The World's Greatest Basketball Players and Their Glorious Contribution-
LeBron James Endorsements-
James has endorsement contracts with Nike, Sprite, Glacéau, Bubblicious, Upper Deck, McDonald's and State Farm. With Nike, James has released six signature shoe styles, and four additional shoes (20–5–5, Soldier, Soldier 2, Ambassador). He has acted in a 2007 series of commercials called "The LeBrons", as well as had his likeness voiced by Kenan Thompson in a 2009 commercial series titled "MVPuppets". In December 2007, James was ranked at #1 in the Forbes Top 20 Earners Under 25 with annual earnings of $27 million.
James at a press conference in New York City regarding the 2009 film about his life, More Than a Game.
James and Ice Cube have paired up to pitch a one-hour special to ABC based on James' life. James will act as executive producer if the show is greenlighted. James appeared on the cover of the February 2009 edition of GQ magazine. He stars in the Lions Gate film, More Than a Game (2009).
Miami Heat (2010–present):
James at a Heat preseason practice session in 2010
On July 9, James officially completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Heat. On the same day, the Heat threw a welcome party and introduced James, Wade and Bosh to the 13,000 Heat fans at American Airlines Arena. The rock concert atmosphere featured the trio arriving to plumes of smoke with Bosh and Wade pointing to the crowd and James strutting around. Howard Beck of The New York Times described the national fan reaction to the party: "Everyone saw something: greatness, arrogance, self-indulgence, boldness, cowardice, pride, friendship, collusion, joy, cynicism, heroes, mercenaries."
In New Jersey on October 31, he was booed by Nets' fans as expected. Boos came when James’ name was called during the pregame introductions, and continued whenever he touched the ball. When James was running the point, fans had more time to notice and the booing was more intense. There were loud cheers when he had a couple of powerful dunks. On November 2, James had a game-high 12 assists in a 129-97 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Heat public relations announced that James's 12 assists was the highest in franchise history by a forward. On November 9 in a 116-114 loss to the Utah Jazz, James finished with 20 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds, his first triple-double with the Heat. It was his 29th career triple-double, the seventh that came in a loss. In a well publicized arrival after spurning the franchise, LeBron James had his second triple double of the season with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in a blowout victory.
Public image-
During the 2007 NBA Playoffs, James drew criticism when he declined to sign a petition started by his teammate, Ira Newble, regarding the Chinese government's alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan, stating that he did not know enough about the issue. A year later, James did talk publicly about the issue, saying, "At the end of the day we're talking about human rights. And people should understand that human rights and people's lives are in jeopardy. We're not talking about contracts here. We're not talking about money. We're talking about people's lives being lost and that means a lot more to me than some money or a contract."
James has received criticism from Cleveland fans and critics for attending Cleveland Indians games against the New York Yankees dressed in a Yankees hat. James said, "As individuals I want every Indian to succeed. I love all these fans for coming out and supporting us. But team-wise I want the Yankees to win." Despite residing in Ohio for all of his childhood, James added that he grew up as a Yankees fan, a Dallas Cowboys fan and a Chicago Bulls fan. In January 2008, Nike released the Air Zoom V LeBron shoe, which featured a Yankees-type motif and was made available only in New York City.
In March 2008, James became the first black man to appear on the cover of Vogue, posing with Gisele Bündchen. He was the third man to appear on the cover of Vogue, after Richard Gere and George Clooney. Some sports bloggers and columnist considered the cover offensive, describing the demeanor of James and his holding Bündchen as a reference to classic imagery of the movie monster King Kong, a dark savage capturing his light-skinned love interest.
In June 2008, James donated $20,000 to a committee to elect Barack Obama. On October 29, 2008, James gathered almost 20,000 people at the Quicken Loans Arena for a viewing of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's 30-minute American Stories, American Solutions television advertisement. It was shown on a large screen above the stage, where Jay-Z later held a free concert.
In August 2008, a source close to James said he would strongly consider playing in Europe for Olympiacos if given a $50-million annual salary. James later said he may sign a contract extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the conclusion of the 2008–2009 NBA season.
