Why is LeBron James called 'The Chosen One'? Taking a closer look at LA Lakers forward's popular moniker
LeBron James has had one of the greatest careers in the NBA so far, etching his name alongside some elite company. He just finished his 19th season in the league last year, having played with the LA Lakers for four seasons now – and is showing no signs of slowing down.
James averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 56 games last season, even coming up on the MVP radar multiple times throughout the season.
James recently agreed to a two-year $97.1 million contract extension, which is due to his unending determination to stay at the top of his game. LeBron James showed promise from a very young age, and before he entered the league there were a lot of people who believed he would make it big. One among them was the prestigious sports magazine – ‘Sports Illustrated.’
Why is LeBron James called "The Chosen One"?
LeBron James grew up in a challenging environment, given his father Anthony McClelland was not involved in his life at all. He grew up in Akron with his mother, Gloria James, and eventually started playing organized basketball in fifth grade.
James started making waves right from his freshman year, averaging 21 points and six rebounds per game for the St. Vincent–St. Mary varsity basketball team. He slowly turned into a crowd puller at the high school level, with fans and NBA scouts pouring in to see him play. In his sophomore season, he added more to his repertoire – averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 3.8 steals.
Twenty years ago, @KingJames appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first time with the tag line ‘The Chosen One.’ For the October 2022 issue, he chose to wear a cutoff t-shirt with a screen print of that issue.
Read the cover story: trib.al/tbMYgRH https://t.co/jsjmqY842J
LeBron James has been called many names throughout his career, but one of them stands out mainly because of its timing and magnitude. The nickname ‘Chosen One’ – something that James has tattooed on his back – was first given to him by the magazine "Sports Illustrated."
It was even before he was declared for the NBA Draft – putting a lot of pressure on the high-school athlete. James made it to the cover of the Sports Illustrated magazine with the title "Chosen One," and the writer Grant Wahl later expressed some contemplation – at the time.
“It’s one thing to do a feature on somebody inside the mag. But when you put a young kid on the cover and proclaim him ‘The Chosen One’ – maybe ‘ruin his life’ is a little strong, but it took things to such a level that I felt like his life was not going to be the same after that. The pressure would get a lot higher.”
LeBron James has probably used that as a motivating force throughout his career, as the last 19 seasons have shown us that he remains unfazed under the pressure. James will now enter his 20th NBA season, attempting to secure his fifth title – and with the way he’s playing, probably another MVP award.