Watch: Nike Traces LeBron James's Journey in New Throwback Advertisement

The King was once just a small-town kid with big-city dreams.

LeBron James is many things: an NBA superstar (four-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, to name a few of his accomplishments), a philanthopist, an activist, a businessman and so much more. But once upon a time he was just a small-town kid from Akron, Ohio with dreams of playing basketball professionally.

A prep-to-pro sensation, the 14-time All-Star starred at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School before going first overall in the 2003 draft to his home-state Cleveland Cavaliers. Nike traced James's inspiring journey from high school sensation to one of the best basketball players of all time in their newest advertisement.

"I'm not going to guarantee any championships, I'll tell you that," an 18-year-old James says in the video. "I just hope that they accept me for who I am as a basketball player, especially as a person."

Three championships later, Nike reevaluated that statement.

LeBron will make his Staples Center debut Saturday when the Lakers tip off against the Houston Rockets Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET in their home opener.