LeBron James is a dominant scorer, passer, rebounder, and defender. James led the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers to NBA titles.
Credit: © Steve Dykes, Getty Images

The King! The GOAT (greatest of all time)! The best in NBA history! Lebron James claimed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for most regular-season points scored in a player’s career on February 7, 2023. He secured the record playing for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Abdul-Jabbar recorded 38,387 points in his career. James has put up 38,388 points since he started in the NBA in 2003. That is more points than how many miles it is to travel around the world 1.5 times!

Lebron James is a star forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA). James stands 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms). His unusual combination of speed and power makes James one of the most unique and gifted players in NBA history. James is an outstanding scorer, playmaker, and defensive player. He was selected as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 seasons.

LeBron Raymone James was born on Dec. 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. He gained a national reputation while playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected James as the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2003-2004 season. In the 2006-2007 season, James led Cleveland to the team’s first conference championship in franchise history. James led the NBA in scoring for the 2007-2008 regular season with a 30-point average.

LeBron James scores a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Miami Heat’s victory in the fifth and final game of the 2012 NBA finals. James was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship series.
Credit: © Rhona Wise, EPA/Alamy Images

James signed with the Miami Heat after the 2009-2010 season. He helped Miami reach the NBA finals in 2010-2011 and 2013-2014. He led the team to the NBA championship in 2011-2012 and again in 2012-2013. He was a member of United States national teams that won gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Summer Games. Following the 2013-2014 season, James rejoined Cleveland. He led the Cavaliers to the NBA finals four straight seasons, from 2014-2015 through 2017-2018, winning the NBA championship in 2015-2016. James joined the Los Angeles Lakers after the 2017-2018 season. He led the league in assists during the 2019-2020 season and led the Lakers to the NBA championship.

James and his high school teammates were the subjects of the documentary More Than a Game (2009). James wrote a memoir, Shooting Stars (2009), about his basketball career. He also wrote the inspirational children’s picture book I Promise (illustrated by Nina Mata, 2020). The book is related to the goals of the I Promise School, a public school for struggling students that the LeBron James Family Foundation opened in Akron. James has also worked as a producer, actor, and voice actor for a number of television and film projects. Such projects include the motion picture Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021).

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić protects the basketball in a game against the Washington Wizards.
Credit: © Tony Quinn, Sipa USA/Alamy Images

On Tuesday, December 27th, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić did not disappoint. He scored the highest stats in a triple-double in NBA history, scoring 60 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, and setting up 10 assists against the New York Knicks. Those are high numbers! This combination of double digits in points, rebounds, and assists is called a triple-double in basketball. Dončić joins Philadelphia 76ers player James Harden as the only player who has reached a 60-point triple-double in NBA history. Dončić stands 6 feet 7 inches (201 centimeters) in height. Born in the southern European nation of Slovenia, Dončić has gained attention for his advanced playmaking skills since he was a boy.

Dončić was born on Feb. 28, 1999, in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. His father, Saša (Sasha), played professional basketball for 18 seasons and later became a coach. At Ljubljana’s Olimpija Basketball School, young Luka regularly dominated games playing against boys a few years older.

In 2012, at the age of 13, he joined the basketball academy for the Real Madrid professional team in Spain. He started playing for Real Madrid’s top-level team in 2015. In 2017, Dončić helped lead the Slovenian national team to its first victory in the European Basketball Championship, a competition also known as EuroBasket. In both 2017 and 2018, he won the Rising Star award in Spain’s ACB professional league. In 2018, Dončić helped lead Real Madrid to the Euroleague championship. He was named the Most Valuable Player of both the league and its championship tournament.

In 2018, the Atlanta Hawks selected Dončić with the third pick in the NBA Draft. Under a prearranged agreement, the Hawks immediately traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the fifth pick—guard Trae Young—and a future draft pick. During the 2018-2019 NBA season, Dončić averaged about 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Dončić increased his scoring, rebounding, and assist averages in his second season and was named a starter in the 2020 All-Star game.

