S C H O O L I N T O A LEGENDARY POWERHOUSE AND WINNING THREE S TAT E C H A M P I O N S H I P S A N D A N AT I O N A L T I T L E . B U T M O R E I M P O R TA N T F O R L E B R O N T H A N T H E BUILDINGS AND THE MEMORIES ARE THE F R I E N D S H I P S T H AT N E V E R W E A K E N E D W H E N HE M ADE THE LE AP FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE P R O S T O I N T E R N AT I O N A L S U P E R S TA R D O M . D U R I N G A VISIT TO AK RON THIS SUM M ER , THE STRENGTH OF T H O S E B O N D S A N D T H E P O W E R O F T H AT S H A R E D H I S T O R Y W E R E I N E V I D E N C E A L L O V E R T H E C I T Y. W H E N H E L E F T F O R C H I N A I N A U G U S T 2 0 11 T O K I C K O FF A N A S I A N A N D EU RO P E A N TO U R , I T WA S C L E A R T H AT W H E R E V E R L E B R O N G O E S O N H I S U N E N D I N G Q U E S T F O R G R E AT N E S S A S A P L AY E R A N D A S A M A N , H E W I L L A L W AY S TA K E A K R O N W I T H H I M . A N D H E W I L L A L W AY S C O M E H O M E T O T H E R U B B E R C I T Y.

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FIRST DUNKO R A L H I S TO RY

C O U R T E S Y O F F R A N K WA L K E R

James Donald was a physical education teacher in the Akron public school system for 28 years, primarily at Riedinger Middle School, where he was LeBrons sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade gym teacher. Donald witnessed history late in LeBrons eighth-grade year when, during the annual student-faculty basketball game, LBJ executed his rst-ever dunk. Donald kept the rim (pictured opposite) as a memento of the event. We have a student-faculty game at the end of every year. We use it as a fundraiser, and everybody pays a buck to get in. Its during the daynot a er schoolso everybody comes, and the gym is packed, says Donald. at year, the eighth-grade team was unbeaten, so we played We Are the Champions by Queen before the game. We were

pumping it up, and the kids were going crazy. e starting lineups were introduced rst the teachers and then the kids. At that point the teachers were undefeated, too. If I was there for 20 years, we were 19-1. at was the only game the teachers ever got beat. Some of the games were tough, and some of the games were so easy that the teachers let up so we wouldnt win by 30. But those guys were so good. ey ran us to death. We were two steps behind them, if not more, and they were probably up by 20 at the half. LeBron got a steal just on the other side of half-court, took it all the way on the right-hand side and just took it home. It wasnt one of his signature dunks, but for an eighth-grader he was just long and lankyhe went up and dunked it. e kids went crazy. His rst dunk in a game. I saw LeBron play basketball day a er day a er day, because hed eat lunch and

then come to the gym for lunch recess. But I never saw him even attempt to dunk before that. I dont know if it was the hype of the game, but I cant say that he was saving it up how would he know hed get the chance? You cant plan that ahead of time. It was like it was meant to be. He had the perfect steal, got the breakaway. I was probably about 20 feet behind him, thinking theres no way Im going to catch him or even run a er him. en the last three steps, he just elevated and took it home. It was a total surprise. And he could already get over the rim. He was probably over the rim about 10 inches. I think the game came to a stop for just a second as he jogged back to the other end of the court. at was the exclamation point, like, Hey, we beat you guys.

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The Fab Five celebrate commencement outside of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School: (from left) Romeo Travis, Willie McGee, LeBron James, Sian Cotton and Dru Joyce III. Photo courtesy of Willie McGee.

