Before the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him in 2003, LeBron James had become one of the biggest high school basketball players across the country.
Many fans and pundits started following his basketball career even when he was still playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.
According to a recent report, a basketball he autographed with his high school teammates will soon be put up for auction.
“A super-rare item from LeBron James’ legendary high school career is about to hit auction — a basketball signed by the King and his teammates from St. Vincent-St. Mary … and it could come with a big price tag!!” reported TMZ.
The ball is signed by some notable people.
“Besides LBJ’s autograph — which received an 8/10 grade — you can see his teammates Dru Joyce, Sian Cotton and others inscribed on the ball,” TMZ wrote.
“In fact, right next to James’ signature is Maverick Carter … who is currently business partners with the [Los Angeles] Lakers superstar and one of the founders of LRMR Ventures.
“The ball — that hits Heritage Auctions on June 4 — has 11 overall signatures and is expected to sell for over $5k!!”
Early in his life, James became recognized by the media as a future NBA superstar. He racked up a lot of basketball awards as a high school player, including winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year award twice and earning three selections to the USA Today All-USA First Team.
The Ohio native entered the NBA draft straight out of high school. He was selected by his hometown team, the Cavs, with the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft. James immediately took the league by storm, becoming the first Cavs player to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
James became a superstar very quickly and helped the franchise transform into one of the best teams in the league. He led Cleveland to multiple appearances in the playoffs and a trip to the NBA Finals in the 2006-07 season.
Failing to win a title in his first seven seasons in the NBA, James decided to sign with the Miami Heat in the 2010 offseason. Four years and two championships later, the four-time MVP returned to his hometown team and delivered the city its first NBA title ever in the 2015-16 season.
