Promise of LeBron James

The story of LeBron James through the eyes of a Cleveland sports insider LeBron James has been a polarizing yet beloved figure for sports fans around the world, possibly nowhere more so than in northeast Ohio, where he grew up. He began his basketball career hailed as "the chosen one," a beacon of hope for a Cleveland team that had never won an NBA championship. He was then denounced for "the Decision" to leave and pursue his trophy dreams with the Miami Heat. The prodigal son subsequently returned to the Cavaliers, fulfilling "the Promise" to bring ultimate victory to Cleveland in 2016. From the time James was a high school sophomore, former Cleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Bill Livingston covered every step of his journey from the teenager who flouted high school league rules to a basketball icon and activist, one who even founded a school in his hometown. In this engaging new biography, Livingston intertwines research, interviews, game highlights, and his firsthand experience with James and Ohio sports. Livingston's perspective and incisive wit give a unique view not only into James's evolving motivations, philosophies, and relationships but also to the characters and actions that have defined the Ohio chapters of his career. This book is not only for fans of LeBron; it is for anyone seeking to understand his very personal relationship with northeast Ohio: what he means to the region and how the region shaped him.

"LeBron James almost single-handedly revived basketball in Cleveland and delivered the championship that so many of us tried and were unable to do. But as great as his accomplishments are on the basketball court, his successes off the court are equally impressive and important. Bill Livingston has been there every step of the way and is the perfect writer to chronicle this amazing story."—Wayne Embry, former Cavaliers general manager (1986–1999) "LeBron James may be a billionaire and a global icon, but in his heart and soul he is a hometown boy—and his 'home' town is northeast Ohio. Bill Livingston, a decorated sports columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer for 34 years, is uniquely qualified to offer perspective on the relationship between James and his hometown region."—Alex Sachare, retired publicist and editorial vice president, NBA "The approach of an immutable deadline in a seesaw sporting event has terrified even the best of columnists, but Bill Livingston was its master. Here he shows the deeper side of his tool kit in a captivating trip through the highs (and occasional lows) of LeBron James's career, peppering it with insightful observations, delightful turns of phrase, and unexpected but welcome side trips, all delivered from the seemingly inexhaustible notebook and memory of a seasoned reporter."—Ted Diadiun, columnist and former sports editor, Cleveland Plain Dealer "LeBron James has played elite basketball longer than any other NBA player in history. So it's appropriate that Bill Livingston, one of the longest-lasting NBA storytellers, has produced this comprehensive look at what it was like at the front row of the LBJ Show. Because so many of us have come to take James for granted, it's nice to read an all-inclusive account that reminds us just how turbulent and productive James's years have been. Let's just say James has fulfilled his promise, and so has the author."—Mark Whicker, former Orange County Register columnist

Bill Livingston was the sports columnist at the Cleveland Plain Dealer for 34 years and has been nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize. He has appeared on ESPN's Outside the Lines, NPR, and PBS. His previous books include George Steinbrenner's Pipe Dream: The ABL Champion Cleveland Pipers and Above and Beyond: Tim Mack, the Pole Vault, and the Quest for Olympic Gold.