Lebron James: The Making of an MVP [Paperback]

Terry Pluto (Author), Brian Windhorst (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2009

#1 draft pick . . . Rookie of the Year . . . All Star . . . Olympic gold . . . Most Valuable Player-- Cleveland Cavaliers player LeBron James has had an exciting ride to superstardom. This book, by Cleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto and NBA beat writers Brian Windhorst, takes a close-up and thorough look at the forces that shaped LeBron into an MVP.
Pluto and Windhorst have covered the LeBron phenomenon closely from the start. Drawing from a decade of reporting and scores of personal interviews, their new book provides an inside look at each stage of LeBron's development--how his childhood shaped his personality and sparked his drive to succeed; how budding stardom in high school challenged him to grow up fast; how his first steps in the NBA weren't always easy; how he quickly grew into a forceful team leader in the NBA and on Team USA; and how he now works relentlessly to improve his game.
The book has been nominated for the American Library Association's "Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers" (2011).

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

TERRY PLUTO:
Terry Pluto is a sports columnist for the Plain Dealer. He has twice been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the nation s top sports columnist for medium-sized newspapers. He is a nine-time winner of the Ohio Sports Writer of the Year award and has received more than 50 state and local writing awards. In 2005 he was inducted into the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame. He is the author of 23 books, including The Curse of Rocky Colavito (selected by the New York Times as one of the five notable sports books of 1989), and Loose Balls, which was ranked number 13 on Sports Illustrated s list of the top 100 sports books of all time. He was called Perhaps the best American writer of sports books, by the Chicago Tribune in 1997. He lives with his wife, Roberta, in Akron, Ohio.

BRIAN WINDHORST:
Brian Windhorst is a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and has covered the Cleveland Cavaliers since 2003. He has been an NBA correspondent for ESPN.com and ESPN First Take since 2006. His writing has been honored by the Professional Basketball Writers Association and the Associated Press. He earned a degree in journalism from Kent State University in 2000. He lives in Brook Park, Ohio, and Jupiter, Florida.

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: Gray & Co., Publishers (November 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598510592
• ISBN-13: 978-1598510591
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #822,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Basketball > Professional

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LeBron James: The Making of an MVP, February 23, 2010

By 

Bob Bevan "hoops fan" (Chapel Hill, N.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lebron James: The Making of an MVP (Paperback)

"LeBron James: The Making of an MVP'' chronicles James from his childhood in Akron all the way to superstardom in the NBA. It follows in a long line of wonderful books by Terry Pluto, the award-winning sports writer of the Akron Beacon-Journal and now the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cleveland Cavaliers beat reporter Brian Windhorst is Pluto's co-author.
Accompanying the text are 90 outstanding color photos taken by the staff of the Plain Dealer. They record James from high school -- where in addition to being a basketball prodigy, he was also a football player of note -- all the way to the NBA. In addition, factoid boxes called The LeBron File, revealing interesting tidbits about James, are scattered through the text.
The authors spared no detail in this portrayal of James. In addition to covering LeBron's pro career, they have talked to many who made an impression on him during his high school career. That includes teachers at St. Vincent-St. Mary as well as coaches and teammates.
These interviews reveal a side of LeBron that you won't find in newspapers. Apparently being blessed with an athletic body is not enough to gain the success he has had. The authors constantly show examples of LeBron's drive and character. Eager to please in any situation, LeBron comes across as an extremely positive role model. Even as a kid when he lived part-time with the Walker family, LeBron adapted to a family routine, fitting in and helping with household chores.
Later, that kind of attitude would prove beneficial when he was not fully accepted by Cavaliers teammates during his rookie season. He continued to do his best, and the Cavaliers dumped some players in order to fit players around him. His best included not just scoring points but being the ultimate team player.
Versatility is the name of his game. The authors point out that LeBron would be a star if he were shorter and could not score because he's such a good passer.
Thus, he has the scoring ability of Michael Jordan and the passing ability of Magic Johnson or Larry Bird. So containing him defensively becomes quite the chore.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in James. This is so much more than just a basketball book. It probes the character and off-the-court life of a basketball superstar as much as his on-the-floor contributions.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insightful book., January 23, 2010

By 

M. Gerhardstein "Maggie" (Hudson,OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lebron James: The Making of an MVP (Paperback)

This is an excellent for anyone who wants an insight into the character and development of LeBron James

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars 'The Turncoat', August 9, 2010

By 

Proud to be in Cleveland w/o Lebron - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lebron James: The Making of an MVP (Paperback)

After reading this book, I should have known that Lebron was a traitor - especially when he TURNED his back on his public school in Akron to play for a Catholic School. That was the first sign that he was a traitor. This book doesn't deserve any stars.