‘King’ James crowned league’s Most Valuable Player

NEW YORK (Reuters) – LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers was named NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) yesterday, accepting the honour in the high school gym that was the launch pad for his career.

James, who averaged 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists this season to lead the team to a franchise record 66 wins, received the award at St Vincent-St Mary high school in Akron, Ohio where he first shot to prominence as a teenager before jumping directly to the NBA. “This school helped me become the man I am today,” he said after becoming at 24 years and 125 days the youngest player to win the award which is voted by sportswriters and broadcasters. “You would never think someone from Akron, Ohio would be able to do the things we did growing up and what I’m trying to continue to do as a basketball player and a person.”

‘King’ James has already played six seasons in the NBA and in two Olympics, helping the US to gold in Beijing last year.

James received 109 out of a possible 121 first-place votes to beat two of his US team mates, last year’s MVP Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade.
He becomes the first member of the Cavaliers to claim the honour.

Taken with the number one pick in the 2003 draft by Cleveland, James has amassed a stack of honours including Rookie of the Year and two All-Star MVP awards.

However, it is team success the muscular 6-foot-9, 260-pound forward says he treasures most and he has his sights set on adding an NBA championship to his collection this year.