FROM KID TO KING: LeBron James Recalls His First Love—Basketball
LeBron James has become a household name, a basketball icon, and a global inspiration. But long before the NBA titles, MVPs, and Olympic medals, LeBron was just a young boy in Akron, Ohio, with a growing love for the game that would one day define his life.
In a recent interview, the Lakers superstar opened up about the very first time he felt connected to basketball. It wasn’t under the bright lights of an NBA arena. It wasn’t even in a packed high school gym. It was in a humble setting—just a ball, a hoop, and a kid with a dream.
The King recalled being introduced to basketball at the age of nine. At the time, he lived with his mother, Gloria James, who struggled to make ends meet. Life was tough, but basketball offered a kind of escape that nothing else could. He described the game as a safe space, a place where all of life’s chaos faded away the moment the ball hit the hardwood.
He shared how his first real experience playing was with a local youth team. “I didn’t know all the rules. I didn’t have the right gear. But I knew one thing—I loved how the game made me feel,” LeBron said. “That was the moment I fell in love with basketball.”
From there, the passion only grew stronger. LeBron began practicing daily. He’d dribble through cracked sidewalks, shoot at makeshift hoops, and study older players whenever he could. Each day brought him closer to the game, and each hour on the court strengthened that connection.
He credited early coaches and mentors for nurturing his talent and encouraging his relentless work ethic. “They saw something in me before I saw it in myself,” he admitted. “They helped me believe that basketball could take me somewhere.”
James journey from a wide-eyed kid to an NBA great is nothing short of remarkable. But according to him, it all comes back to that first moment of pure joy, when the ball first bounced into his life. That joy, he says, still fuels him today—even after two decades in the league.
“I still play with that same love,” he said. “That nine-year-old version of me is always out there on the court. He reminds me why I started, and why I keep going.”
For fans, it’s a powerful reminder that even the greatest players come from humble beginnings. And for LeBron James, basketball was never just a sport—it was, and still is, his first true love.