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T H E FA B F I V E P LU S E I G H T

Sian Cotton played defensive tackle and nose guard for the Ohio State Buckeyes before nishing his eligibility at Walsh University. Nowadays, you can nd Sian recording music for his upcoming album or spending time at home with his two kids. Right now its just amazing how far LeBron has come, how far hes got to go and how far people think he has to keep going and pleasing everyone. It has just grown into a frenzy that I never imagined. He was always good, but I never thought it would grow into this, where it just affects the whole world. Its kind of crazy. Amazing, really. Sian Cotton

SIAN DRU LEBRON ROMEO WILLIEA LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE EIGHT YE ARS SINCE LEBRON JAM ES AND HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS CAP TURED A NATIONAL TITLE FOR ST. VINCENT ST. MARY HIGH SCHOOL . OF THE FAB FIVE , FOUR NOW HAVE CHILDREN, THREE PL AY BASK E TBALL PROFESSIONALLY, AND T WO CAN BOAST OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL CAREERS. BUT D E S P I T E T H E S E I S M I C S H I F T S I N E AC H O F T H E I R L I V E S , S I A N , D R U , L E B R O N , R O M E O AND WILLIE SHARE A BOND THAT HAS PROVEN STRONGER THAN TIME OR DISTANCE . TO THIS DAY, WHERE VER THEIR WORK TAK ES THEM , ALL FIVE CONSIDER AK RON HOM E . AT A C E R E M O N Y TH I S PA S T SU M M E R , TH E Y O N C E AG A I N FOU N D TH E M S E LV E S TOGETHER IN THE GYM THAT HOSTED THEIR LEGENDARY TITLE RUN, THIS TIME AS INDUCTEES INTO THE ST. VINCENT ST. M ARY ATHLE TIC HALL OF FAM E .

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One of three Fab Five members to keep his hoop dreams alive after high school, Dru Joyce III attended the University of Akron, where he became the all-time leader in assists. Following his record-setting college career, Dru traveled overseas to play professionally in Germany and, more recently, Poland. Like most people, after watching LeBron get to the nals once again and come up short, Im anxious to see how hell respond. I guess the question is, does he have a champions pedigree? I believe he does. Its something thats in your DNAits part of your makeup. It can be gained. You dont necessarily have to be born with it, but its denitely a rare drive and a focus. So Im excited to see what his drive will be like this year to capture whats missing from his legacy. Because I know, in his opinion, thats what hes missing. Dru Joyce III

Ive always said high school was the best time of my life. The last high school game we ever had was for the national championship, and it was the last game we played together. I think we nally realized at that point we had taken our high school days for granted. LeBron James

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Romeo Travis also attended the University of Akron, where he helped lead the mens basketball team to a MAC East Championship and set the universitys record for blocked shots. He then took his game overseas, playing professionally in Spain, Germany and, most recently, Israel. Hes getting more uid. Being LeBron James, theres not too much more he could work on as far as skill. Its pretty much just being more uid and taking better shots. He doesnt have a wide margin for improvement, so its just ne-tuning all of the tools that he already has and perfecting his craft. Romeo Travis

Willie McGee was quarterback of the football team at Fairmont State University, earning his bachelors degree in 2008. Since graduating with a masters from the University of Akron, Willie has been working as a resident supervisor at Oriana House, a facility that helps ex-convicts transition back into the Akron community. People put LeBron on a pedestal that some athletes and celebrities get put on. And when youre put on that pedestal and the media makes you their darling, its tough sometimes. You have to live up to those expectations, but you never can because people put them too high. On the ip side, when something does go wrong, people want to blame it all on you, and you have to live with that as well. But its the life he chose, and I know hes happy with his life. He has to take the good with the bad, and he understands that. Willie McGee

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FA N TA SY F O OT BA L L

WHAT IF?

LeBron earned a place on St. Vincent-St. Marys football wall of fame.

C O U R T E S Y O F F R A N K WA L K E R

Spring Hill Apartments, the housing complex where LeBron James lived during his high school years, towers over Lane Field, home to the South Rangers, the youth football program that gave James his gridiron start. Todays South Rangers are getting toughened up the same way that LeBron once didtheyre running e Hill. e Hill makes you a man! barks a coach from behind sunglasses at his squad of six- to eight-year-old boys as they doggedly ascend the steep, grassy slope. In the waning light of an August evening, its nearly impossible to imagine a young LeBron James in their position, weighed down by pads almost as heavy as his body and struggling to rise to the challenge of a rst football season. And yet LeBron faced that same hill every summer and fall from the ages of eight to 14, when he took his prodigious athletic skills to St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. Many who saw him play under the Friday night lights are convinced his football career could have traversed a greater distance than the ve miles separating Lane Field and St. Vs. Perhaps, they say, it might have taken him another 20 miles down the road to Canton and pro footballs hall of fame. Watching a South Rangers practice, its easy to understand how the program has helped build elite athletes. Far from your average peewee squad, where kids are coddled and everyone gets a shiny trophy just for showing up, South is a proving ground for determination as much as talent. Between battle cries of the teams mantraHARD WORK! the coaches challenge each player to earn his time on the eld, knowing some will step up to the task and others will quit. Here, as elsewhere, LeBron surpassed expectations.

We used to have to take him out of the game because he scored so many touchdowns! says Frank Walker, LeBrons mentor, youth football coach and, incidentally, the man who introduced him to basketball. He scored 18 touchdowns on the eight- and nine-year-olds, Walker adds. Eighteen touchdowns, and we only played six games! A er playing everywhere for the Rangers, LeBron quickly settled in as a full-time wideout at St. Vincent-St. Mary. You could throw the ball anywhere in his area, and hed come down with it, says Mike Hurley, LeBrons friend and the JV quarterback who threw him passes for a brief period during freshman year. A er our fourth game, they started pulling him up to varsity, and he was gone. e decision to hoist a freshman into the varsity ranks payed immediate dividends. In that seasons state playo s, LeBron set a school record, making nine receptions in his rst game as a varsity starter. To this day, James name peppers the schools football record books. As an all-state sophomore, he racked up 42 catches for 725 yards, only to demolish those numbers the very next year with 61 receptions and 1,250 yards despite playing only half the season. e only reason he didnt play more was the sport that was originally supposed to be his secondary pastime. Football was always his game, Walker remembers. We just started playing basketball to keep him busy. Regardless, by LeBrons junior year, even though football and basketball powerhouses were lining up to o er him dual scholarships, it became apparent LeBron would never go to college. What

began as a pastime in Frank Walkers driveway had grown into a sure re ticket to immediate sports superstardom. Walker expresses little doubt that his pupil would have been among the sports most successful pros. Skeptics might be tempted to chalk it up to a coachs pride, but Walkers assertion really isnt a stretch even for the veteran football analyst. At six feet, eight inches, and 250 pounds, LeBron has the classic build of a Pro Bowl tight end. His accomplishments at both ends of the basketball court suggest the kind of athleticism that would translate seamlessly across disciplines. e greatest indicator, though, is his mind-set: the determination and unbreakable self-assurance it takes to be as good at anything as LeBron James is at basketball. When combined with a love for and absolute dedication to the game, LeBrons mental X-factor could have been truly dangerous on the eld. Unfortunately for the fans, St. Vincent-St. Mary is where observation ends and speculation begins. I personally would have really liked to see him play in the NFL, laments Dewayne Richardson, a fellow St. Vs football alum. I think he would have done big things. For Richardson, Walker and so many others who witnessed James gridiron exploits rsthand, the question isnt whether he could have been a pro but how big a star he would have been in the league. e rest of us will have to imagine a little LeBron in outsized pads and a South Rangers uniform, struggling to conquer e Hill.

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The Hill makes you a man! South Rangers work on their conditioning at Lane Field.

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St. Vincent-St. Mary 2002-03 state championship ring. Courtesy of Willie McGee.

EPHEMERA

ARTIFACTSI T S E E M S T H AT E V E RYO N E I N A K R O N H A S K E P T A L I T T L E P I E C E O F L E B R O N . FROM JERSE YS A ND JE W EL RY TO TROPHIE S A ND TITL E R INGS, HIS E A R LY C A R E E R C A N B E T R AC E D T H R O U G H T H E M E M O R A B I L I A B E H I N D G L A S S O R T U C K E D AWAY I N B OX E S A N D C L O S E T S . T H E S E O B J E C T S T E L L A TA L E D E F I N E D BY SETBACKS AND STRUGGLES AS MUCH AS BY E XTR AORDINARY SUCCESSES. AND E V ERYONE FROM L EBRONS ONE TIM E OPP ONENTS TO HIS CLOSE ST FR IENDS A R E HOL DING ON TIG HT TO THE E V IDENCE .

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This popsicle-stick mask was worn by St. Vincent-St. Mary fans while LeBron James served a two-game suspension during his senior year after a local clothing store gave him two throwback jerseys. Though the suspension for breaching his amateur status and the surrounding press weighed heavily on LeBron, symbols of solidarity, such as this mask, sent a clear message to critics that LeBrons classmates, fans and community were behind him. Courtesy of Willie McGee.

1999 Ohio Youth Basketball State Championship trophy.

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This trophy is from the All-American Cage Classic. My dad helped put it F E part of I T Y PATC H a T H H A N D C on as LT VA R Shis work asW ItournamentH E N I L L E C H A I N S T I TC and coordinator. I T N LO S director H . 1 96 8 . I F O U N DWe Iwould A N G E L E S AT T H E R O S B OW L L E A those T. I J U S T LOV actuallyEhave toFworkM A R K Etournaments,E D T H AT too, becauseO P I N T E R E at ISt. Vs.RWe N I C S H A P E . W E I R D D R they were S T N G , O GA would run the door and concession stand, and then when it was game time, we would play. This was probably around the end of our freshman season, and I remember there was this rule that we couldnt all play together. So I think Rome might have been playing on a team in Cleveland, Willie was hurt, and Sian was on another team. But Bron and I played together. When we played Sians team, Sian got switched on Bron. It was hilarious! Dru Joyce III

Assembled in the gym of Akrons Maple Street Salvation Army, the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars brought together Willie, Sian, Dru and LeBron (then the Fab Four) on the court for the rst time. Under the instruction of coach Dru Joyce II, who would later lead them to a national title at St. Vincent-St. Mary, the team traveled the country in borrowed minivans, making serious waves in the world of youth basketball. LeBron would later title his book Shooting Stars in honor of the team that nurtured his love for the game.

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H O L I D AY 2 0 11

V I VAT R E X

LEBRON 9 / AIR MA X CONQUER QS A F1 P R E M I U M L O

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FOR THE PAST FOUR DECADES, NIKE HAS CELEBR ATED AND GIVEN A VOICE TO SOME OF THE G R E AT ATHL E TE S OF THEI R TIM E . FOR HOL IDAY 2011, BA SK E TBA L L SUPERSTA R L EBRON J A M E S G E T S T H E N I K E S P O R T S W E A R C O L L E C T I O N T R E AT M E N T W I T H A S E R I E S O F I C O N I C N I K E SILHOUETTES ADORNED WITH SOME PERSONAL STORY TELLING. THE STANDOUT PIECE IS AN ALL WOOL DESTROYER JACKET, SIMIL AR TO THE VERSION LEBRON WORE L AST SE ASON ON HIS FIRST RETURN TO CLEVEL AND FOLLOWING HIS MOVE SOUTHE AST. VIVAT RE X, OR LONG LIVE THE KING, IS EMBROIDERED ON THE INSIDE OF THE JACKET, WITH LEBRONS NIK E SP ORTSWE AR LION 6 LOGO BE AUTIFULLY ADORNED ON THE SLEE VE . THE MESSAGE VIRESCIT VULNERE VIRTUS, OR COUR AGE BECOMES GRE ATER THROUGH THE W O U N D, S I T S B OX E D I N T H E B OT TO M . T H E JAC K E T I S M A D E F R O M 10 0 % R E CYC L E D W O O L . THE ADDITIONAL PIECES, WHICH TELL A SIM IL AR TALE , ARE THE AW77, STRIPED OR BLOCK COLOR BL ACK AND RED TEES AND THE 1823 RUGBY SHIRT. THE SASH ACROSS THE 1823 DESIGN IS INSPIRED BY ONE OF LEBRONS E A R LY T E A M S , T H E S H O OT I N G S TA RS , W H E R E H E F I R S T M E T S O M E O F H I S B E S T F R I E N D S W H O W E N T O N TO S TA R W I T H H I M A S A H I G H S C H O O L P L AY E R .

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01. LeBron 9 The introduction of LeBrons ninth signature shoe combines Flywire technology and Hyperfuse construction to deliver another piece that denes basketball performance footwear.

02. Air Max Conquer QS The Nike Air Max Conquer QS is a versatile boot made for the winter and features a high cut, a rugged traction pattern, waterproof overlays and a heel viz 180 Nike Air unit. The new Nike Sportswear LeBron logo on the tongue top and sockliner nish off the boot and tie directly to the Nike Sportswear line.

03. AF1 Premium Lo This model is the rst AF1 Lo to feature the rugged traction characteristic of a duck boot, a winterized feel t for harsh weather. High-quality black leather nishes off the shoe with a premium look.

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H O L I D AY 2 0 11

V I VAT R E X

D E S T R OY E R JAC K E T / L E B R O N B O M B E R JAC K E T L E B R O N 18 2 3 R U G B Y

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04. Nike Sportswear LeBron Destroyer Jacket The all-wool Destroyer Jacket, similar to the version LeBron wore last season in his rst return to Cleveland, includes Vivat rex, or Long live the king, embroidered on the inside of the jacket, with the lion emblem on the left sleeve. The message Virescit vulnere virtus, or Courage becomes greater through the wound, sits boxed in the bottom. The jacket is made from 100% recycled wool.

05. LeBron Bomber Jacket Insulated with down and featuring a DWR (durable, waterresistant) coating on the fabric, this jacket includes a unique lattice print inspired by the grille of a luxury car, along with multiple pockets and a woven taffeta lining.

06 and 07. Nike Sportswear LeBron 1823 Rugby The sash across the 1823 design is inspired by one of LeBrons early teams, the Shooting Stars, where he rst learned the game. This rugby is 100% cotton and features reinforced stitched detailing and, adorned on the back, Vivat rex, or Long live the king, and a No. 6.

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H O L I D AY 2 0 11

V I VAT R E X

L EBRON P OCK E T T SHIRT / L EBRON N98 JACK E T AW 77 H O O D I E / T H E K I N G H A S N O FE A R T S H I R T LEBRON KING SHORT

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08 and 09. Nike Sportswear LeBron Pocket T-Shirt The LeBron pocket T-shirt includes the lion emblem on the chest pocket and is made of 100% organic cotton.

10. LeBron N98 Jacket The LeBron N98 Jacket combines Nikes heritage and LeBrons signature detailing. The interlocking No. 6 pattern featured on the sleeve of this jacket is inspired by LeBrons jersey number. 11. Nike Sportswear AW77 Hoodie The AW77 Hoodie features French terry fabric made of organic cotton for an ultra-soft feel. The waist and cuffs are made of cotton ribbing with stretch for a snug, comfortable t that holds its shape.

12. The King Has No Fear T-Shirt This short-sleeve Dri-FIT crew-neck T-shirt features a soft hand, a screen print and a standard t. 13. LeBron King Short This performance basketball short features lightweight Dri-FIT fabric and details such as a brushed terry loop waistband and laser-cut perforations on the side panels.

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WA R R E N S V I L L E H E I G H T S , O H I O

IN LEBRONS WORLD, BASKETBALL NEVER STOPS. WHILE THE OFF SE ASON ALLOWS JAMES SOME MUCH NEEDED DOWNTIME AT HOME IN AKRON, HE WILL NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNIT Y TO HIT THE COURT AND SHARPEN HIS GAME. DURING THIS SUMMERS CHRIS CHAMBERS BASKETBALL CL ASSIC, A PRO AM TOURNAMENT IN WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OHIO, LEBRON MADE A SURPRISE GUEST APPE AR ANCE, TE AMING UP WITH HIS OLD FRIENDS DRU AND ROMEO FOR THE SEMIFINAL . A TIMELESS RIVALRY WAS REKINDLED INTO A HE ATED BAT TLE FOR BR AGG ING RIGHTS AS AK RON FACED OFF AG AINST CLE VEL AND. ITS LIKE COMING FROM T WO DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE TR ACKS, LEBRONS FORMER TE AMMATE AND LIFELONG FRIEND WILLIE MCGEE SAYS OF THE T WO CITIES. I WOULD SAY ITS NOTHING PERSONAL , BUT WHEN YOU GET ON THE COURT IT ALMOST BECOMES PERSONAL .

