Updated The LeBron Phenomenon Page

Updated 2009-2010 page with images and voting results on The LeBron Phenomenon (under Miscellaneous)

MVP

LeBron James to be named NBA Most Valuable Player on Sunday (via PD)

via Windy (@PDcavsinsider) at the PD

Copyright Associated Press

CLEVELAND, Ohio — LeBron James of the Cavaliers will become the 10th player in NBA history to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards when results of the nationwide voting are announced on Sunday, sources have told The Plain Dealer.

James is expected to have a press conference at The University of Akron and accept the Maurice Podoloff Trophy and the Kia car that comes with the honor Sunday.

Last season, when James won for the first time, he accepted at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron

James played numerous high school games at Akron’s Rhodes Arena, is a supporter of the Zips basketball program and head coach Keith Dambrot, and holds his annual Nike camp for the top high school prospects at the university’s facilities.

NBA Commissioner David Stern is expected to formally give James the trophy before Monday’s Game 2 against the Boston Celtics at The Q.

At age 25, James becomes the second-youngest to win back-to-back MVPs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a couple of months younger when he won his back-to-back award in 1972. The others two win back-to-back are Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Abdul-Jabbar. Only Bird, Chamberlain and Russell ever won the award three years in a row.

Last year James won in a landslide, getting 109 of the first-place 121 votes given out to sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the league. This year, James is expected to approach winning the award unanimously.

However, several voters have said they did not plan to vote for James. This year the NBA also allowed fans to vote, with their preference to make up the 122nd vote. The results of the voting will be announced Sunday by the league.

James averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game in leading the Cavs to a second consecutive 60-win season. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month four times during the season.

The LeBron Phenomenon > NBA

Baby "Bron

One of the most visited pages on the old site was the LeBron Phenomenon.  But it has (is) taking forever to get it all moved over to the new format.  (too many tables!)

Slowly, its coming along.  I’ve added the NBA page to the LBJ Phenomenon page under Miscellaneous. It still needs some work, but I’m tired of it being in my to-do box.

I know that this is a historical site, and not a “fan site” but I’ve always thought it was really important to document LBJ’s impact on the franchise, the NBA and pop-culture in general.  That’s why it exists, but also why is buried in the misc. section.

enjoy

p.s. this will be the first page I delete if he leaves us

If LeBron Changes to #6, What Happens to His Nike Logo?

LeBron’s Nike logo prominently features his jersey number: 23.  If he does switch to #6, Nike will most likely be forced to change his signature.

Any ideas?

LBJ23

Its Official, LeBron to Switch to Numbers. 23 is Dead, Long Live #6!

Per Windy at Cleveland.com/Plain Dealer

LeBron James fans, get ready to make some room in your closet for No. 6 jerseys.

James told The Plain Dealer on Monday that he’s filed the paperwork with the NBA office to switch his jersey number from No. 23 to No. 6 next season. He had to make the decision this week, the deadline to make the request to the NBA is Wednesday.

James first brought up the idea in November, saying he wanted to give up No. 23 out of respect to his hero, Michael Jordan. At that time he said he was “50/50” on switching to No. 6, his Olympic number and the day of the month his first son was born. That now seems to be 100 percent.

“I’ve done it,” James said. “I already sent it in. I’m going to be No. 6.”

The NBA does not have to fulfill the request, players who don’t change teams have to apply to change their number in March before the previous season. However, the wave of new jersey sales the switch promises to trigger would likely be too enticing for the league to turn down.

In 2006, Kobe Bryant requested his number to be changed from No. 8 to No. 24. The NBA approved the move and Bryant’s jerseys quickly shot to No. 1 in sales across the world. James has been in the top three in jersey sales in the U.S., China and Europe in recent years but hasn’t enjoyed the top spot for several years.

Player do not directly benefit from merchandise sales, however. It goes into a league-wide pool that is distributed to teams and then players based on seniority.

Jordan, of course, also pulled such a move. He switched to No. 45 for part of a season when he came out of retirement for the first time with the Chicago Bulls.

Other than playing for Team USA, the last time James did not wear No. 23 was during his freshman year of high school when he wore No. 32 because a senior was wearing 23.

LeBron Player of the Month (6 and counting)

we keep track of this stuff here

Going back to March of LAST year, James has won the award every-single-month

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played during February.

