LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1984 and attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected him first in the 2003 NBA draft. He went on to win championships with Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles, building a professional career across several teams and different groups of teammates.
His four NBA titles came in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2020. In February 2023, he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's career scoring mark. An Associated Press account of the celebration two days later described James sharing the moment with his family and Lakers supporters, a record built from accumulated performance over many seasons.
James has publicly discussed his African American identity. His connection to Akron also runs through his educational work. The LeBron James Family Foundation partnered with Akron Public Schools to open the I PROMISE School in 2018. The district's history traces the broader I PROMISE initiative to 2011 and records that the school initially served third- and fourth-grade students who needed additional support.
The school is part of the public district, which gives teachers, school leaders and the district roles alongside the foundation and makes the work subject to public expectations about student learning. The foundation's contribution includes support extending beyond classroom instruction, with resources for students and their families. Its published account describes higher-education support through the I PROMISE Institute and transitional housing through the I PROMISE Village.
The school's own statement emphasizes supporting the whole child and identifies habits such as partnership, learning and problem solving.
