FRANCE: BASKETBALL - NBA star Lebron James and French basketballer Tony Parker watch their training camp teams play in Paris

Record ID: 790680

  • Title: FRANCE: BASKETBALL - NBA star Lebron James and French basketballer Tony Parker watch their training camp teams play in Paris
  • Date: 2nd September 2009
  • Summary: JAMES WATCHING THE GAME VARIOUS OF THE BASKETBALL GAME PARKER APPEALING TO THE REFEREE, SENDING PLAYER ONTO COURT PLAYER TAKING PENALTY SHOTS AT THE HOOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) NBA BASKETBALL PLAYER LEBRON JAMES TELLING NEWS CONFERENCE "We've been to a lot of cities, we've been in America and also in Asia and I think it's been very inspirational. You know the time we had in Asia was excellent. To see those kids out there and see how passionate they are about not only basketball but also life in general was amazing" JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NBA BASKETBALL PLAYER LEBRON JAMES SAYING: "All these great players that we have now today is because of Michael Jordan. It's because he laid the path for everybody. He covered our necks. Everybody, no matter if you were five feet tall or if you were seven foot five, you wanted to be Michael Jordan, you wanted to fly, you wanted to shoot, you wanted to make game with your shots, you wanted to wear the nicest kicks and things like that. He transcended what the game of basketball is all about." JAMES, JOYCE AND DESIGNER WHO CREATED the NIKE LEBRON SHOE STANDING FOR CAMERAS
  • Embargoed: 17th September 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAEOYPX8CP1D72YYPAQE1Z8XLBT
  • Story Text: NBA star LeBron James was in Paris on Tuesday (September 1) as part of a tour promoting his camps for youngsters and a documentary about his early playing days.
    Ahead of the North American National Basketball Association (NBA) play-offs at the end of October, Lebron has been around the United States, to Asia and Europe.
    In Paris, a team from his camp played against a squad set up by French basketballer Tony Parker.
    Lebron James was drafted into the NBA at the age of 18 by the Cavaliers and signed a 90 million dollar shoe contract with Nike even before his professional debut.
    After watching the game on Tuesday, he told a news conference: "We've been to a lot of cities, we've been in America and also in Asia and I think it's been very inspirational. You know the time we had in Asia was excellent. To see those kids out there and see how passionate they are about not only basketball but also life in general was amazing."
    Lebron wears 23 on the court, the same number worn by his hero Michael Jordan.
    "All these great players that we have now today is because of Michael Jordan. It's because he laid the path for everybody. He covered our necks. Everybody, no matter if you were five feet tall or if you were seven foot five, you wanted to be Michael Jordan, you wanted to fly, you wanted to shoot, you wanted to make game with your shots, you wanted to wear the nicest kicks and things like that. He transcended what the game of basketball is all about," James said.
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