LeBron James might be one of the most thoroughly covered athletes in the history of sport. But you still probably don't know all these facts about him.
LeBron was an All-State wide-receiver in high school.
LeBron played football until his junior year of high school, when he broke his non-shooting hand and decided to concentrate solely on basketball. He later joked about this with a State Farm commercial in which he dons Cleveland Browns gear and plays for the team.
LeBron's mother, Gloria, had him when she was 16.
Since then, Gloria has been a prominent part of LeBron's narrative. He and his mom moved 12 times when he was between the ages of 5 and 8, and his dad left the family at birth. In fourth grade, he says he missed over 100 days of school. Eventually, though, Gloria got the family settled. Much farther into LeBron's career, Gloria was arrested after an altercation with a Fontainebleau hotel valet in Miami in 2011. And of course, there was that Delonte West rumor.
(AP / Jeffrey Boan)
LeBron's surrogate father, Eddie Jackson, spent three years in jail for cocaine trafficking charges.
Jackson's on the left. LeBron calls Jackson "dad," and he's never met his biological father.
Via: lebrononline.com
LeBron unsuccessfully petitioned to be allowed to declare for the NBA Draft after his junior year of high school.
Everyone knew he was going pro after his senior year, but LeBron still claimed to be considering Duke, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio State and Louisville.
