Lebron James: The Rise of a Star

By David Lee Morgan

Book Overview

"A well-rounded, personal portrait of the young superstar" -- Booklist

An up-close look at young LeBron James when he was basketball's hottest prospect, poised at the brink of superstardom.

Sportswriter David Lee Morgan covered the LeBron phenomenon for the Akron Beacon Journal starting with LeBron's freshman year in high school and had unequaled access to LeBron, his family, and his close friends. He saw the exceptional play on the basketball court and the surprising poise with which LeBron has handled the pressure, the scrutiny, the criticism that arrived with the early onset of fame.

The odds were against James from the start. Born in poverty to a 16-year-old single mom, without a stable home for the first decade of his life, LeBron could have become just one more scarred product of a rough childhood in the projects. Instead, he became the darling of the sports world--and he plays the part well.

He was called the best high school basketball player ever. He made the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior, was featured on national television, and signed more than $100 million in promotional contracts before the end of his senior year. It was no surprise when he became the no-doubt-about-it No. 1 pick in the NBA draft right after high school graduation.

This is a story for any fan who wants to get to know LeBron better, and for anyone curious about how a high-school basketball phenom is made.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1886228744
• ISBN13: 9781886228740
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Gray & Company Publishers
• Length: 172 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

ohio's best sportswriter & basketball player in 1 book!!

I live in Dallas,Tx and when it comes to basketball I hear 2 things: 1- Dallas Mavericks; 2- Lebron James. I was fortunate to find this book in Dallas,Tx and I judge books by how long it takes to read. This book falls under the term used on Lebron - "CAN'T MISS". It was a non stop read that resulted in my wife yelling at me for not doing my chores over the weekend. My wife began an investigation as to what I was doing. She soon discovered that the book was too good not to read after viewing the pictures. I am proud to report that she read her first sports book at the tender age of 34. There is hope? Being a media magnate for years - I've been able to see more media and athletic talent than Terry Pluto & Jim Gray would ever dream of: you simply have Ohio's best sportswriter in David Morgan and Ohio's best basketball player in Lebron James in 1 book. That combination makes it an easy choice to buy the book.

Amazing

This book was unbelievable. David Lee Morgan Jr. is a mastermind. He captured every angle of LeBron's young life. The book was a pageturner from the very beginning when LeBron held a basketball for the first time right up until the announcement for the number one pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Every time you turned the page something new and interesting immediately jumped out at you. The book also includes many color photos of LeBron which follow along with the storyline. If you're looking a book about LeBron James then this is the book for you.

A great book!!

I met David Lee Morgan, Jr. at a recent book signing. I took the book home and finished it that day. It is a beautifully written story of a young man with truly exceptional ability and talent! Morgan's insight into this young star's life and development provide an honest and touching account of LeBron's rise to stardom. I highly recommend this book for all ages. It is both inspiring and heartwarming, and underscores what success really is...a combination of outstanding attributes, values, love and concern for others, and a support system of family, friends and mentors. I hope Morgan writes a sequel!

The personal touch does it

Knowing and living around a star before they are a star provides insights and a sense of who a person really is better than can anyone who only becomes acquainted after stardom hits the public eye. That is what David Morgan has uniquely contributed to the understanding of who LeBron is. Morgan was personally selected by mom Gloria for the privilege of writing LeBron's story because she expected him to be fair to the family. He was also a known commodity because he was a local sportswriter and followed LeBron's career before he was King James. Morgan was given access to the stories of family members so that he could speak from their unique vantagepoints. He has done that very well, but he has also balanced those positions with perceptions of the people with whom they came in contact, which were not always the same. This book helps us begin to understand how such a talent could be developed from what society might consider the most adverse of circumstances to the maturity and grounding we have seen so far from this young athlete. The extent of the extended family influences are clearly evident and truly amazing. My hope is that David Morgan continues his relationship with the James family, that they continue to trust him with their confidences, and that he writes more to help us learn further about the importance of mentors and models in the growing years of our youngsters.

Great Reading

Lebron James, The Rise Of A Star is a very well written book expiring to all that reads it young or old. In this book, you will learn that all the obstacles that was put in front of Lebron, Gloria, Eddie and the rest of the family that they made it through with the help of wonderful people in there lives. With the help of others and one mothers love Lebron turned out to be a phenonamal person. Congratulation to you Mr. Morgan for such a fine job at writing and clearing up a lot of matters.