American basketball player A’ja Wilson
Credit: © Thurman James, CSM/Alamy Images

On Sunday, September 18, the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun, 78-71, to clinch the best-of-five Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Finals, three games to one. The Las Vegas took home their first championship in team history. Aces guard Chelsea Gray, who had 20 points and 6 assists in Game 4, was named the series MVP. Gray celebrated with league MVP A’ja Wilson and their teammates on the Sun home court at Mohegan Sun Arena, on the Mohegan Reservation in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Connecticut Sun remained without a title in four trips to the Finals.

First-year Aces Coach Becky Hammon, helped the Aces meld their exceptional individual talents into a strong championship unit. Hammon had been an assistant coach with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and a seven-time All-Star in a 16 year WNBA career.

The basketball teams met for Game 4 before a large Sun home crowd. The score was close throughout, but the steady Aces extended their two-point halftime lead into a final margin of seven. In addition to Gray’s heroics, Wilson played all 40 minutes of the game, totaling 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Sun’s Alyssa Thomas also played 40 minutes, recording a second straight triple-double in the loss. Aces Kelsey Plum scored 15, and guard Riquna Williams added 18 points to help the Aces win their first title. The Aces’ party continued on September 20, when the team held a rally with their fans on the Las Vegas Strip.

American women’s basketball star Breanna Stewart
Credit: © Zach Bolinger, Icon Sportswire/AP Photo

The Aces’ Wilson won her second MVP award. She also led the WNBA in blocked shots and was named Defensive Player of the Year. The All-WNBA Team included Wilson, her teammate Plum, the Seattle Storm’s Breanna Stewart, the Chicago Sky’s Candace Parker, and Skylar Diggins-Smith of the Phoenix Mercury. The Aces’ Hammon was named Coach of the Year.

Bill Russell, number 6, was one of the leading rebounders in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Russell played for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969. As player-coach of the Celtics from 1966 to 1969, he became the first African American head coach in major league professional sports.
Credit: © Bettmann/Getty Images

Legendary basketball player Bill Russell passed away on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88 years old. Russell won 11 league championships with the Boston Celtics. His awe-inspiring career, bold civil rights activism, and dedication to the sport prompted the National Basketball Association to retire number six, marking the third number to be retired leaguewide in all American sports. NBA players who currently wear number 6, like Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, may continue wearing the number, but can also choose to switch numbers. Russell joins the ranks of NHL hockey player Wayne Gretzky (99) and MLB baseball player Jackie Robinson (42). Russell’s number will be the first number retired leaguewide in the NBA.

Russell became one of the finest defensive players in basketball history. A 6-foot-10-inch (208-centimeter) center for the Boston Celtics, Russell became a master at blocking shots and rebounding. He ranks second only to Wilt Chamberlain among the leading rebounders in the history of the NBA.

William Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. He helped lead the University of San Francisco to win 57 of 58 games during the 1954-1955 and 1955-1956 seasons. Russell joined the Celtics in the 1956-1957 season and helped lead the team to 11 NBA championships in the 13 years he played.

Russell walked with Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Four years later, he stood up alongside football player Jim Brown and basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in support of boxer Muhammad Ali who faced criticism for not fighting in the Vietnam War. He also supported the movement against segregation in Boston schools. Russell continually stood up for himself and his Black teammates even when was unpopular in the league.

Russell served as player-coach of the Celtics from 1966 to 1969. He was the first African American head coach in major league professional sports. Russell retired as a player in 1969. He served as general manager and coach of the Seattle SuperSonics of the NBA from 1973 to 1977. He coached the Sacramento Kings of the NBA from 1987 to 1988, and served as a vice president for the team in 1988 and 1989.

Russell was a TV sports commentator between coaching assignments. He discussed his life and his views on basketball in Go Up for Glory (1970), Second Wind (1979), and Red and Me (2009). In 2011, Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the president of the United States.

