LeBron James played basketball.
The 2011 -- 12 Miami Heat season is the franchise 's 24th season in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . LeBron Raymone James ( [ ləˈbrɒn ] born December 30 , 1984 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . James played high school basketball at St. Vincent -- St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron , Ohio , where he was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar . After graduating , he was selected by his home team , the Cleveland Cavaliers , as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft .