The Beginnings
In this narrative in first person, Lebron James talks about the formation of his high school basketball team and the challenges it faces in order to climb the ladder all the way to the top. The bonds that exists between the players, the style of play that the team developed and its growth as a team are exposed with details. In the book one can also know Lebron’s point of view about some challenges that he faced (e.g., the controversy about the car he received from his mother). Good reading. ( )

The only thing weirder than Lebron James' need to revisit his high school days is George Lucas need to revisit the Clone Wars.

It is a little disconcerting and a tad creepy that a guy with a chance to be the best NBA player ever needs to rehash his high school days and stroke his (even in his own book) unlikable buddies. Maybe Bron just wants Dru, Sian, Romeo and Willie to walk the red carpet but share in his fame, but sheesh.

More on that later.

But the writing is weak too.
The cliff hanger idea is used over and over, "The ball was in the air....I wanted it to go in...." at least three times.
There is needless detail like running scores, including every single hoop from one game. "4-2 Romeo with a layup, 4-4, I get a steal and a dunk 6-4..." God Lebron or Buzz or whoever wrote it make it stop! Skip to the end where the ball stays in the air and it feels good, but will it go in?!!!

Back to his team-mates. The two main characters Dru Joyce and Sian Cotton come across as spoiled brats, despite Lebron's stroking. Dru in particular seems a real little prick, disrespecting his father, coaches, team-mates, etc.

What Lebron believes or pretends to believe is as amazing as any highlight from Sports Center.
A rival High School coach recruited his disgruntled friend (the ever prickly Joyce) because he liked his game and the fact he was Lebron James' best friend was not part of it. What a great guy that high school coach was.
When Lebron's mom got a loan for his three television Hummer when he was still in High School even though she couldn't make her rent payments unaided Lebron thought it was "maybe" a bit much.
When his friend Romeo who Lebron describes as angry, abusive, and a "rude asshole" is kicked out of school it was because a teacher "over reacted" to an innocent comment.
The jerseys he was given in exchange for a photo were for making the honor role at his school not for any of his athletic fame.

Also in this heartfelt story of childhood innocence Lebron never mentions why his team switched from Adidas to Nike during the season then he signed a 90 million dollar deal with Nike a bit later.

The end of the book is petty beyond belief. I can almost stomach his anger at the athletic council that allowed high school games at 15,000 seat arenas and suspended him over some free shirts. But when he names high school players he bested and brings up hearsay trash talk from an opponent's mother it seems childish. Even though he relished in his "brothers" Sian, Dru, Romeo sticking it too that cocky guy, he fails to see that that guy made the NBA as a player while Drew, Romeo and Sian didn't.

It is hard to believe he wrote this in 2009 after he had already won and NBA MVP award. It's odd he is so proud of these high school wins. It would be like the US Marine Corps bragging about invading Grenada. There is no retrospect that seems to notice that a high school team with Lebron James on it should, you know, kinda, win every game. For crying out loud it it is pretty tough to beat an NBA team with him on it.

But, Lebron remains a likable guy. It really is amazing he survived the media crush and lived up to the hype. The most interesting parts of the book are how he and his friends handled and mishandled their celebrity. And for the record I don't begrudge him the Hummer, even in high school people were making a lot of money off him. But these passages are too few and the "Little Dru hit a three" parts are far too many. It is a bit too modest that he talks about crowds coming to see his team. Lebron they were coming to see you. The rest of the fab five, not so much.

If I was a fan of whatever NBA team gives Lebron 200 million the next 7 years I would be a bit worried that this book indicates he has already accomplished his basketball dream. I would also worry about how that team will probably be forced to give Dru and Romeo tryouts. ( )

This is a memoir as told by Lebron James. It began with his life as a child and what happened between his parents to put him in the situation he grew up in. The book describes the team Lebron played with as a young child, the Shooting Stars, and the lifelong bonds he forged there. The book is meticulously detailed on characters, games, and just every situation in Lebron's highschool days, but I wish the book went on past his graduation. All in all, it was a quick-read that kept me on the edge of my seat. I would recommend it to any basketball enthusiast- player or fan, Lebron fan, NBA fan, or anyone looking for a good book. ( )