The Promise of LeBron James

By: Bill Livingston

Narrated by: Troy Klein

LeBron James has been a polarizing yet beloved figure for sports fans around the world, possibly nowhere more so than in northeast Ohio, where he grew up. He began his basketball career hailed as “the chosen one,” a beacon of hope for a Cleveland team that had never won an NBA championship. He was then denounced for “the Decision” to leave and pursue his trophy dreams with the Miami Heat. The prodigal son subsequently returned to the Cavaliers, fulfilling “the Promise” to bring ultimate victory to Cleveland in 2016.

From the time James was a high school sophomore, former Cleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Bill Livingston covered every step of his journey from the teenager who flouted high school league rules to a basketball icon and activist, one who even founded a school in his hometown.

In this engaging new biography, Livingston intertwines research, interviews, game highlights, and his firsthand experience with James and Ohio sports. Livingston’s perspective and incisive wit give a unique view not only into James’s evolving motivations, philosophies, and relationships but also to the characters and actions that have defined the Ohio chapters of his career.

The book is published by The Kent State University Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2024 The Kent State University Press (P)2025 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Bill Livingston has been there every step of the way and is the perfect writer to chronicle this amazing story.” (Wayne Embry, former Cavaliers general manager)

“Bill Livingston is uniquely qualified to offer perspective on the relationship between James and his hometown region.” (Alex Sachare, retired publicist and editorial vice president, NBA)

“Comprehensive look at what it was like at the front row of the LBJ Show...James has fulfilled his promise, and so has the author.” (Mark Whicker, former Orange County Register columnist)

A good read

Being a LeBron fan, it was a great read. Written through the eyes of a sports reporter was a twist from most other stories about LeBron.