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Lebron James

The Cleveland Cavaliers are making headlines one after another. After Shaquille O’Neal recently announced his new reality TV sports show, it was The King Lebron James‘ turn.

Reigning NBA MVP Lebron James has just recently dropped a bombshell about his youth and rise to superstardom. In his book, “Shooting Stars”, written by James himself and Buzz Bissinger, The King reveals that he once struggled mightily with the sudden fame and popularity that was bestowed upon him after appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated – then as a 17-year-old and admits he smoked marijuana during his junior year in high school.

Those are two of the biggest revelations in a book that spans James’ unparalleled rise from his hometown of Akron, Ohio as a basketball prodigy to definite NBA superstar.

James recounts his time as an up and coming superstar:

“We had become big-headed jerks, me in particular and we are to blame for that, but so are adults who treated us that way and then sat back and smugly watched the self-destruction.”

Moreover, The King Lebron James recounts the media circus that took place during his final two years at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School after a very popular SI cover appearance. James said he and close friends Dru Joyce, Sian Cotton, Romeo Travis and Willie McGee — nicknamed the Fab Five — became “rock stars” and took advantage of their celebrity.

“I was arrogant, dubbing myself “The Chosen One”. In hindsight, I should have kept quiet, but I also was what I was, a teenager where every reporter in the world seemed to be rushing toward me at once.”

This is where James revealed that he and his teammates smoked marijuana one night after getting access to a hotel room in Akron.

In the book slated for a September release, Lebron James also gives his views about the $50,000 loan his mother was granted to give him a Hummer for his birthday, his suspension by the Ohio High School Athletic Association, and many other controversial stories about his past.

Shaquille O'Neal. Picture courtesy of Droppingdimes.gearlive.com

It’s official. Shaquille O’Neal is now a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In order to boost its chances of winning the much coveted NBA Championship, the Cleveland Cavaliers have executed a trade that sent Shaquille O’Neal to tandem with arguably the best player in the league today, Lebron James, in a huge trade announcement very recently. In exchange, the Phoenix Suns got former Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. The move seems more of a salary cap clearing activity for the Suns, who finally got rid of the huge paycheck they would have owed to Shaquille O’Neal had they kept him for next season. Moreover, they might further experience a more manageable payroll with Ben Wallace contemplating retirement.

This will be Shaq’s third team after winning three championships with the Los Angeles Lakers alongisde 2009 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant. The Diesel won another in a Miami Heat jersey when he teamed up with Dwyane Wade whom he dubbed, “The Flash”.  O’Neal, a former regular season MVP and Finals MVP, was then traded to the Phoenix Suns, in the hopes of teaming up with Canadian superstar Steve Nash and All-Star big man Amare Stoudemire to bring a championship to the Valley of the Sun.

This did not transpire though and after one and a half sub-par regular season performances from the Suns, rumors arose that Shaq and his huge salary would be traded to the Cavs to join King James. After a disappointing Eastern Conference Finals exit against Orlando last season, will Shaq’s presence be the final piece of the puzzle in the Clevland Cavaliers’ hunt for championship gold? Or will they suffer a disappointing result, similar to what happened with the Phoenix Suns?

For Phoenix, will they give Ben Wallace a buyout of his contract? Or will he be left alone to retire by himself? Moreover, will he consider playing one more season, this time for the Suns, who desperately need a huge defensive presence inside, especially with Amare Stoudemire’s documented troubles playing defense? Will Pavlovic replace the aging Grant Hill in the rotation? What do you think?

The answers to these questions may very well lie with the upcoming regular season. Or for all we know, in the upcoming days leading up to bigger NBA trades.

While sports may be seen as the best and most active pastime for a 10-year old, some people deem it as money-making lifestyle. From boxers, basketball players, to golfers, many have lay claim to being not just the best but also the richest in their respective sports . For today, we look at the Top 10 highest-paid athletes during the last twelve months according to Forbes.

NUMBER 10: DALE EARNHARDT, JR.

Earnings last 12 months: $34 million

Sport: Car Racing

Easily the most popular NASACAR racer today, Earnhardt cashed in a cool $34 million despite winning only a single race for the past two seasons. This makes a case for not having to be the clear best of the best to be the richest in one’s sport, as he took advantage of deals from giants Adidas and Chevrolet. That’s easily what happens when sales of merchandise linked to your name raced past any other race car driver’s by a mile.

