HoopsHype.com Rumors

Chris Tomasson: Shane Battier believes LeBron could break Kareem's record of 6 MVPs: “If he stays healthy. If he stay’s healthy, this won’t be his last one" Twitter @christomasson

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Shane Battier 

Miami Heat star LeBron James is named Most Valuable Player for the fourth time, league sources confirmed Friday. James has been voted MVP for the second straight season and for the fourth time in the past five years. He'll join Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain with at least four MVP awards. ESPN.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell 

The Heat are scheduling an awards presentation Sunday, and James will also be presented the MVP trophy by NBA commissioner David Stern at AmericanAirlines Arena at the start of their second-round series next week in Miami. ESPN.com

Miami Heat, LeBron James, David Stern 

Ethan J. Skolnick: LeBron says the next target for improvement is his free throw shooting: "I want to be in the 80s." Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

It has taken 10 years but LeBron James has agreed to donate $1 million to renovate the gymnasium at his high school alma mater, Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary. School president Tom Carone said work is expected to begin soon on the renovation that will include: • Naming the new gymnasium "The LeBron James Arena." • A regulation 94-foot floor. The floor in place is only 84 feet long. • New bleachers that will add an additional 50 seats to the estimated 1,500 currently in place. • Two new scoreboards at each end of the gymnasium. • A new heating and cooling system. • Six new retractable baskets. • New lighting. The Plain Dealer

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

The antiquated gymnasium at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School has become somewhat of a shrine for LeBron James fans. Four college-bound young men stopped by two summers ago on an out-of-town pilgrimage and others wander in occasionally. But three-time NBA MVP James has decided it is time for athletes at his alma mater to play in a state-of-the-art facility. Miami Heat star James has donated $1 million for renovation of the St. V-M gymnasium. Akron Beacon Journal

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Ira Winderman: For those asking, based on scheduling of awards and games, figure on LeBron to be named Most Valuable Player on Sunday. Twitter @IraHeatBeat

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Will LeBron James be the unanimous MVP? Or might there be a Fred Hickman repeat? There never has been a unanimous NBA MVP selection in the 56 years the award has been handed out. The closest anyone has come was when Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal received 120 out of 121 possible first-place votes from a media panel in 2000. The lone dissenter was Hickman, who was then a CNN sports anchor and went with Philadelphia guard Allen Iverson. “It was crazy,’’ Hickman remembers about the fallout. “I got death threats.’’ FOXSports Florida

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

When Heat forward Shane Battier was asked shortly before votes were due if he believes James will be a unanimous MVP, he figured somebody in Oklahoma City might make that not possible by selecting Thunder forward Kevin Durant. Each NBA team has three MVP votes that go to its writers and broadcasters, with the other votes coming from national media. FOXSports Florida

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Well, that’s what happened. Sources told FOX Sports Florida all three MVP first-place votes from Oklahoma City went to James. So if James isn’t a unanimous pick, a dissenting vote would have to come from somewhere else. FOXSports Florida

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Shane Battier had stitches to remove and, apparently, too much free time with his razor. The result is, well . . . "I don't know what you call this," the Miami Heat forward said after Tuesday's practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. Oh, they called Battier's Fu Manchu plenty of things. "Hulk Hogan," teammate LeBron James chimed in. "All the Hulk-a-maniacs are going to be coming after him." "That," teammate Chris Bosh said, "is what happens when you've got a layoff, when you aren't playing. Dudes get bored." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Shane Battier 

With the Heat in a holding pattern until the second round, questions about Collins and his first-person story for SI.com dominated the post-practice media availability at AmericanAirlines Arena. Collins, 34, is the first openly gay male athlete in a major American professional sport to reveal his sexuality while still an active player. “I think it’s very noble on his part,” LeBron James said. “I think it’s a strong thing to do, and I think as NBA players, we all offer him our support.” Miami Herald

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Jason Collins 

Ethan J. Skolnick: LeBron on Jason Collins: "I think it's a strong thing to do. I think it's very cool." Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Jason Collins 

Ethan J. Skolnick: LeBron says if he wasn't on social media blackout, he would have tweeted support Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Jason Collins 

Chris Tomasson: LeBron how how he's playing now: "It's the most efficient I've played in my career for the most part.'' Twitter @christomasson

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

U.S. Olympic teammate and Miami Heat star LeBron James called the injury "unfortunate." "It sucks," James said. "He's a guy who's never missed a game his whole life. We're not just talking about the NBA. He's never missed a game in high school, college or Little League. It's unfortunate, especially for a great player like him, seeing how hard he works, especially being with the Olympic team. It's unfortunate. Hopefully, he has a speedy recovery." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Injuries, Russell Westbrook 

As expected as Lebron James rise to superstardom is, is just as unexpected as Lenny Cooke’s fall from the spotlight was. As a high school recruit Cooke was ranked above Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire by numerous analysts but says his own complacency lead to his eventual downfall. Now as his documentary, the Lenny Cooke Movie is being played at the Tribeca Film Festival Cooke gets to use his story to help young talented kids not repeat the same mistakes. Page 31 caught up with Lenny Cooke who broke down why he feels this story needs to be heard, his 2013 NBA Finals predictions, and his favorite moments of the film. Page 31

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, LeBron James, Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Lenny Cooke 

You would think, upon observing their interaction, that they knew each other well before Allen’s decision to join the Heat as a free agent last summer. “We didn’t,” Allen said. “Now it’s a special bond that we have,” James said. “And it was like, right away.” The Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat, Ray Allen, LeBron James 

Simmons breaks down why he thinks James will eventually join forces with music mogul Jay-Z, who recently divested his interest in the Brooklyn Nets in order to partner with Creative Artists Agency as a sports agent. This is the same agency that James left back in September to sign with childhood friend and former CAA agent Rich Paul as part of a new agency called Klutch Sports. To be clear, Simmons offers a disclaimer that his idea is his own and not based on the sort of insider info that Simmons so often cites. USA Today Sports

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Jay-Z, Agents, Rich Paul 

The man at the center of the proposed reunion is William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley, the CAA coach's agent whose ties to James have been well-chronicled and, as the premise goes, has such an overwhelming and eternal influence on the best basketball player on the planet that he'll convince him to come back. But there is no reason to anticipate this happening. The time has officially come to stop romanticizing the relationship with James and Wesley, and not only because of the obvious fact that the soon-to-be four-time MVP was willing to leave him behind and work with Paul in a partnership that isn't ending anytime soon. The 'Worldwide Wes' factor as it related to James had a Wizard-of-Oz feel to it all along, but the reality in the here and now is that James has long since moved on from that overhyped chapter and, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, the two hardly, if ever, speak these days.The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of their relationship. USA Today Sports

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Jay-Z, Agents, Rich Paul