There is a lot of talk about who is the greatest basketball player to ever set foot on a court. Born December 30, 1984, LeBron James is often in the mix of this conversation. Like most successful people today, LeBron had it rough growing having to move from apartment to apartment. His father Anthony McClelland, an ex-con, did not step up to the plate of fatherhood, leaving his mother Gloria James to raise him on her own. When LeBron was just a sobbing baby she bought him a miniature goal, not knowing she was creating one of the best ball players of all time.
Micheal later said that that was the worst day of his childhood. Michael was put on the junior varsity team. Although Michael didn’t make the varsity team the head coach, Clifton “Pop” Herring saw Michael’s potential. Coach Herring only lived a block away from Michael so he took Michael to school everyday an hour before school started. This gave Michael a gre... ... middle of paper ... ...t games.
Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York, and when he was still a toddler, his parents moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Jordan played baseball, basketball, and football as a child. He loved baseball, but his love for basketball started growing when his older brother, Larry, kept beating him in one-on-one pick up games. Because of this, Jordan was determined to become a better basketball player. Jordan played basketball for Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Although going third in the draft, he recreated the game and is known as the best player to ever touch a basketball; he is Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York. Jordan's family moved to moved to Wilmington, North Carolina while he was young along with his three siblings. He attended Ogden Elementary School, and later Trask Junior High School. Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School, where he anchored his athletic career by playing baseball, football, and basketball ("Michael Jordan" Wikipedia).
After he joined the basketball team, he practiced and improved his skills and soon became the basketball team's new star. Wade struggled through high school with his poor grades which only got him 3 college basketball programs. Wade choose to attend the university of Milwaukee but he was still ineligible to play due to his poor academic grades. He eventually had to sit out for a whole season (2000-01). he was still allowed to practice with the team to improve his skills.
As a 5’9” sophomore in high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, he tried out for his school’s basketball team but wasn’t good enough, neither tall enough, to make it. He then practiced throughout the year and came back as a 6’3” junior to try out. With his improved skills and After graduating from high school, he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina. In his first season at Carolina, he became the second Tarheel player to start in every game as a freshman and was named Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year (1982). At the end of his freshman year, he made the game-winning shot against Georgetown University for the championship of the NCAA.
Although the skill might be there, boys right out of high school are not mentally or physically ready to go straight to the NBA. A law should be passed claiming that these young men should have to be enrolled in college before they are allowed to enter into the NBA. These young men are simply not ready for the changes that come with going straight from high school to the NBA. High school basketball is like playing with children compared to the level that the pros play at. My junior year of high school I took a public speaking class.
This was a huge disappointment to Michael and he greatly considered giving up on basketball completely. Thanks to his parents, Michael continued on with basketball and it fueled him to work even harder and strive to get better. Between his sophomore and junior year, Michael grew from 5 foot eleven, to 6 foot 3. As an upperclassman at Laney High, Jordan continued to strive to get better and work as hard as he could. Jordan’s hard work paid off a little bit when he earned an invite to a five star basketball camp in Pittsburgh, where only the best basketball players in the nation are invited to.
Having a impact on the world like Jordan does isn’t as easy as it sounds or looks, Jordan has his family life, and basketball life to worry about too. When Jordan was just 19, he started his college career at the University of North Carolina (biography.com). Even as a college basketball player he was named college basketball player of the year in 1983 and 1984 (Deegan, 5). Bobby Knight, one of the country’s most successful college coaches called Jordan the best basketball player he had ever seen (Biography.com). Jordan was a star in baseball as kid and was never part of varsity basketball team until his junior year.
His mother Gloria, struggled to find steady work. Realizing his talents and love for basketball, she figured he would be better off with a more stable family environment. Gloria allowed LeBron to move in with the family of Frank Walker, a local youth football coach, who introduced LeBron to basketball when LeBron was nine years old. In his freshman year, James averaged 21 points and 6 rebounds per game for St. Vincent-St. Mary's varsity team. That’s right a freshman averaging those numbers for a varsity team.