LeBron James Reveals When He Knew He Was Special

(Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

LeBron James is considered one of the best NBA players of all time and easily rivals others like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and more.

In fact, millions of fans believe that he’s actually better than Jordan.

At what age did James know that he was going to be a special kind of player and someone who could make NBA history?

Speaking with “The Shop,” James said it all dawned on him when he was just 17 years old.

Although only a junior in high school, he had already graced magazine covers, earned fans, and was spoken of as the next big thing in sports.

He said that he had out-of-body experiences that proved that he could be a legendary player like Jordan and more.

“I couldn’t even believe some of the s–t that I was doing,” James said.

LeBron on when he realized he can become something greater than Michael Jordan:

“17 [years old]… I couldn’t even believe some of the sh*t that I was doing… I knew I could be LeBron, not Jordan, not Penny…”

— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) August 2, 2024

James was a huge draw even though he was still in high school.

People knew that he was going to be the top pick in the draft and many already predicted that he’d be the next icon of the league.

The hype around James was immense, but there was good reason for it.

After entering the league, James quickly showed that he was worth all the attention.

Within just a few seasons, he was easily one of the greatest players in the league and was on his way to making history.

Now, all these years later, people talk about James in the same ways they talk about Jordan and other NBA legends.

James has never been afraid of the hype around him and has instead leaned into it.

That has helped him believe in himself and reach the next level, again and again.