On July 6, 2009, James courted controversy when he ordered organizers to confiscate CBS video tape of him being dunked on by Xavier University guard Jordan Crawford at the Nike LeBron James Skills Academy.
On July 23 in an interview for his upcoming book "Shooting Stars", James admitted to smoking marijuana at one point during his high school career to help cope with all the stress resulting from constant media attention he was receiving at the time.
James, with comedian Jimmy Kimmel, co-hosted the 2007 ESPY Awards. James himself was nominated for three ESPYs: Best Male Athlete, Best NBA Player (winner), and Best Record Breaking Performance. The performance for which he was nominated was when he scored 48 points in Game 5 of the 2007 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, including 29 of the last 30 points and all of the team's 25 points in overtime. In other comedic pursuits, James hosted the 33rd season premiere of Saturday Night Live. The show's creator Lorne Michaels praised him for his versatility.
In April, 2010, Forbes ranked James as the second most influential athlete behind Lance Armstrong.
In September, 2010, The Q Score Company ranked James as the sixth most disliked sports personality behind Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco and Kobe Bryant. James bought a home in Coconut Grove, a Miami, Florida suburb, on November 12, 2010 for $9 million.
1. LeBron James
Undisputedly the No # 1 player on the circuit, LeBron James was selected as Number one pick in 2003 NBA Draft by Cavaliers at age 18. He has numerous awards to his credit, such as NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA Most Valuable player, and a member of the USA National Team that won the Gold Medal in 2008 Olympics. He has been at All NBA and All Star for every season since 2005. James represents the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2. Kobe BryantSelected to play for the Charlotte Hornets in 1996, now with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant is has been a favourite since time immemorial. His partnering with Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most memorable ones from 2000 to 2004. In 2010, he became the highest scorer in Lakers franchise history. Bryant was named player of the decade by TNT and Sporting News. He is a twelve time member of the All NBA Team and a member of the US National Team.
3. Dwayne WadeWade led the US National Team to their Gold Medal in 2008 and was named Sportsman of the year in 2006 by Sports Illustrated. He entered the mainstream in 2003 in the NBA Draft, where he led his franchise, Miami Heat, to their first NBA Championship. Wade’s jersey was the highest selling shirt in the ‘05,’06 and ‘07 seasons. Fighting injuries in earlier seasons, he remained fit for a whole 79 games last season.
4. Chris PaulTeam captain of New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul was NBA Rookie of the Year in 2006. He threw 22.8 points per game and has won more games with a shot than anyone on his team, assisting with 11 points per game. Known for his passing ability, Paul was missing from action due to an injury, yet managed to score adequate points when he was playing.
5. Dwight HowardThe centre player for the Orlando Magic, selected in the 2004 NBA Draft, Howard was a two time Defensive Player of the Year. He has several records to his name for blocks, rebounds, field goals and free throws. Howard is known for his religious beliefs and charitable work.
6. Tim DuncanAt 6 foot 11, Tim Duncan is all about raw power. Representing the San Antonio Spurs, he is a forward and centre. The 1997 Number one NBA Draft pick, had a long list of achievements to his name during his college career. This winner of NBA Rookie of the Year and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, he had initially started out as a swimmer. Despite being Captain of the San Antonio Spurs, Duncan is quiet and unassuming.
7. Pau GasolBorn in Spain, Pau Gasol, the 7 foot tall giant and NBA Rookie of the Year, was picked by Atlanta Hawks in 2001 NBA Draft. Moving on later to Memphis Grizzlies and currently with Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol had a great last season. He helped his team win the NBA Finals for the second time last season.
8. Kevin DurantThis 2007 National College Player of the Year and 2006-07 Big 12 Player of the year, Kevin Durant, is a player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is a small forward and shooting guard who can also play forward equally well. In his NBA Draft in 2007, he was selected by Seattle Supersonics, where he won NBA Rookie of the Year. Durant made his first All Star Game appearance this season Considered a somewhat underrated player, he averages 25 points per game.
9. Brandon RoySelected sixth in the 2006 NBA Draft, by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and then going on to join the Portland Trail Blazers, Brandon Roy was NBA Player of the Year in 2006-07. Nicknamed B-Roy, he was known for the effect he had on the Trail Blazers in the first season he played with them. The existing captain was moved out to make way for Roy. He will be playing with the Trail Blazers till atleast the 2013-14 Season.
10. Rajon RondoCurrently point guard for the Boston Celtics, Rondo was selected by the Phoenix Suns during his 2006 NBA Draft. The highlight of his career has been the 2009 NBA Playoffs, in which he helped his team reach the second round. In 2009, Rondo signed a 5 year extension with the Boston Celtics for $ 55
GENEVA (2010 FIBA World Championship) - FIBA, the world governing body of basketball, today announced that four players are to be suspended, and their national federations fined, after recent fighting at a friendly tournament in Greece.
On 19th August, at a game between Greece and Serbia, a fight broke out towards the end of the game involving two players - Antonis Fotsis (GRE) and Milos Teodosic (SRB). This resulted in a wider, violent brawl between several players of both teams.
The game was stopped immediately and never resumed.
FIBA started an official investigation after the game and has now announced its findings.
Serbian player Nenad Krstic is suspended with immediate effect for three games in main official FIBA competition which include the World Championships, Olympics and Continental Championships. The player is also fined a total of CHF 45,000.
His teammate, Milos Teodosic, is also suspended with immediate effect for two games in main official FIBA competitions.
The Serbian Basketball federation will be fined a total of CHF 20,000.
Greek players Antonis Fotsis and Sofoklis Schortsanitis are suspended with immediate effect for two games in main official FIBA competitions.
The Hellenic Basketball Federation will be fined a total of CHF 20,000.
Money from the fines will be used to support education programs for young basketball players.
FIBA believes that the judgement will send a strong message to all players that their behaviour on and off the court must be exemplary and in line with the rules of basketball at all times.
All parties have the right to appeal the decisions taken.
The FIBA World Championship begins in Turkey on 28th August 2010-
| Rank | Team | GP | W-L | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  USA | 9 | 9 - 0 | |||||
| 2. |  Turkey | 9 | 8 - 1 | |||||
| 3. |  Lithuania | 9 | 8 - 1 | |||||
| 4. |  Serbia | 9 | 6 - 3 | |||||
| 5. |  Argentina | 9 | 7 - 2 | |||||
| 6. |  Spain | 9 | 5 - 4 | |||||
| 7. |  Russia | 9 | 6 - 3 | |||||
| 8. |  Slovenia | 9 | 5 - 4 | |||||
| 9. |  Brazil | 6 | 3 - 3 | |||||
| 10. |  Australia | 6 | 3 - 3 | |||||
| 11. |  Greece | 6 | 3 - 3 | |||||
| 12. |  New Zealand | 6 | 3 - 3 | |||||
| 13. |  France | 6 | 3 - 3 | |||||
| 14. |  Croatia | 6 | 2 - 4 | |||||
| 15. |  Angola | 6 | 2 - 4 | |||||
| 16. |  China | 6 | 1 - 5 | |||||
| 17. |  Germany | 5 | 2 - 3 | |||||
| 18. |  Puerto Rico | 5 | 1 - 4 | |||||
| 19. |  Iran | 5 | 1 - 4 | |||||
| 20. |  Lebanon | 5 | 1 - 4 | |||||
| 21. |  Cote d'Ivoire | 5 | 1 - 4 | |||||
| 22. |  Canada | 5 | 0 - 5 | |||||
| 23. |  Jordan | 5 | 0 - 5 | |||||
| 24. |  Tunisia | 5 | 0 - 5 |
Key Player-
Kevin Durant
Rising Star
Stephen Curry
Legend
Michael Jordan
Basketball is undoubtedly one of the most popular games in the United States. The credit of the popularity of the game obviously goes to the players, who have made the game exciting and enticing. Naming the great basketball players is not a simple task. Each and every player is talented in their own way. Therefore, it will form a never ending list. If you want to have a glance at the glorious achievements of the basketballs teams, you can check out the records. Whether you are a fan of Los Angeles Lakers, or the Boston Celtics, or any other team, you need to appreciate the contribution of each and every team. Every team has made some praiseworthy records in their career. Therefore, it is always very difficult to select the top ten teams. However, to provide the fans a brief idea about the basketball scenario of the United States, top ten basketball teams of the United States have been selected based on their exceptional achievements in this field.
1. Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers, formed in the year 1948, has failed to qualify for the playoffs only five times. They have clinched sixteen victories in the NBA finals. In the year 1972, the team showcased their best performance with a score of 69-13. The team, which always boasts of a talented lineup, has never been defeated in all sixty matches of a season.
2. Boston CelticsFormed in the year 1946, Boston Celtics made a dominating presence from the year 1957 to 1969. With the terrific performance of the players, Boston Celtics registered eleven championships wins out of thirteen. From 1959 to 1966, the Celtics won eight titles at a stretch, which is, till now, the longest winning streak for any basketball team in the country.
3. Orlando MagicFormed in the year, 1989, the young team of Orlando Magic has played twelve playoffs so far. In this short period of time, the team had players like Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal and many more. Among the four team included in the year 1989, Magic has performed much better than other three teams at the same time.
4. Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers have made their first appearance in the year 1970. Since then, they have achieved some glorious feats. Nate Thurmond and Walt Frazier, who had been the part of the team for a significant period of time, have been inducted in the ‘Hall of Fame’ list.
5. Chicago BullsFormed in the year 1960, Chicago Bulls deserves a special mention for their great performance during the 90s. The team is still known for winning six championships in a short spell of eight years. Bulls are also credited for spreading the popularity of NBA across the globe.
6. San Antonio SpursLocated in San Antonio, Texas, San Antonio Spurs was formed in the year 1967. The team, which has joined the NBA in the year 1976, is a part of the Western Conference’s Southwest Division. In a span of thirty-three years, they have secured great feats.
7. Denver NuggetsInitially named as Denver Rockets, the team was formed in the year 1967. The team later changed their name to Denver Nuggets, and has been one of the most successful teams of the league. Alex English, David Thompson and Dan Issel were some of the well-known players of this team.
8. Portland Trail Blazers Founded in the year 1970, Portland Trail Blazers have recorded some glorious performance in their career. They have played NBA finals for three times. Though they played well in three championships, they have won one title match of NBA.
9. Atlanta HawksPart of Eastern Conference’s Southeast Division, the Atlanta Hawks were formed in the year 1946. The team, which boasts of having some of the best players the game has seen, has claimed one NBA championship titles so far, in the year 1958.
10. Utah JazzUtah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers along with the New York Knicks share the record of not losing all sixty games in one season. Though the team had a bad patch in their career, under the guidance of Coach Jerry Sloan, the team has made significant improvements in their performance.
source:top-10-list.org
LeBron James-
 | |
| James with the Heat | |
| No. 6 Miami Heat | |
|---|---|
| Small forward/Guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Date of birth | December 30, 1984 |
| Place of birth | Akron, Ohio, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | St. Vincent – St. Mary High School |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA Draft | 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 |
| Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| Pro career | 2003–present |
| Career history | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| LeBron James at NBA.com | |
LeBron Raymone James (pronounced /ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a sophomore at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School. At just 18, he was selected with the number one pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers and signed a shoe contract with Nike before his professional debut. Listed as a small forward, James has set numerous youngest player records since joining the league. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003–04, NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008–09 and 2009–10, and has been both All-NBA selection and an All-Star every season since 2005. In 2010, a much-publicized free agency process ended with James going to the Miami Heat. He became the third reigning NBA MVP to change teams and the first since Moses Malone in 1982.
The focal point of the Cleveland offense, James led the team to consecutive playoff appearances from 2006 through 2010. In 2007, the Cavaliers advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1992 and to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. James has been a member of the USA national team, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and gold at the 2008 Olympics.