Lauren Jackson shoots a free throw during the Seattle Storm 66-53 victory over the San Antonio Silverstars at Key Arena.
Credit: © Andrew Fredrickson, Southcreek Global/ZUMA Press/Alamy Images

Australia is famous for its unique culture, metropolitan cities, and unusual wildlife, among other things. Each week, this seasonal feature will spotlight one of Australia’s many wonders.

Australian basketball legend Lauren Jackson was named to the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Jackson is one of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball. Jackson has been an Olympian and WNBA champion. She was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.

Jackson played both the center and forward positions. She stands 6 feet 5 inches (195 centimeters) tall. Jackson won many Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in both Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) of the United States. She led three professional teams to a number of titles and helped Australia win a world championship.

Lauren Elizabeth Jackson was born on May 11, 1981, in Albury, New South Wales. Her mother, Maree, was a superstar player for the Australian national women’s basketball team, and her father, Gary, was a skilled role player on the men’s national squad. At the age of 15, Lauren won a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). She helped lead the 1998-1999 AIS team to the WNBL title. She led the WNBL’s Canberra Capitals to the championship the following season.

In 2001, the Seattle Storm made Jackson the first pick in the WNBA draft. She played 12 seasons for the Storm, winning MVP awards in 2003, 2007, and 2010. She also won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2007. The Storm won league titles in 2004 and 2010. Jackson returned to the WNBL for several seasons, leading the Capitals to additional titles at the conclusion of the 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2005-2006, and 2009-2010 seasons. She won MVP awards in 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2004. In four appearances at the Olympic Games, starting in 2000, she led the Australian women’s team to three silver medals and one bronze medal. Jackson won a World Championship in 2006 with the Australian national team and won EuroLeague championships with the Russian squad Spartak Moscow Region in 2008 and 2009 and with the Spanish team Ros Casares Valencia in 2012. She also played seasons in China and Korea. Jackson played her last WNBA game in 2012 and retired from professional basketball in 2016.

A memoir, My Story: A Life in Basketball and Beyond, was published in 2018. In 2019, she was selected as the head of women in basketball for Basketball Australia, the country’s governing body for the sport.

Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons during the NBA London Game 2018 at the O2 Arena, London.
Credit: © Simon Cooper, PA Wire/Alamy Images

Australia is famous for its unique culture, metropolitan cities, and unusual wildlife, among other things. Each week, this seasonal feature will spotlight one of Australia’s many wonders.

Ben Simmons is an Australian professional basketball player. Though he showed talent in many sports, Simmons came to the United States in high school to excel in basketball. He is now a talented guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Simmons became the second-fastest player in the league to make 1,000 assists, 2,000 points, and 1,000 rebounds. He also ranks among the league’s tallest point guards at 6 feet 10 inches (208 centimeters). That is taller than the average door! Can you imagine ducking every time you walk into a room?

Simmons has played for the Philadelphia 76ers since the start of his professional career. He is known for his outstanding passing and defense. Simmons won the Rookie of the Year award for his play in the 2017-2018 NBA season. In 2019, he became the first Australian selected for the NBA’s All-Star game. He was again named an All-Star in 2020 and 2021.

Benjamin David Simmons was born in Melbourne, Australia, on July 20, 1996. His father, Dave Simmons, was an American who starred in Australia’s National Basketball League. As a youth, Ben gained notice for his skill in rugby and Australian Rules football, as well as basketball. In 2012, his Australia team finished second in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Under-17 World Championship. The following year, Simmons moved to Florida to complete high school and play against elite competition. He starred at Louisiana State University during the 2015-2016 college season. The 76ers selected him as the first pick in the 2016 NBA draft.

Soon after being drafted, Simmons broke a bone in his foot, forcing him to miss the 2016-2017 NBA season. During his debut 2017-2018 season, he averaged about 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game. Simmons was selected to his first NBA All-Star Team for his play in the 2018-2019 season. He led the league in steals per game during the 2019-2020 season and was named to the All-Defensive First Team.

Baylor guard Jared Butler shoots between Gonzaga forward Anton Watson (left) and guard Andrew Nembhard (right) during the second half of the men’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 5, 2021.
Credit: © Darron Cummings, AP/Shutterstock

On Monday, April 5, the Baylor University Bears routed the previously undefeated Gonzaga University Bulldogs 86-70 in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball championship in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was Baylor’s first championship win, having last appeared in the championship game 73 years ago.

