LeBron James shares a set of rare, throwback pictures from his participation at the ABCD youth basketball camp back in 2001
Tuesday was an active social media day for LA Lakers superstar LeBron James. Celebrating the birthday of former Miami Heat running mate Dwyane Wade, the 37-year-old took a peak into his past as he posted an Instagram story showcasing his younger self in action.
James shared a post from the Instagram account: @rare_sports, who posted a picture of the young King in action during his high school days.
Portraying the scene at an ABCD camp back in 2001, LeBron James is seen defending former high school basketball starlet Lenny Cooke, who was ranked higher than both him and Carmelo Anthony at the time.
James, who was barely 17 at the time, was emerging as one of the brightest young stars and a rare talent in the basketball world. Still two years away from being drafted, LeBron was still the anchor of the St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish.
LeBron James' current situation in the NBA
After being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, LeBron James has arguably had one of the greatest careers in NBA history. With a long list of accomplishments and accolades, which continue to grow, James consistently enters the conversation as the greatest to ever play the game. His sustained excellence only adds to his legacy as a player.
With four NBA championships and four Finals MVPs to add to his four regular-season MVP awards, James has made a strong case for being crowned regular-season MVP for the fifth time this season.
With a team riddled with injuries and plagued by roster issues, James has continued to be the driving force that has kept this Lakers team from completely dismantling.
Lebron James this season:
•29.1 PPG(highest since 2009)
•52.4 FG%(highest since joining LA)
•36.6 FG%(highest since joining LA)
•7.4 RPG
•6.6 APG
#LeBronJames x #NBAALLStar https://t.co/5uaylvbg3E
Although James has displayed individual brilliance, the Purple and Gold still find themselves in a relatively poor position as they cross the halfway point of the season. Battling to stay above .500, the Lakeshow will need to make some significant changes in order to manufacture another title run. They are eighth in the Western Conference standings with a 22-23 record.
As the Lakers ramp up for a road trip, the much awaited return of superstar big man Anthony Davis brings hope for change. With the clock running down on James' career, the squad and the front office need to find ways to support their aging superstar.
Coach Vogel just said in the postgame that Anthony Davis has been cleared to ramp up his on-court activities with contact. From this point - if all goes well (remember: Nunn) - typically looking at 7ish days & a full practice for return to games based on Lakers’ previous examples
However, 20 years since making his name known in the basketball world at age 17, LeBron James, at 37, continues to be a household name in the world of competitive sports.