LeBron James

LeBron James is widely considered one of the greatest athletes of his generation. James' extraordinary basketball skills and dedication to the game have won him the admiration of fans across the globe and have made him an international icon.

Prior to the 2014-2015 season, James returned to his hometown of Akron, Ohio, and rejoined the Cleveland Cavaliers in their mission to bring a championship to the community he grew up in. James had previously spent seven seasons in Cleveland after being drafted out of high school by his hometown team with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

James led the Cavaliers to five straight NBA playoff appearances and earned six All-Star selections during his first stint in Cleveland. In 2010, James joined the Miami Heat, leading the team to four straight NBA finals appearances that included back-to-back NBA Championships and consecutive NBA Finals MVP victories. The 2011-2012 season was a historic year for James as he earned his third league MVP award, first NBA Finals MVP award and his first NBA Championship. James capped that unprecedented season by leading the United States to a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in London, his second gold medal as a member of the USA Team.

Throughout his career, James has made charitable efforts a priority, namely through the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF). Founded by James in 2004, the LJFF strives to positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education and cocurricular educational initiatives. In 2011, in partnership with Akron Public Schools, LJFF began addressing the high-school dropout crisis facing the Akron, Ohio, community and launched its Wheels for Education program. This groundbreaking initiative targets third-graders and provides them with the programs, support and mentors they need for success in school. This past year, the LJFF took the core values of the Wheels for Education program and tailored them for middle-school children to create the Akron I PROMISE Network. The programs together serve nearly 800 Akron Public School children and will follow them through graduation.

Coupled with his success on the court, James' diverse business portfolio of innovative endorsements and authentic investments has established him as one of the most influential figures in all of sports. In 2014, Forbes ranked James as the top athlete on its list of the world's most powerful celebrities for his influence beyond the sports landscape. James has also appeared on Time's annual list of the 100 Most Influential People, Bloomberg Businessweek's 100 Most Influential People in Sports and the Sports Business Journal's 50 Most Influential People in Sports Business.

Adding to his off-the-court portfolio is James' increasing influence in the entertainment industry, namely through his own company, Springhill Productions. Named after the public-housing complex where James grew up in Akron, Springhill is an entertainment and content company that develops creative content across a variety of platforms, including digital, documentary and feature films, and scripted and unscripted TV.

Since its launch in 2008, Springhill has spearheaded a number of projects, including Becoming, a collaboration with ESPN Films and Disney XD on a half-hour show for kids and families profiling the inspirational journeys of today's top athletes, with James serving as the subject of the pilot episode.

During NBA All-Star Weekend 2015, Springhill executive produce "NBA All-Star All-Style," the league's first ever fashion competition, which aired on TV and featured top talent in the NBA and entertainment industry. Springhill is also behind the breakout Starz scripted comedy series Survivor's Remorse, with James executive producing along with his business partner, Maverick Carter, and the legendary producer and chairman of the Boston Red Sox, Tom Werner.

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