James reveals the path of basketball: the history of growth behind genius

"I only had my first exclusive trainer when I played in the NBA for the first time. " This sentence thrown by LeBron James in the latest episode of The Shop was like a stone thrown into the lake, instantly shattering people's imagination of the growth trajectory of "Son of the Chosen". This basketball legend, who is about to turn 40, used his story to tear open the filter of genius narratives - it turns out that in the corner where the spotlight is not illuminated, even the "Little Emperor" has gone through a period of youthful years without the escort of professional teams.

"Amateur" mode in high school: sneakers rely on sponsorship, and training rely on self-study

Before the 2003 draft, 18-year-old James stood at the entrance of the NBA stage wearing sneakers provided by his sponsor. But few people know that this genius, known as "once a century" by ESPN, did not even have a systematic strength training program during St. Vincent's high school years. "My only training partner was the videotape at that time," James smiled and recalled, "Every day after school, he hugged Jordan and the Magic's game video research, imitating their footsteps and passing timing. "

His high school coach Drew Joyce still remembers a detail: James wanted to improve his three-point stability in his second year of high school, but could not find a professional shooting coach. So after school every day, he painted the bull's-eye at the mural of the arena, marked the point with chalk, and practiced repeatedly until his fingers were called out. "His bedroom wall is covered with technical breakdowns, all cut from basketball magazines," said Joyce. "This child's obsession with details has shaped him earlier than any trainer. "

The first three years of the NBA "wild growth": from "body monster" to the transformation of technical masters

2003-06 season, James averaged 27.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7 assists in the first three seasons of the Cavaliers, but his technical shortcomings were also exposed: his three-point shooting percentage in the rookie season was only 29%, and his mid-range jump shots were insufficient. "At that time, I only knew to crush my opponent with my body, but I would be defeated when I encountered the Pistons' defensive trap. " James admitted that his experience of being swept by the Spurs in the 2007 Finals made him determined to build a "technical arsenal". The turning point occurred in the summer of 2006, when James hired the first exclusive trainer, Mike Mancias, with his first ten million contract. The trainer who once served Kobe has developed an "anti-routine" plan for him: during 6 hours of training every day, he will focus on left-hand finishing and back-to-body steps for 4 hours, and even ask him to complete the whole game with non-idiopathic hands. "The horror of LeBron is that he is willing to polish his weaknesses from scratch when he has dominated the league. "Mancias recalled that James' training suit could wrung out 2 liters of sweat a day, and the floor often left a clear outline of sweat stains.

From "self-cultivation" to "system construction": Superstar training philosophy evolution

Today, James has a multi-million-dollar training team, including exercise scientists, nutritionists and rehabilitation experts, but he always retains the "self-learning genes" of his early years. In the video room of the Lakers Training Hall, 137 tactical notes he personally marked are stored, each of which marks the opponent's defensive weaknesses in different colors. "I still study videos like a rookie, which is a habit engraved in my bones. "

This kind of awe of the foundation has kept him at his peak at the age of 39. In the 2024-25 season, James averaged 28.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game, and his three-point shooting percentage increased to 38.5%, becoming the first player in history to average 25+ in four different decades. When asked "Which is more important, talent or hard work", he pointed to the slogan on the wall of the training hall and said, "Did you see it? 'The starting point of genius is the persistence of ordinary people ' - this is the truth I only understood in the second year of entering the NBA. "

Inspiration to young players: "Ten thousand hours"

James' story is like a mirror, reflecting the paradox of modern basketball youth training: When young players are addicted to social media displaying dunks, this one of the best in history is polishing their skills in the simplest way. Data shows that when he entered the NBA in 2003, James' body fat rate was 6.7%, and after 20 years of professional training, this number dropped to 5.4% - which means that he has completed more extreme physical management in the golden period of his career.

"Now children always want to reach the top, but I want to tell them: my first trainer is himself, and the first tactical book is a videotape. " James's words bring the earnestness of people who have experienced it," When you practice alone in the stadium at 4 a.m., those sweats will not lie to you - this is the real shortcut to greatness. "

In this era filled with "genius myth", James wrote a footnote with his growth trajectory: The so-called legend is nothing more than living the "talent" in the eyes of others into the "duty" day after day.