Gonzaga went into the game with a 31-0 record. The Indiana University Hoosiers were, in 1976, the last undefeated team to win a championship. But almost immediately, the Bulldogs’ bark was worse than their bite. Baylor swiftly took the lead. Nearly four minutes passed before Gonzaga got a single basket. And by that point, Baylor was approaching the double digits. With rebounds, shooting, and pure speed, Baylor quickly established a rhythm that Gonzaga was unable to break throughout the rest of the game.

Baylor’s guards were key to the win. Jared Butler scored 22 points with 7 assists. Davion Mitchell had 15 points and 5 assists. And MaCio Teague had 19 points. Baylor neared the end of the game with a 16-point cushion, but there was no way to cushion the blow for a Gonzaga team, which had not lost since before the start of the pandemic (global outbreak) of the coronavirus disease COVID-19. (Because of the ongoing pandemic, there was limited attendance throughout the tournament.)

Stanford guard Lexie Hull drives past Arizona forward Trinity Baptiste during the first half of the women’s NCAA championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on April 4, 2021.
Credit: © Morry Gash, AP/Shutterstock

The men’s national championship game was not the first major basketball event of the week. On Sunday, April 4, the Stanford University Cardinal edged out the University of Arizona Wildcats 54-53 in the NCAA women’s basketball championship in San Antonio, Texas. Stanford was ahead for much of the game. But, the Wildcats’ guard Aari McDonald managed to close the lead to just a single point. In the final seconds of the game, McDonald tried for a jump shot. But, the ball bounced off the back of the rim as time—and the Wildcat’s incredible run—expired. Stanford’s championship title—the third in school history—was their first in 29 years.

The men’s and women’s NCAA basketball championships are a group of tournaments played at the end of the regular season in March and April to determine national college champions in men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. Played mostly during March, the tournament has been labeled March Madness and is one of the most-watched television sports events of the year in the United States.

In March 2020, the tournaments were canceled, because of the threat of COVID-19. A year later, the respiratory disease is still affecting nearly every part of life. Basketball is no exception. Cardboard cutouts of fans have filled stadiums for some games and players have congratulated one another with elbow bumps—well, except when they’ve embraced after last-second game-winning shots. Despite the restrictions, the 2021 NCAA basketball championships offered a bit of normalcy to an otherwise abnormal time.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball during Game Six of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat on Oct. 11, 2020, at The AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
Credit: © Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images

On October 11, the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) defeated the Miami Heat, 106-93, to win the franchise’s 17th NBA championship. The Lakers won the best-of-seven Finals four games to two, capping an extraordinary season interrupted by COVID-19 and later played out in a “bubble” at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Los Angeles superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis helped the Lakers overcome a spirited performance by the injury-depleted Heat and its willful leader Jimmy Butler. The game six victory secured James’s fourth championship, adding to title runs he enjoyed with the Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. James, who averaged 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in the series, was named the Finals’ Most Valuable Player (MVP).

The Miami Heat were led by battle-tested Butler, active young center Bam Adebayo, and rookie guard Tyler Herro. Butler totaled 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists in a Game Three Heat victory. He also recorded a triple-double in the Heat’s Game Five victory.

After accepting the championship trophy, James and Davis dedicated the trophy to the former Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. Bryant was one of the most exciting players in the NBA, playing guard for a record 20 seasons for the Lakers. On Jan. 26, 2020, Bryant died in a helicopter crash. One of his daughters, 13-year-old Gianna, and the seven other people aboard the craft died as well. The Lakers—and the NBA as a whole—honored the Bryant family throughout the season. The Lakers have worn black jerseys that were designed by Bryant before his death. The jerseys also have the number “2” in a heart, Gianna’s jersey number.

Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm reaches for the ball during Game Three of the WNBA Finals against the Las Vegas Aces on Oct. 6, 2020, at Feld Entertainment Center in Palmetto, Florida.
Credit: © Stephen Gosling, NBAE/Getty Images

On Tuesday, October 6, the Seattle Storm defeated the Las Vegas Aces 92-59 to win the 2020 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Championship in a three-game sweep. Seattle’s win was the largest margin of victory in finals history. It is Seattle’s second title in three seasons. With the win, Seattle tied the Houston Comets and Minnesota Lynx for the league’s most championship wins.

The celebration looked different than in years past. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic (global outbreak of disease), teams have been in a bubble—nicknamed the “Wubble,” for the WNBA bubble—at IMG Academy sports training complex in Bradenton, Florida, since July. The victors could not celebrate with friends, family, or fans, but they certainly will when they return to Seattle. Before that, however, the players settled for a celebration of making confetti angels on the court.

The legends Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart play for the Seattle Storm. Since Bird joined the team in 2000, she has been part of all four Storm titles. In addition to 2020, the Storm won in 2004, 2010, and 2018. Stewart joined the Storm in 2016, earning Rookie of the Year that same year. She was named the WNBA Most Valuable Player for the 2018 season. Both Bird and Stewart missed the 2019 WNBA season while recovering from injury.

Other key Storm players include Jordin Canada, Alysha Clark, Natasha Howard, and Jewell Lloyd. Alysha Clark, in particular, spoke about the league’s mission to bring attention to Breonna Taylor, as well as Black women and girls in general. In March, Taylor, a Black woman, was shot and killed by police officers executing a botched search. WNBA players put Taylor’s name on the back of their jerseys and raised awareness about social justice issues. After the win, Clark said, “It’s a championship for little Black girls and Black women across the country, honestly. I said it after the game, when I was letting it all soak in: ‘I hope each and every one of them feels just as victorious in this moment as I do, because you should. We see you, we hear you. We acknowledge you, and your life matters.’”

T. J. Warren of the Indiana Pacers goes for a lay-up shot against the Philadelphia 76ers on August 1, 2020, at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The NBA resumed its suspended 2019-2020 season with teams sequestered (isolated) at the resort and no fans in attendance, precautions against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic (worldwide outbreak of disease). Virtual fans can be seen in the background, projected against the walls of the arena.
Credit: © Jesse D. Garrabrant, NBAE/Getty Images

The National Basketball Association (NBA) resumed its season on Thursday, July 30. But, this season looks much different than seasons past. Gone are the cheering fans. Instead, the stands are empty.

In March 2020, the NBA suspended its 2019-2020 season because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19, a contagious respiratory disease, first broke out in China in late 2019. It soon spread throughout the world. The NBA suspended play on March 11, 2020, after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the disease. Most other major sports leagues around the world quickly followed the NBA in suspending or canceling scheduled events. In June, NBA teams and players agreed to a plan in which the top 22 teams in the standings would resume play under a shortened schedule to compete for a place in the playoffs.

All 22 teams are sequestered (isolated) at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Living in this “bubble” is intended to protect the players, coaches, and staff from contracting and spreading COVID-19. The complex includes weight rooms, practice gyms, and game courts. There are no Disney princesses or pirates. But, there are many famous faces, including such top players as LeBron James and Zion Williamson.

The season resumed with a game between the Utah Jazz and the New Orleans Pelicans. The Jazz beat the Pelicans 106 to 104. That same night, the Los Angeles Clippers played the Los Angeles Lakers. It was another two-point victory—the Lakers beat the Clippers 103 to 101.

Opening night provided a platform for players and others to express support for Black Lives Matter (BLM). BLM is an activist movement that was formed to campaign against racial injustice and what its members consider police brutality against African Americans. BLACK LIVES MATTER was painted on the court, and the players knelt during the national anthem, an expression of protest begun by the American quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

The NBA is not the only sports league to resume suspended play. The National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) have resumed their seasons, too. One thing all the leagues have in common is the absence of spectators at games. But at-home celebrations are likely to be spirited, as fans throughout the world have been without professional sports for months.