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LeBron James has easily had one of the most dominant careers the NBA has seen. From blowouts to clutch comebacks or last-minute daggers for the win, the 17-time All-Star has done it all. Standing third all-time for points in the regular season and first all-time for points, steals, minutes played and games played in the playoffs, James has no gameplay boundaries.
He has achieved four NBA championships, four Finals MVP awards, four MVP awards, scoring leader (2008), assist leader (2020), two Olympic Gold medals and Rookie of the Year, with a six-time NBA All-Defensive team selection during his 18 full seasons. All of these, and he did not even go to college. So what was he doing in high school to be able to skip college and still dominate?
Before entering the NBA as the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft, LeBron James won a national championship, three state finals, had been the Gatorade National Player of the Year twice and received numerous other awards.
With everything he accomplished so early on, here are LeBron James’ five best high school games.
No. 5: LeBron James' and St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. Jamestown Greeneview (March 25, 2000)
Fifth on the list is his matchup against Jamestown as a 15-year-old freshman, when LeBron James helped St. Vincent-St. Mary to their first of three state titles. James totaled 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes, nearly snaring a double-double in the state title game. He shot 10 for 12 from the field.
Not too many people of LeBron James' age get to play varsity ball, let alone make the impact on the court he did. This game is a testament to the domination James has been reaping since day one.
This game would rank in the same spot regardless of whether they had won the title or not. His age and the numbers he put up were special on their own. Winning the state trophy was just the cherry on top of an undefeated season, at 27-0.
No. 4: St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. Oak Hill Academy (Dec. 12, 2002)
In the first high school game broadcast by ESPN, a 17-year-old LeBron James danced with a triple-double to only fall short in assists. He scored 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists against Oak Hill Academy, a perennial powerhouse from New Jersey. James lost to this team both as a sophomore and a junior, so this win meant a lot to prove he was the player he knew he could be.
Many of his points came from his signature style of insane dunks and no-look passes, popping a groove into his game that dazzled the nation. When asked about LeBron James, Oak Hill’s coach said,
“I’ve had great players … He's the best I've ever seen. But I said that two years ago. He's off the charts”.
The win was a testament to the future of LeBron James' style of play. If he ever needed any reassurance about his ability to play dominantly in the clutch, this win silenced anything on his mind.
No. 3: 18-year-old LeBron James takes on Mentor
LeBron James had just turned 18 when he set a then-school record with a 50-point performance over Mentor High. Known for his heavy dunks and flashy passes, James was not much of a knockdown shooter. In that win, he proved how multifaceted his game was. James knocked down 11 3-pointers at an astonishing 64.7% rate.
Eleven 3-pointers, accompanied by nine rebounds and only two assists, made it clear James did not need to pass. This amazing accuracy showed a nation just how talented LeBron James was.
For the man who runs his game so dominantly in the key, he did not even need to step inside to get his points. The game served notice to his future opponents: There is no space on the court Lebron James can not make a play from.
No. 2: LeBron James' performance in the 2003 McDonald’s All-American Game
Landing second is a game that capped off James' senior year after he averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals a game. James’ 2003 McDonald’s All-American performance was so smooth it looked like a scripted basketball movie.
The kid from Akron dropped 27 points in a theatrical masterpiece of unbelievable midair moves, spinning dunks and showtime blocks that kept a sold-out crowd roaring. The importance of this game bleeds deeper, for his participation meant something greater — representing the end of his high school days as his next step would be into the NBA.
His performance earned him a standing ovation as he checked out of the game. NCAA or not, James went on to become the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft.
No. 1: St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. Westchester
In the top spot is James' career-best 52-point game. St. Vincent-St. Mary beat the nation's seventh-ranked team, Los Angeles’ Westchester High, 78-52.
You read that correctly. In a game against a squad ranked seventh in the nation, LeBron James scored as many points as the entire opposing team. And it wasn't just any team. The ’02-’03 Comets included two future NBA players: Trevor Ariza and Bobby Brown.
Matching the opposing team's score is an insane feat in and of itself, but to do it against a nationally ranked team holding two future NBA players is mind-boggling. The young star from Akron was three rebounds away from a double-double in one of the hardest matchups of his high school career.
LeBron James, from day one, has proven one thing for sure: The scarier his opponents are, the scarier he gets.
Guess the Lakers players!