NUMBER 9: VALENTINO ROSSI

Earnings last 12 months: $35 million

Sport: Motorcyle Racing

As if earning a cool $16 million a year in salary alone wasn’t good enough, Rossi more than doubles that amount by being the face of a sport and thus getting being endorsements deals. Mind you, he is that good at what he does. He won the 2008 World Championship – the eighth of his career.

NUMBER 6: MANNY PACQUIAO

Earnings last 12 months: $40 million

Sport: Boxing

We jump to the sixth spot because of a three-way tie. First on this rank is the Filipino boxing champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao who became king of the boxing world when he put on flawless performances against The Golden Boy Oscar de La Hoya and punched the lights out of Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. Apart from the split of the money he garnered from those fights, he generated more income from pay-per-view buys and various endorsements in his hometown and around the world. Pacman is said to be seeking a seat in Congress in the Philippines in 2010. Perhaps a higher ranking in the Forbes list by then?

NUMBER 6: PHIL MICKELSON

Earnings last 12 months: $40 million

Sport: Golf

Sometimes being number two isn’t that bad, as Mickelson experiences. Being next to Tiger Woods in golf has generated various endorsements for this Phil, the most notable one his deal with Callaway, which recently gave him a 5-year extension. With this, we can probably expect Phil to climb up the rankings next year. And we haven’t even begun talking about him possibly racing past Tiger Woods.

NUMBER 10: LEBRON JAMES

Earnings last 12 months: $40 million

Sport: Basketball

Rounding out the bottom half and the 3-way tie for sixth place is basketball phenom and athletic freak Lebron James. “King” James as he is called has recently won the Most Valuable Player Award. And if he moves to a bigger market like New York in 2010, the moolah’s gonna fall for James non-stop! With his very public declaration that he wants to be the first billionaire athlete, his youth, and his infinite potential, he could be very well placed beside the likes of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates soon.

NUMBER 5: DAVID BECKHAM

Earnings last 12 months: $42 million

Sport: Football

Making a case for wanting to be popular over being the best is David Beckham. Easily one of the most popular athletes and most recognizable faces in the world today, Beckham has taken advantage of this by gaining huge endorsement deals from Adidas, Armani, and many others. You know you’re popular when you move to Los Angeles and everyone follows. You know you’re popular when you move into a different league, cause a global stir, and make other athletes like Kobe Bryant contemplate about moving to a different league in another country as well.

NUMBER 2: KIMI RAIKKONEN

Earnings last 12 months: $45 million

Sport: Car Racing

Though a dismal year for his career, Raikkonen sure must not be feeling bad about his purse. Having an off-year and still being involved in a three-way tie for second place sure is a nice thing to deal with. What more can we say?

NUMBER 2: MICHAEL JORDAN

Earnings last 12 months: $45 million

Sport: Basketball

What do you get if you’re the best and most popular at the same time? You rake in $45 million a year long after you’ve retired, that’s what. Being the most popular athlete in the USA and the best of all time in basketball sure has its perks. The Jordan brand is still selling like hotcakes and is fast approaching the $1 billion dollar mark in sales. Not bad for a retired professional athlete – who happens to be the best of all time.

NUMBER 2: KOBE BRYANT

Earnings last 12 months: $45 million

Sport: Basketball

Yet another basketball phenom has graced this page. The third, actually. Kobe Byant, highly touted as the best in basketball today, has just won his fourth NBA championship and his first Finals MVP. He’s at a high right now. What’s even better? His $21 million salary, various endorsement deals, and Number 24 jersey which is the highest selling jersey right now. And people criticized his change from Number 8 to 24. If he had gotten a nickel for every criticism he’s received, he would have been the richest person alive today.

NUMBER 1: TIGER WOODS

Earnings last 12 months: $110 million

Sport: Golf

A clear winner by a landslide. Soon to become a billionaire athlete, he is who Lebron James should be racing against. Deals with Nike and Accenture more than pad his earnings. He is essentially one of, if not the biggest and richest brand today. All this despite an off year. That pretty much sums up how great these atheletes are – they’re pretty much one of if not the best at what they do, easily the most popular, and even at an off year, they still rake in the biggest amounts of money conceivable to man. That’s what having multiple sources of income can do for you. When one souce falters, the other makes up for it. For us, that is a legacy right there. For them, they’re just doing their job.