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The nature of the rivalry is that Cleveland is the bigger city and were a small city. Were not supposed to have an edge over them. Those were all players that we played against growing up, and its always been that way. Whenever us Akron guys played a team from Cleveland we were picked to losethey wanted us to loseand thats just how it was no matter who was on the court. And it makes for a good game. Its a good atmosphere, and its not like both sides are out for blood. Its just Cleveland-Akron basketball. Its been like that since we were in sixth or seventh grade. Dru Joyce III, after the Akron team earned a narrow victory

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That seminal got pretty competitive. It was a good matchup, and there was some trash talking, so it got more intense. At rst LeBron was just defending and passing and deferring to teammates, but then when the game got on the line, he took over and won it, of course. Fans respect that he took the time to come out. It was a big deal, and we were very grateful. He gained a lot of love back from a lot of people just by showing up to play. Ozell Dobbins, Tournament Director

As we grew up, we were always taught to focus on the fundamentals. Making the extra pass was a big thing that we learned as kids. So LeBrons not going to take shots just because its crunch time. He also knows that when you have the ball in your hands or you see an opportunity to make something happen away from the ball, you have to do it. So I dont think he should take a backseat to anyonehe should just play basketball because his game is to make the right play anyway. If its time to score, hell score. If its time to make the pass, hell make the pass. Hes not going to make a selsh play, regardless of the situation. Hes going to make the right play. Dru Joyce III

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I remember playing with him when we were eight- to 10-year-olds, and we had a six- or seven-year-old on the teamone of the coaches sonsa cool kid named Sunny Spoon. He was almost a mascot on the team, but he had a jersey and got in when we were up. But nobody could pass him the ball: If you passed him the ball, he would catch it and fall over or it would go out of bounds. But Bron always had that knack of getting him the ball. Bron was the only one allowed to pass it to him! And when Sunny scored his rst basketwe were winning by 20, so we had to stay in the paintBron penetrated the middle and literally rolled him the ball. He picked it up and just slung it. When it went in, everybody went wild. It was a great shot, but in reality it was a great setup. Bron always had that knack of getting the ball to the right people. It would be the rst team against the third team, and hed be playing on the third team and theyd still win. He makes people play above their head. Hes that good. He makes people play better. Willie McGee

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I think Akron is home for LeBron. Home for anybody is just where youll go back to. I think he feels a sense of security and stability there. Its his rootsthats where hes from. Dont get me wrong, I know he has a good time traveling and going to all these other places, but then it gets to a point of Can I just go sit down somewhere? and thats Akron for him. Mike Hurley

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BA S K E T BA L L D I P LO M ACY

TAIPEI CHENGDU XIAN SHANGHAII T S N O S E C R E T T H AT A S I A I S B A S K E T B A L L S N E W F R O N T I E R . W I T H M O R E P L AY E R S HIT TING THE COURTS IN CHIN A THA N THER E A R E CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATE S, THE QUA L IT Y OF COM PE TITION IN THE R EG ION IS R IS ING AT A N E X P ONENTI A L R ATE A S THE G A M ES A L R E A DY M A S S IV E P OPUL A R IT Y SK Y ROCK E TS. THIS INSATIA BL E A PPE TITE FOR A L L THINGS BA SK E TBA L L WA S R E A DILY A PPA R ENT ON L EBRONS 2011 TOUR T H R O U G H TA I WA N , C H E N G D U, X I A N A N D S H A N G H A I . AT E V E RY P R E S S R O O M A N D PUBL IC COURT, HE WA S M OBBED BY M EDIA A ND FA NS DE SPER ATELY TRY ING TO CATCH A G L I M P S E O F T H E T W O T I M E M V P A N D S E V E N T I M E A L L S TA R . F O R JA M E S , T H E E X PER IENCE WA S AT ONCE HUM BL ING A ND G R ATIF Y ING . FOR OUTS IDE OB SERV ERS, IT WA S A P R O F O U N D I N S I G H T I N TO T H E C H A N G I N G FAC E O F B A S K E T B A L L A N D T H E L I V I N G L EG ENDS W HO A R E I N S P I R I N G TO M O R R O W S S TA R S .

