Bill Livingston of The Cleveland Plain Dealer previews “Shooting Stars,” which tells the story of LeBron’s rise as a high school basketball player:
LeBron James smoked marijuana during his junior year in high school. Three other members of the Akron St. Vincent St. Mary starting five smoked with him. Another drank alcohol.
All this took place in a hotel room in Akron the players “had gotten access to,” in the guarded words of “Shooting Stars,” a book to be released in September. It amounts to James’ life story through his tumultuous high school years.
Before getting judgmental about this, it is wise to remember the players were teenagers. Those who were saints as young men and women can cast the first stone. In his NBA career, James has never been in serious trouble with the law.
James’ junior season ended in the only state championship game he lost, a result, he feels, of the arrogance he and the rest of the team developed after he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on Feb. 18, 2002.
