who did lebron james play for before the cleveland cavaliers
Miami Heat
title: LeBron James text: and five All-Defensive First Team honors. A prep-to-pro, James played high school basketball for St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, where he was heavily touted in the national media as a future NBA superstar. He joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 as the first overall draft pick. James quickly emerged as a league star and concluded his first season by winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He would go on to establish himself as one of the premier players in the NBA with multiple accolades, including being given the NBA Most Valuable Player title: Cleveland Cavaliers text: Wilkens. They had their second 57-win season in 1991–92 and reached the Eastern Conference Finals that year. However, between 1998–99 and 2004–05, the Cavaliers failed to make a playoff appearance. The 2002–03 season saw the Cavaliers finish 17–65, tied for the worst record in the NBA. The Cavaliers' luck changed as they landed the number 1 pick in the 2003 NBA draft. The team selected heralded forward and future NBA MVP LeBron James, a native of nearby Akron who had already risen to national stardom at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. In 2005, the team would be sold to businessman title: LeBron James text: allotted him the option of seeking a new contract worth more money as an unrestricted free agent following the 2010 season. This move ultimately allowed James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh to sign with the Heat together. During his second stint in Cleveland, he began opting out and re-signing on new contracts after each season in order to take advantage of higher salaries resulting from the NBA's rising salary cap. In 2016, he signed with the Cavaliers on a three-year deal, becoming the highest-paid player in the league for the first time in his career. James has signed numerous endorsement title: LeBron James text: unrestricted free agent. On July 11, he revealed via a first-person essay in "Sports Illustrated" that he intended to return to the Cavaliers. In contrast to "The Decision", his announcement to return to Cleveland was well received. On July 12, he officially signed with the team, who had compiled a league-worst 97–215 record in the four seasons following his departure. A month after James's signing, the Cavaliers acquired Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves, forming a new star trio along with Kyrie Irving. In January of the 2014–15 season, James missed two weeks due to left knee and lower back title: LeBron James text: with Miami after four seasons to re-sign with the Cavaliers. In 2016, James led the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship by defeating the Golden State Warriors to end Cleveland's 52-year professional sports title drought. In 2018, he opted out of his Cleveland contract to sign with the Lakers. James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio to a 16-year-old mother, Gloria Marie James. His father, Anthony McClelland, has an extensive criminal record and was not involved in their life. When James was growing up, life was often a struggle for the family, as they moved from apartment