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LeBron kicked off his 2011 basketball tour in Taipei, Taiwan. If you love the game, then the game will give you something back. It will take you to places you probably never expected, James said to a group of gathered fans and media.

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During two days spent dazzling crowds in Xian, China, LeBron left his own mark on the 3,000-year-old city.

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LeBron felt the love during his stop in Chengdu, China. Thousands of fans greeted the basketball superstar before he joined local athletes on the court for a showdown with the best players Chengdu had to offer.

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INSIDE MANE N TO U R AG EMike Hurley and LeBron James have been close friends since James freshman year of high school. From preseason football and video-game battles to wrestling meltdowns and media blitzes, theyve been through a lot together. With a long-planned partnership in a clothing store nally coming to fruition this fall, Hurley looked back on where it all began and how their friendship has evolved and endured. When did you rst meet LeBron? We actually met on the football eld. I was a sophomore in high school, and he had just come in as a freshman. ere was always a buzz built around him because it was a big deal that he decided to go to St. Vs. He wasnt able to practice for the rst week because he didnt get a physical or something. So he was there everyday just kind of hanging out. Everybody was talking about how this kid is going to be a pro basketball player and hes gonna be this great football player, and he hadnt even started high school yet. To have heard that stu and then to see what came out of it was crazy. At the time he was living at the Spring Hill Apartments. What was it like when you went over there? He would always have video-game parties in this really small project apartment. And the parties were packed. ere would probably be 25 of us in this cramped space all trying to get on the game. Hes so competitive. If you beat him, it was going to mess up the whole night. So you didnt want to do that, or you were gonna have to spend a good hour breaking him out of his shell before you could talk to him again. What was it like for him academically at St. VincentSt. Mary? He was always on top of his grades. ere was never discussion of him with eligibility. I mean, he is the most competitive person I have ever met. It didnt matter what it was. In school, he didnt want to be the guy to get a D when everybody else is getting Bs and Cs. LeBron wanted to be like, Well, I got an A. What was the relationship like at St. Vs between the wrestling team and the basketball team? e relationship was de nitely built on athletics. It was built in football, which a lot of us played together in the fall. e basketball players didnt understand wrestling. ey would admit that they had never been to a wrestling match. But they would come and see us at the state tournament just based on our bond and our respect for one another as athletes. Also, we would both get a lot of press because they were No. 1 in the nation and we were No. 11. We both had these top teams coming in from all over the place, so I think there was a mutual respect. We had athletics in common, but not just like, Oh, I play sports, too. It was more like, You know the letters are coming in for me, too. How did you do as a wrestler in high school? I was always right there at either No. 4 or No. 5 in the nation. When it got to the state nals when all the lights were on and the crowd was there, I would get really nervous. My sophomore year, I was up big time and got caught in a spladelbasically, in non-wrestling terms, it would be the equivalent of a halfcourt shot. I had beaten the same kid three times that year, and he pinned me. It was just heartbreaking. en in my junior year, I got to the nals again and got beat by one point by a kid I had pinned ve days earlier at the district tournament. So I was having a problem on the big stage. Did you ever ask LeBron for athletic advice? I would ask him, How do you do it? Oprah just called the school and wants to talk to you, but then you got a game tonight and youre going to kill it. Everybodys talking about youYoure not going to produceand talking smack about your family. But then you go out there and prove everybody wrong every single time. And you do it with such swagyou dont care what anybody says. Hed be like, I know what I can do. Just put me on the court. ats the easiest part for me. He knew I always read all the wrestling stories in the papers. My senior year, the whole week coming up to States, they were billing it like I could be the best high school wrestler never to win a state title. He would tell me, Dont read the stu . Who cares what theyre saying? And I thought, Damn, that makes total sense, because I knew with my wrestling ability that I was going to kill these guys. But if I started thinking about it too much like, Man, but what if he does this or that?Id get nervous. So my thing became, Alright, just put me out there. at year, the basketball team was asked not to come down to the state tournament because they had a game the next day. First of all, anywhere LeBron went as a senior, it was televised, it was in the papersit was a zoo. But one of the teachers that LeBron was friends with told them that he would drive them. So they came down to Columbus on the last day of the tournament for the nals. at whole week theyd been saying they werent going to be able to make it and telling us good luck. en right before the state championship match, I saw those guys. ey were up in the stands, and they gave me a little st pump like, Lets go! e match went totally my way, and I won by 11. It was the way it should have gone the other two times, but nally I made it happen. A er I won I jumped into my dads arms and I went over to hug my mom in the stands. en down come LeBron and Romeo, escorted by a security guard. People were going crazysaying ats LeBron James! and taking pictures of him. So a lot of people out there have the one picture of LeBron and me that I dont havehim giving me a hug congratulating me on my state title. I need that picture. LeBron was already a controversial gure in high school. Can you speak about that? e paper in Akron is called e Beacon Journal. People started to call it e Weekly LeBron Journal. But it wasnt just LeBron. e team was great in itself, they were the No. 1 team in the nation, and the city thrived on that. But at the same time we have high school rivals in the arealike Archbishop Hobanand parents were writing in and saying, Hey, do you know Hoban won this week?! Like, We get what youre doing over there, but these kids get four years of high school sports, too. Could we at least get a name in the paper or some type of recognition so they can look back on this, too? How did things change a er high school? He had a dra party in downtown Akron at a hotel. ats when everything changed. It was on top of a hotel with a beautiful roo op pool space and conference room. So it was differentit wasnt a house party anymore. We werent going to gather around the TV. It was like, is is some big stu . e medias here. I remember being ushered in with all the guys, and there were about 50 cameras and news stations. at was the rst time I had seen it like that outside of a basketball game. But as far as him personally, Bron was still clowning around. He didnt know where he was going at the time. We played a game where wed put all the teams in a hat and put $10 down. e team that you picked from the hat was your bet. e guy who had Cleveland won some big money. When Cleveland won the lottery, the place just erupted. We went nuts. Me, personally, I was going to go wrestle at Cleveland State. So when they said he was going to Cleveland, it was just like, Oh, damn! We get to continue to build! en it just stayed the same, like I said. He went to Cleveland. I went to Cleveland State. He stayed in downtown Cleveland probably ve blocks from where my dorm room was, and it never changed. It de nitely changed to where he was a real live celebritynot just an athlete but a full-out celebrity. But he always stayed true to his friends. Can you speak about the project youre working on with LeBron right now? He has given us the opportunity to do a store in Miami called Unknwn. e original idea was to do an exclusive shoe store in Akron where we could showcase his Nike product, along with the best in fashion. But then he le Cleveland, so we thought it was done. en he was like, What about Miami, guys? And we were like, Yeah, what about Miami! Now it has gotten to a place where hes giving input, hes very excited about it, and its going to be another platform for him to show his creativity art, fashion, culture. It will be a re ection of him beyond just the sneakers.

