LeBron James timeline

DEC. 30, 1984

LeBron James is born in Akron, Ohio.

AUG. 24, 1998

Makes his first appearance in the Cleveland Plain Dealer for scoring 21 points to lead the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association Shooting Stars to a 13-and-under title at a tournament in Orlando, Fla.

FEB. 18, 2002

Only a 17-year-old high school junior, James appears on the cover of Sports Illustrated under the headline, "The Chosen One." He is referred to in the story as an heir to Michael Jordan.

MAY 22, 2003

The hands-down top pick in the upcoming NBA draft, James receives an endorsement deal with Nike estimated to be worth about $90 million.

JUNE 26, 2003

A three-time "Mr. Basketball" as Ohio's best high school player, James lands with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers with the first pick in the NBA draft.

MARCH 27, 2004

On his way to becoming the NBA's Rookie of the Year, James scores 41 points in a 107-104 victory over the Nets, becoming the youngest player - at 19 years, 87 days old - to score at least 40 points.

JULY 12, 2006

After averaging a career-high 31.4 points, James signs a three-year extension through the 2009-10 season. He could have received more years, but he tells the Cavaliers' website that a shorter contract made the "most business sense."

MAY 31, 2007

James scores 29 of the Cavs' final 30 points in a 109-107 double-overtime victory over the Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Cavs are eventually swept in the NBA Finals by the San Antonio Spurs.