NBA career-
2008–09 season:
In the 2008–09 season James continued to improve facets of his game while setting new career highs. He had 23 chase-down blocks (93 blocks in total, a career-high) and improved his free-throw shooting (78.0%, a career-high, with league-leading 594 free-throws made). He was the NBA Player of the Month four times, making him the second player in NBA history to do that after Kevin Garnett did so in his 2003–04 MVP season. In addition, he became the fourth player in NBA history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories (total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) in one season.
James defending Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics in October 2008
After a win on March 25 against the New Jersey Nets the Cleveland Cavaliers improved their record to 58–13 exceeding their previous franchise best of 57–25 set in the 1988–89 and 1991–92 NBA seasons. They ended the regular season with a league best of 66–16 after losing their final home game to the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime. The Cavaliers had a chance to tie the 1985–86 Boston Celtics for the all-time best NBA home record but ended at 39–2 after home losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and 76ers.
James dribbles the ball in a game in April 2009.
In the playoffs, the Cavaliers swept the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs. James averaged 32.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists in the series and became just the third player in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in a postseason series. At the end of the last game, in which he tallied 36 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists on 16–17 free throw shooting, there were MVP chants for him in The Palace of Auburn Hills. On May 4, he was announced as the NBA Most Valuable Player. He became the first Cavaliers player in history to win the award.
He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team for the first time in his career.
In the next series in the playoffs, James once again led his team to a sweep against the Atlanta Hawks.
On May 22, during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Orlando Magic's Hedo Türkoğlu shot a 12-foot jumper to give the Magic a 2-point lead with 1 second left. Following a Cleveland timeout, Williams inbounded the ball to James, but heavy defense by Türkoğlu denied James a chance at a tying layup. James then attempted and successfully made a three-point shot over Türkoğlu, giving the Cavs a 96–95 victory to tie the series 1–1. Following a Game 3 loss, James missed a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in Game 4 and the Cavaliers were down 3-1. After a Game 5 home win, he scored a playoff low 25 points in Game 6 and Cleveland lost the series to Orlando. James' postgame behavior incited some controversy when he left the game floor without shaking hands with his opponents. Jalen Rose, a former NBA player and current ESPN James later told reporters: commentator, said James' actions were "immature and ingracious."
"It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them, I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. ... I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."
2009–10 season:
James taking a free throw against the Atlanta Hawks.
Before the 2009–10 season, Cleveland traded for four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal to address an inside presence that was missing against Orlando. O'Neal's goal was to "Win a Ring for the King." James was selected to his sixth consecutive All-Star game appearance. He became the first player to earn at least 2.5 million votes three times. James recorded 25 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals as the Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated the Western Conference All-Stars 141–139. In a 118–116 loss to the Denver Nuggets, James tallied 43 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists, two steals and four blocks in a game. He was the first player to have at least 40 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in a game since Robertson did so on February 13, 1962. All-Star Antawn Jamison was acquired by the Cavs on February 17, 2010. On March 13, 2010, James became the youngest player in NBA history to score 15,000 regular season points during a 92–85 win over the Chicago Bulls.
At the end of the regular season, Cleveland finished with the best regular season record for the second year consecutive year. James won the Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career, becoming the tenth NBA player in history to do so. James received 116 of a possible 122 first-place votes to win.
In the playoffs, the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round, but fell to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James was criticized for not playing well, especially in Game 5 of the series, in which he shot only 3 for 14 and scored 15 points. He walked off the court in that game, his final home game as a Cavalier, "to a smattering of boos and rows of empty seats" and Cleveland lost 88-120 in their worst home playoff loss in team history. Cleveland was eliminated in Game 6, James' last playing for Cleveland, as he recorded 27 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, but also 9 turnovers.
2010 free agency-
James became a free-agent at 12:01 A.M. ET on July 1, 2010. He filed papers to formally change his jersey number 23 to 6 for the season. James was courted by several teams, including the Knicks, Nets, Heat, Bulls, Mavericks, Clippers, and his hometown Cavaliers.