James paced the league in scoring (32.6 ppg), was fourth in assists (10.5 apg) and added 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 41.4 minutes. James scored at least 20 points in all 11 contests, leading Cleveland to an Eastern Conference-best 8-3 record. James recorded his third triple-double of the season on Feb. 18, with 43 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high tying 15 assists. On Feb. 6, James set a franchise record with 35 points in the first half of Cleveland’s 113-106 win at New York. James finished the game with 47 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a season-high five steals.

Here is a closer look at the month for James:

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

• Feb. 2 vs. Memphis: Totaled 22 points, 15 assists and six rebounds in a 105-89 win over the Grizzlies. 

• Feb. 6 vs. New York: Poured in 47 points, and added eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals in a 113-106 win over the Knicks.

• Feb. 11 vs. Orlando: Recorded 32 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and two steals in a 115-106 win over the Magic.

• Feb. 18 vs. Denver: Posted 43 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists and two steals in a 118-116 overtime loss to the Nuggets.

• Feb. 25 @ Boston: Tallied 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in a 108-88 win over the Celtics.

LeBron James Player of the Week. Also Water is Wet

We keep track of this stuff here

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James was named the Eastern Player of the Week for games played Feb. 22-28.

LeBron Goes Public With His Want for Z’s Return

LeBron is nothing if not loyal.  He has played with Z longer than he’s played with anyone else his whole life (including the fab 4)

via YahooSports!

WASHINGTON (AP)—Zydrunas Ilgauskas was waived Thursday by the Washington Wizards, and his old teammates want him to return to Cleveland.

“He knows I would love for him to be back here. I want him to be back here, especially while we’re contending for a title,” LeBron James said before the Cavaliers’ game in Boston. “He’s one of the main reasons why I want to win a title for this team.”

Big Z and LBJ

The 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas, who was acquired from Cleveland on Feb. 17 as part of the three-team trade that sent Antawn Jamison(notes) to the Cavaliers, didn’t play for Washington. He reported on Feb. 19, took a physical and immediately returned to Cleveland.

The 34-year-old is averaging 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds this season.

“We agreed to terms with Zydrunas on a contract buyout, giving us further financial flexibility and allowing our young big men to continue to develop over the remainder of the season,” Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said.

No team is far enough under the salary cap to absorb Ilgauskas’ $11.5 million salary for this season, so he will become a free agent eligible to join any team once he clears waivers. He would be able to rejoin the Cavaliers in 30 days, but could sign with another team immediately.

“I’m expecting to talk to about half a dozen teams in the league, including the Cavaliers,” Herb Rudoy, Ilgauskas’ agent said.

“He’s not going to rush into anything. He has time. He’ll let me know what he wants to do.”

Though he lost his starting job this season after the Cavs acquired Shaquille O’Neal, a return to the Cavs could be attractive for Ilgauskas. He’s spent his entire career in Cleveland after he was drafted in 1996, and the Cavaliers are one of the favorites to win the NBA championship this season.

“I think any playoff team—and that’s what we, we’re a playoff team—any playoff team would like to have his services, so we’d be just as eager as anybody else,” Cleveland coach Mike Brown said.

Over his 12-year career, Ilgauskas has averaged 13.9 points and 7.7 rebounds.

McLovin’ Goes to Dallas… via Cleveland

Christopher “McLovin” Mintz-Plasse (or as I call him, Christopher “The Red Mist” Mintz-Plasse) does a pretty funny promo for NBA.com to promote the 2010 All-Star Game.  “HotWad” Wiliams and Boobie get some good run, and of course LBJ is in it.

LeBron PotW Again

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James today was named the Eastern Conference Players of the Week for games played Feb. 1-7. (link here)

James paced the league in scoring, averaging 35.0 points and was second in assists (10.3 apg), leading Cleveland to a 3-0 week. James also averaged 7.0 rebounds in 43.0 minutes. On Feb. 6, James scored a franchise-record 35 points in the first half and had a season-high tying five steals in the Cavaliers win over New York. James recorded his 19th double-double of the season with 22 points and a career-high tying 15 assists in a win over Memphis on Feb. 2. This is James’ fifth Player of the Week award this season.

LeBron High-Fives Fans

Recap:

Feb. 2 vs. Memphis: Recorded 22 points, 15 assists, six rebounds, one block and one steal in a 105-89 win over the Grizzlies.

Feb. 4 vs. Miami: Scored 36 points and added eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals in a 102-86 win over the Heat.

Feb. 6 vs. New York: Poured in 47 points and added eight assists, eight rebounds and five steals in a 113-106 win over the Knicks

We keep track of this stuff here.