LeBron James Participates in the 2001 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival

A veteran of the 2001 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival, despite having just completed his sophomore high school season (the majority of Festival participants are high school juniors), he led the USA North Team to the Festival gold medal and averaged a Festival best 24.0 ppg., And added a Festival fifth best 7.2 rpg., 2.2 assists, a Festival second best 2.0 steals a game, all while shooting 52.7 percent from the floor, and a Festival second best 47.8 percent (11-23 3pt FGs) from 3-point.

Few high school basketball players attract notice outside their home state, but by his junior year, James had caught the attention of basketball fans across the country and earned the intense devotion of fans throughout Ohio.