Who Is Cam Joyce? LeBron James’ Viral Tweet On Saint Ignatius’ State Chip Roots Back To Time With 1st HS Coach

LeBron James in high school was unlike anything coaches and players had ever seen until then. If Bron were to be likened to a diamond in the rough, then the coaches are the ones who helped in polishing the diamond. A coach who had a major influence on LeBron and trained him for the longest was Dru Joyce II.

The Lakers superstar’s time in St. Vincent-St. Mary and even before that, saw Joyce Sr. in constant marvel at young James’ basketball IQ. All that time led to the 4x champion forger a close bond with the coach and the whole team.

That included Coach Joyce’s younger son, Cameron Joyce. And now, Cam Joyce is a head coach himself of the St. Ignatius High School, the team that won the state championship. James wasted no time to congratulate someone who was like a brother to him. “Congrats lil bro!! Super proud of you Killa Cam!!! THATS [fire],” followed by several fire emojis.

The 24th head coach of the Wildcats, Cam Joyce was also appointed as the Director of Youth Program. Coming from a family of basketball enthusiasts, Joyce walked in to fulfill a promise he’d made two years ago. He’d said in 2022 that they would be back to win an OHSAA title and now, after 23 years, St. Ignatius won the crown.

And any mention of a Joyce wouldn’t be complete without touching upon Coach Dru’s ‘Fab Five’.

LeBron James was a brilliant playmaker and Coach Dru was up for the challenge

Taking up the job of coaching LeBron James was a challenging task. And no one understood this better than his high school coach, Dru Joyce II. During his high school days, James and his elder son, Dru Joyce III, needed to know the reasons behind a particular gameplay or strategy. And they weren’t afraid to ask or give new ideas. “He knew how good he was,” coach Joyce recalls during an exclusive with Skysports.

It often ended up with great results, too. LeBron’s feel for basketball and natural leadership skills ensured that his suggestions were the product of careful analysis. But with that, greater scrutiny falls on the coaches and training staff. But in the end, both LeBron James and the coaches had only one goal in mind – victory. So, when a coach can be receptive to proposals from players, more often than not, they find that the results are great.

Not to mention, the bonus of trust and forging a close bond between coaches and players. Both of which are major green flags for a team. “He’s enhanced his tools and his fundamentals have sharpened – his game has become perfect… He’s family. I want the best for him,” Joyce iterates.

Read More: “Celebrities, Rappers, Jay-Z Going Out to See Him Play”: High School Student ‘King’ LeBron James “Starting” the NBA All-Star Game Had Celtics Legend Mindblown