NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James

The Sonny Side of Sports salutes Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James for winning his first National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award.  LeBron received 109 of a possible 121 first-place votes in balloting by basketball writers and broadcasters in Canada and the United States.

LeBron is the first Cavalier to win the award.  He averaged 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists this season, his sixth in the NBA.

LeBron James

The 24-year-old James was touted as a future NBA star when he attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.  Perhaps it was only appropriate then that LeBron received the MVP award in the high school gym where he first gained nationwide exposure.

In addition to the MVP trophy, LeBron won a gold medal at last year's Beijing Olympics in China with the USA men's basketball team.  In the gold medal

USA star Lebron James shoots over Angola's Joaqim Gomes at 2008 Olympics in China

game, the USA defeated Spain, 118-107, with LeBron scoring 14 points and grabbing six rebounds.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are now aiming for their first NBA title.  The Cavaliers are playing the Atlanta Hawks in a second round, best-of-seven game playoff series.

The Sonny Side of Sports welcomes your questions and comments.  Check out the contact information on the right side of this page.  Also check out this Sonny Side of Sports YouTube video from May 1, 2009.