On July 8, 2010, James announced on a live ESPN special, The Decision, that he will be playing for the Miami Heat for the 2010–11 season and teaming with Miami's other All-Star free agent signees Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Decision was broadcast from the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Connecticut.
In this fall, this is very tough, in this fall I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat... I feel like it's going to give me the best opportunity to win and to win for multiple years, and not only just to win in the regular season or just to win five games in a row or three games in a row, I want to be able to win championships. And I feel like I can compete down there.—Lebron James
Salaries-
Season | Team | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Cleveland | $4,018,920 |
| 2004–05 | Cleveland | $4,320,360 |
| 2005–06 | Cleveland | $4,621,800 |
| 2006–07 | Cleveland | $5,828,090 |
| 2007–08 | Cleveland | $13,041,250 |
| 2008–09 | Cleveland | $14,410,581 |
| 2009–10 | Cleveland | $15,779,912 |
| 2010–11 | Miami | $14,500,000 |
International career-
James goes up for a shot against China's Yao Ming in the Group B men's Olympic basketball game between the U.S. and China on August 10, 2008, at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Competitor for  United States | ||
 | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Bronze | 2004 Athens | Team competition |
| Gold | 2008 Beijing | Team competition |
| FIBA World Championship | ||
| Bronze | 2006 Japan | Team competition |
| FIBA Americas Championship | ||
| Gold | 2007 Las Vegas | Team competition |
After his rookie season, James played on the 2004 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Athens, where the United States won the bronze medal in men's basketball. It was the first time a U.S. Olympic team with NBA players failed to win the gold medal. Limited to 14.6 minutes per game, James averaged just 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. James competed in the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan and averaged 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. The team finished with an 8–1 record, and was again awarded the bronze medal. James was named as one of three captains for the 2006 USA Men's World Championship team, alongside Carmelo Anthony and Wade. After failing to win the 2006 World Championships, the team competed at the 2007 Tournament of Americas Olympic qualifiers to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. During the gold medal game against Argentina, James recorded 31 points, the most by an American in an Olympic qualifier, as the United States captured gold medal honors. He averaged 18.1 points (on tournament-high field-goal percentage (76%) and three-point percentage (62.2%), 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 22.2 minutes per game.
James, along with the rest of Team USA reclaimed the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, defeating Spain 118 to 107. He finished the gold medal game with 14 points along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists as the U.S. went unbeaten, winning their first Gold Medal since the 2000 Olympics. It was later reported that James' "immaturity and downright disrespectfulness" were a risk to his being included on the Beijing Olympic team as Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski and managing director Jerry Colangelo believed that Bryant joining the national team could allow the team to win the gold medal with or without James.
Player profile-
James has averaged 27.8 points, 7.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game for his career in the regular season.2009–10 season, he has recorded 34 triple-doubles in his career, with 28 in the regular season and six in the postseason. In the 2005–06 season, he led the league in completed traditional three point plays. He regularly ranks among the league leaders in rebounds for the small forward position. James' skills have led to many comparisons to NBA legends Robertson, Johnson, and Jordan. James was not named to the NBA All-Defensive Team until the 2008–09 season, when he finished second in voting for Defensive Player of the Year. As of the
James started a petition saying that no one should be allowed to wear the #23 in the NBA to honor Jordan. On March 1, 2010, James filed an application to the NBA to wear the #6 starting the 2010/2011 season.
The NBA’s Top Ten Highest Player Salaries for 2009-2010:
Number 10 – Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks – 17,040,000 Dollars
Number 9 – Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic – 18,876,000 Dollars
Number 8 – Ray Allen, Boston Celtics – 19,766,860 Dollars
Number 7 – Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics – 19,795,712 Dollars
Number 6 – Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks – 19,795,714 Dollars
Number 5 – Shaquille O’Neal, Cleveland Cavaliers – 20,000,000 Dollars
Number 4 – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs – 22,183,218 Dollars
Number 3 – Jermaine O’Neal, Miami Heat – 22,995,000 Dollars
Number 2 – Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers – 23,034,375 Dollars
Number 1 – Tracy McGrady – 23,329,561 Dollars
From Wikipedia-
