Overview

• James says he realized he was "pretty special" in his first year of organized youth football and basketball during an appearance on Complex's 360 With Speedy.
• He identifies an eighth-grade runner-up finish at AAU nationals as the turning point when he began dunking in games and his team pulled unexpected upsets.
• He recalls scoring 18 touchdowns in six games and earning MVP in his first youth football season, followed by an undefeated debut season in organized basketball.
• Coverage connects his recollection to Grant Wahl’s 2002 Sports Illustrated feature, which also marked that AAU event as pivotal in his rise to national prominence.
• He contextualizes viral moments, saying his greeting to Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis was a first-thought reaction and that his bubble "ain't that our ball?" remark reflected staying locked into the game.