TheLebrons.com

Meet the LeBrons

The LeBrons is a new marketing plan created by Nike using the figure of NBA player Lebron James. In TV ads, Lebron James plays 4 different characters: Athlete LeBron, Kid LeBron, Wise LeBron and All-Business LeBron.

LeBron James (born December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio) is an NBA basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

At 6 feet 8 inches and weighing in at 252 pounds (245 lbs when he was first drafted), James is one of the most gifted and versatile players in the NBA. Although he primarily plays the small forward position, he is capable of playing point guard and shooting guard as well.

LeBron James

His incredible court vision, passing skills and willingness to share the ball has led many to compare him with the great Magic Johnson. His athleticism and scoring ability have been compared to Michael Jordan.

However, because of LeBron’s ability to pass, rebound, and score, a more accurate comparison might be Oscar Robertson. Despite his young career, his combination of size, strength, talent, and athleticism have many people predicting he will become one of the greatest players of all time.

James was selected the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Because of such public interest surrounding LeBron and his immense basketball abilities, James quickly became one of the most hyped players in all of professional sports. Even before James had even played a single NBA game, Nike awarded LeBron with an unprecedented $90 million dollar exclusive shoe contract and promptly began an aggressive advertising campaign to hail him as the next big thing in all of professional sports. James would not disappoint marketers and fans alike, as he went on to win Rookie of the Year honors in a season where he averaged 20.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, joining Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only three players to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in a rookie season. The Cavaliers, however, although improved, would not make the playoffs.

LeBron soars high for a thunderous dunk.In the offseason, James played for Team USA in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece where he and his teammates won the bronze medal in mens’ basketball and returned for his sophomore season in the NBA with refined skills. In that season James became the youngest player to achieve a trible double (double digits in 3 positive categories like points,assist, rebounds) and the youngest player to score 50 points in one game (56 pts in a loss to the Toronto Raptors). After joining a select group of players to average 25+ points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in a season ( together with Bird,Jordan and Oscar Robertson), James saw his Cavs fail again to go reach the playoffs, collapsing from at one point being 10 games over .500. In the offseason James hoped Michael Redd would join the team, trying to persuade him with a video. Redd decided to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks. Seattle’s Ray Allen also chose to stay with his team rather than play behind LeBron in Cleveland.