Not even an NBA star, and he's getting celebrity props.... http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0205/1504308.html AKRON, Ohio -- LeBron James was cleared to play Wednesday by a judge who blocked a state ruling that stripped the high school basketball star of his eligibility. James was ordered to serve a two-game suspension, which includes the one game he already missed. James can rejoin his team but must sit out one more game, Summit County Judge James Williams ruled. St. Vincent-St. Mary has four games left before the playoffs, and the school can decide which game James will miss. The senior already missed one game after the Ohio High School Athletic Association declared him ineligible for accepting two free sports jerseys worth a total of $845. Lawyers for the athletic association and James presented their arguments to the judge during a one-hour hearing. Williams ordered the school to tell James by noon Thursday which game he will miss. The judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for Feb. 19, when he will decide whether to grant a permanent injunction or go to trial. "Neither side is going to be happy,'' Williams said. "There are a number of issues the court wants to hear.'' James, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft, and his team were scheduled to play Saturday in Trenton, N.J. Three of the team's remaining regular-season games are before the next hearing. James did not attend Wednesday's hearing. OHSAA commissioner Clair Muscaro attended but did not immediately comment on the ruling. James' attorney, Fred Nance, argued in court documents filed Tuesday that the 6-foot-8 star player did nothing wrong when he accepted two retro jerseys from the owner of a Cleveland clothing store. "All LeBron did was receive a gift from a friend as congratulations for his academic achievements,'' Nance said. "Had LeBron wished to capitalize on his fame, the recompense could be in the millions of dollars.'' James has said he returned the jerseys. The OHSAA found that the store gave James the Gale Sayers and Wes Unseld jerseys in exchange for posing for pictures to be displayed on its walls. Muscaro ruled that James broke an amateur bylaw "by capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value.'' Muscaro's decision came four days after the athletic association cleared James of any wrongdoing for accepting a $50,000 sport utility vehicle as an 18th birthday gift from his mother. The ruling that stripped James of his eligibility also forced his team to forfeit a Jan. 25 victory. Nance asked Williams to reinstate the win, but the judge didn't rule on that issue. James attended practice on Tuesday in the school's gym, wearing a gray T-shirt and blue shorts. He warmed up with his Fighting Irish teammates and was stretching in the middle of the floor when coach Dru Joyce closed the practice. The school defended James and said the punishment was too severe. "LeBron made a mistake and accepts responsibility,'' James Burdon, chairman of the school's board of trustees, said. "He's apologized for the pain he's caused others. However, he has not committed a crime, nor has he consciously hurt anyone.''
"All LeBron did was receive a gift from a friend as congratulations for his academic achievements,'' Nance said. "Had LeBron wished to capitalize on his fame, the recompense could be in the millions of dollars.'' So I guess this clears the way for every HS athlete to get paid, assuming they are friends with a store owner and they pass a test. Interesting. Guess it also says the OHSAA has no authority. So the organization sets rules, then judges change it. Wonder how long it will be until a judge rules that celebrating in the NFL should not be a penalty or hanging on the rim should not be a T. Wonder how much of a campaign contribution Nance will be getting from Lebron?
King James is back!!! Nice to see these guys came to their senses. Good thing cause I really didnt want to wait till october to watch this kid again.
Guess his Mom should have 'borrowed' the jerseys from the shop-keeper and given them to James. Let the boy play. This is silly.
it's great because the penalty is fair. 2 games suspension should have been given out at the start. come on, he only got 2 jerseys.