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Northeast Ohio, in particular, is a hotbed for great athletes. I dont know if its just tough kids or the people who came before and laid the path. It could also be the fact that theres not a lot going on. We have real long winters, so either you fall off and become something you shouldnt or youre just athletically driven at whatever your sport is. Mike Hurley

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Among the many gifts given to LeBron by Frank Walkerhis coach, mentor and sometime surrogate fatherperhaps the most important was a love of basketball, which was played every day while LeBron lived with the family. The Walkers have since moved, but the same hoop on which LeBron learned the game still stands in the driveway of their former home. Anybody that ever coached LeBron will tell you that hes like a sponge. Things that you have to teach kids four or ve different times, hed pick up in two or three moves and be ready to move on. Frank Walker

Two surprises greet all newcomers to Swensons Drive-In, a LeBron favorite. The rst is the sprinting. Since cars are allocated to servers on a rst-come basis, the waitstaff must race toward all incoming vehicles. This system has its hazards: Sometimes we wont even eat. Well just sit in the car and take bets on which one bites it rst, says Mike Hurley. The second surprise is the sweetand-savory Galley Boy, a doubledecker cheeseburger covered in Swensons secret sauce. LeBrons pretty well-travelled at this point, Hurley says, so that says to me its the best damn burger on earth.

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Downtown Akron, Ohio.