LeBron James nicknames, explained: How NBA superstar earned Captain LeMerica, King James, Chosen One and more

In sports, there is an exclusive list of athletes who are prominent enough to go by just one name. Lakers superstar LeBron James is one of them.

James, who has been in the public eye for over two decades, is one of the biggest stars the sports world has seen. And if you mention James by his first name or one of his several nicknames, everyone will immediately know to whom you are referring.

Even as he gears up for his 22nd NBA season, James is still picking up new nicknames, with "Captain LeMerica" joining the official list of monikers for the four-time champ.

What's the story behind Captain LeMerica and James' other monikers? Here is more on the origins of James' nicknames and why they're officially recognized.

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LeBron James nicknames, explained

Using Basketball Reference as a guide, James has nine official nicknames: King James, LBJ, Chosen One, Bron-Bron, The Little Emperor, The Akron Hammer, L-Train, Benjamin Buckets and Captain LeMerica.

The LBJ and Bron-Bron monikers are a bit more self-explanatory as they're derived from his initials and first name, but others have origins that can use an explanation.

King James

As legend has it, the King James nickname dates back to James' freshman year of high school. After playing a hand in St. Vincent-St. Mary's 2000 Ohio state championship, James' childhood friend Randy Mims said he began hearing people say "King James" about LeBron.

The name has stuck and is James' social media handle. It's also prominently featured on his line of signature Nike apparel and sneakers.

Chosen One

James' "Chosen One" nickname was adopted after appearing on the Sports Illustrated magazine cover in February 2002. At just 17, James' magazine cover read "The Chosen One" along with the message stating, "High school Junior LeBron James would be an NBA lottery pick right now."

He has both lived up to and embraced the nickname, most notably getting "Chosen 1" tattooed across his back.

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L-Train

It's unclear when it started, but James' L-Train nickname can be credited to Cavaliers legend and color analyst Austin Carr. Carr, who brings one-of-a-kind energy to Cavs broadcasts, would call James L-Train during his most impressive moments of both stints in Cleveland.

Captain LeMerica

James' Captain LeMerica nickname is the newest and stems from his believed influence in the development of the United States men's basketball roster at the 2024 Olympics.

After Team USA came short at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, James was one of the first to pledge a commitment to play at the Olympics and several other former MVPs soon followed. A play on the Marvel superhero, the LeMerica spelling is derived from the spelling of LeBron's first name.

The Little Emperor

If you notice a parallel to James' other royal nickname, there is. However, this nickname isn't as straightforward.

As explained by East Asia historian Nick Kapur in 2018, The Little Emperor is a play on the King James nickname and was primarily used by his fans during earlier stages of his career.

Now, given some connotations of the nickname, his haters tend to use The Little Emperor while fans prefer a more direct translation of King James.