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It’s been a long week,” replied Donewald, who had pushed the teenager hard across consecutive days of gruelling work in preparation for the 82-game season.
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Throughout that summer, James travelled to the Cavaliers’ practice facility – a 40-minute drive from where he grew up in Akron, Ohio – for intense one-to-one training with Bob Donewald Jnr, one of the team’s assistant coaches.Īfter one session, coach and superstar-in-waiting chatted during a cool-down routine.
HIGHSCHOOL PRODIGY PROFESSIONAL
Selected by his hometown team the Cleveland Cavaliers, rarely has a teenager carried such high expectations into their professional debut. For years it had been predicted he would be the number one pick in the 2003 NBA draft – and sure enough he was. He was the cover star of the prestigious Sports Illustrated magazine while still a junior in high school. Aged only 18, he had long been regarded as basketball’s next great hope. In the summer of 2003, James was putting in extra work before his rookie season. Their analysis helps frame the ways in which this unique sportsperson has evolved through the years to remain not only relevant and successful but ahead of the pack. Here, former coaches, team-mates and opponents chart the rise of this remarkable player from teenage prodigy to fully fledged superstar and beyond. Yet he appears to be having more fun than ever, and is still inflicting misery on the rest of the league. James, in his 18th NBA season, had turned 36 two weeks earlier. And that’s exactly what he did releasing the ball on its arc towards the net before quickly turning to face up the wager, his back to the court as the net rippled and bedlam broke loose. “To make a bet official you gotta look a man in the eye,” James later said. As he did so, his Los Angeles Lakers team-mate Dennis Schroder teased from the bench behind: “Bet you won’t make it.” Now the excited family is busy attending meetings to plan Aaron’s transition from college star to NBA prodigy with the Orlando Magic.LeBron James picked up possession in the corner during a mid-January meeting with the Houston Rockets. Like any coach, Kennedy said, “I’m excited about one of my players not only going to play in the NBA, but he’s also a top 10 pick.” While Aaron is young, this is a prime time to utilize his skills on the professional court. Shelly Gordon said, “We want all our kids to be well educated, and Aaron wants to be a college coach, so at some point he will finish college.” She is not worried about Aaron putting his education on hold. With all of the workouts going on he’s still keeping a level head.”īut the NBA is not Aaron’s only goal. He’s going to be such a weapon at every angle. “He’s going to find a way to get on the court. Kennedy believes Aaron’s competitive spirit and maturity positions him to succeed in the NBA. In high school, Aaron brought energy that helped pump up the team, Kennedy said, “Aaron was the loudest guy on the court and when he was in a good mood it sounded like the team was having the best practice.” Afterward he would stay to get extra work and to play one-on-one with his coach. Even in middle school, Mitty’s varsity basketball coach, Tim Kennedy, said, “You could tell he was so much bigger than everyone else but he could handle himself like a guard, which is pretty impressive for an eighth grader.” Aaron channeled his driving force to push for perfection on the court.Īaron’s competitive side fit perfectly at his high school, San Jose’s Archbishop Mitty, known for its reputable sports programs. “They would print them out and color them and tape them to the wall.”Ī half basketball court sits in the backyard, and Aaron played on it religiously every day, inspired by his siblings, parents, and idol Magic Johnson. “He used to make me take pictures of him and his buddy ‘hoopin’ when they were just pint sized,” Shelly Gordon said. “They played soccer, ran track, Aaron played football they took music lessons.” Shelly and Ed Gordon, a former New England Patriots player, urged their kids to explore and find what they enjoyed doing.Įven as a toddler, Aaron loved basketball. The Gordon kids, Drew, Elisabeth and Aaron, participated in multiple activities growing up. Surrounded by towering people, Shelly Gordon said, her youngest son wasn’t necessarily gigantic.Īaron Gordon, now 18, grew into an exceptional basketball player coveted by high schools. Maybe it was the food or the genes - mom Shelly is 5 foot 11 - but by middle school Aaron was 6 foot 2. From high-school prodigy to NBA: The rise of San Jose’s Aaron Gordon – The Mercury News Close Menu